Nerd Rating

Tag: Microsoft

  • An Xbox Lover’s First Impression: Scott’s Xbox One Thoughts

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    I love my Xbox 360. It is my console of choice for this last generation. Now don’t get me wrong, I still play my PS3 religiously, but whenever a multi-console game has come out (which is 85% of releases) I instinctively get it for the 360. I am an admitted achievement whore and I prefer my online experiences over Xbox Live. So why am I ready to purchase a PS4 on day one and feel I can wait a few months on my Xbox One purchase?

    Simple answer: the games.

    Now don’t get on a high horse and say that I am jumping on a new bandwagon or anything asinine like that. There is still a long way to go before deciding what next-gen console will occupy the majority of my time. E3 is in a few weeks where both Microsoft and Sony will bring out the really big guns with game demos (hopefully) and price points. This early, early, very early impression is based solely on the two press conferences I have watched. Opinions have the wonderful ability to change.

    The Xbox One is a beautiful looking machine. It is simplistic, square and black. Something that agrees with my OCD for my entertainment center. Like the PS4, it is a monster on the inside with 8GB of RAM and 8-core CPU with a Blu-Ray drive (which I am sure is killing Microsoft on the inside knowing Sony won that battle). It has the horsepower to match the PS4 which is what we expected. The other thing we expected, which I was hoping was wrong, was that Microsoft would focus on Xbox One being the central hub of your living room. This is where my initial disconnect begins.

    Back in February, Sony took a calculated risk by saying the PS4 would be a gaming machine focused on the games. They bet double down that Microsoft would take the entertainment route and they were right. Now in the next six months we are going to see if that bet pays off. For a gamer like me I am more than ready to get a PS4 day one because of this reason. I understand Microsoft’s overall strategy with the Xbox One. It is the next evolution of the brand and that’s all well and good….for Microsoft. I have no problem with my cable box, I have ten sports channels to watch and a laptop and smartphone to check my fantasy teams on and while all the bells and whistles that Microsoft showed off today were certainly fun, they are not convincing me that I will be saving $500 for a midnight release.

    All photos courtesy theverge.com
    All photos courtesy theverge.com

    With so many games being multi-platform now and my existing systems still going strong with their impressive libraries and ability to play Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO Go, etc., my first choice in next-gen systems breaks down to exclusives and as much as I love the Xbox brand, Sony is going to win that fight. I love my Gears of War and Halo and will be playing them (eventually) on an Xbox One, but when I begin to look at the Sony franchises that I am addicted to my choice becomes clearer. Uncharted, Infamous, Little Big Planet, Ratchet and Clank, God of War and Killzone is quite the list and two of those franchises are guaranteed to me on day one on the PS4.

    I know this article may be a little hypocritical seeing as how I will eventually own both systems, but early adopters are the ones who drive the spin of which console is winning. Last generation Sony priced themselves out of my range for two years while my love of Xbox grew. Now this generation Playstation is focusing on the games while Xbox One is trying to get me to voice command it to watch Mike and Molly.

    Early (and big) advantage: Sony

  • “Durango NextBox 720 Fusion” : Trey’s Take on the Xbox One Event

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    I’d like to start by saying that I was not able to watch the presentation “live,” but I was following the event on several gaming sites and social media.

    The overall impression I got, and the feeling I arrived at after reading some posts and watching some of the demonstrations, was “Meh. Where are our games? When does it actually come out? Is it E3 yet?”

    It is no surprise that the Xbox One will be a media-heavy device, with a large portion of its abilities focused on things other than just playing games. My 360 already spends as much time on Netflix and Hulu as it does facilitating headshots, and Sony’s PS4 reveal set the tone for next-gen integration of web and social media. Considering there is already a Pizza Hut app that lets you order delivery right from your console, things like browsing theater show times and buying tickets are just the next logical step in the process.

    There was a lot of talk about games, with numbers being thrown around concerning how many exclusive titles we can expect, how many of those are new IPs, etc. The amazing thing was the sheer lack of footage from those games, or even information about titles; hell guys, I would have taken a teaser logo or two. Halo TV series sounds like a win, but again, that’s only game-related, not an actual game.

    All photos courtesy theverge.com
    All photos courtesy theverge.com

    The games that were shown off ranged from: Interesting (Quantum Break); completely expected but pretty (Forza, sports titles); and completely expected, uninteresting, bland and useless (Call of Go Fuck Yourself, Leaning in FPS is Not Something to Be Excited About).

    Finally, Microsoft managed to give us absolutely zero info in way of a release date.

    So what are my thoughts on this? I would have saved the money and hype for E3, since they’re essentially doing that anyway by holding off on game announcements and a solid release date. I genuinely think the folks in Xbox marketing let the media get to them about how long they were waiting after Sony’s announcement, and the end result was a half-assed presentation that gave me very few reasons to be excited for the Xbox One.

    “4/10. Would not waste time on over-hyped presentation again.”

  • More Images Of The Xbox One

    All photos courtesy theverge.com
    All photos courtesy theverge.com

    Hey! In case you missed it, Microsoft has a new console, the Xbox One. How about a better look at the console, controller and Kinect? We are a visual society so enjoy!!

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  • Microsoft Unveils The Xbox One

    Photo courtesy Microsoft
    Photo courtesy Microsoft

    Let the next-gen war officially begin!

    Microsoft took the wraps off of their offering with the announcement of the Xbox One. The system, as you can see above, is a sleek, minimalist design with a redesigned controller and Kinect 2.0 coming packed in with the system. No release date or price point was given, but there is plenty of time for that with E3 only a few weeks away.

    The system is quite the powerhouse with an 8-core CPU and 8GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive, USB 3.0 using a Blu-Ray drive.

    The controller looks slightly larger but looks to have a flatter feel from the side. It has an integrated battery (finally!) and new d-pad which I pray feels better than the 360.

    The new Kinect has a 1080p camera and USB 3.0 for a better field of vision and the voice controls are being made more of a focal point in the operation of the system.

    The Xbox One can play live TV, games, music and movies all controlled with the voice feature on the new Kinect. During the press conference they demonstrated by saying simple commands like “watch HBO” or “watch CBS”. Not sure how it will work when I say “play College Asian Slumber Party 9”, but we will see.

    We will have much more coverage on the Xbox One coming so keep checking back!

  • Internal Email Suggest New Xbox Will Not Require Internet Connection

    Photo courtesy destructoid.com
    Photo courtesy destructoid.com

    Of the litany list of rumors about the next Xbox, the main one that has people talking or growing wary about Microsoft’s new console is the possibility that it could require a constant internet connection. Microsoft has been quiet on the subject while we wait for their May 21st reveal of the system to find out their plans, but an email uncovered by Ars Technica may pull a quick reverse on the subject.

    This is an excerpt from the email:

    “Durango (the codename for the next Xbox) is designed to deliver the future of entertainment while engineered to be tolerant of today’s Internet. There are a number of scenarios that our users expect to work without an Internet connection, and those should ‘just work’ regardless of their current connection status. Those include, but are not limited to: playing a Blu-ray disc, watching live TV, and yes playing a single player game.”

    Now this is not calling the issue of always online dead. This is still pure speculation until Microsoft goes live on May 21st and unveils their new system.

     

  • Next Xbox To Be Revealed On May 21st

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    Emails were sent out this morning inviting everyone to come and see the unveiling of the next Xbox on May 21st. The event will take place on Microsoft’s Xbox campus in Redmond, Washington. The event will start at 10AM PDT and you can watch it on Xbox.com, Xbox Live or on Spike TV.

    No announcement has been made if a hobbit will be hosting the event.

    We will be updating you as more information comes in. Until then have fun going through our most recent set of Xbox rumor mill items here.

  • Ubisoft Montreal CEO Thinks Gamers Are Ready For “Always-Online”

    Photo courtesy knowyourmeme.com
    Photo courtesy knowyourmeme.com

    Here are the details first then I will let you know what this most likely means.

    Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat gave an interview with The Guardian and was asked if the gaming community was ready for a console that is always connected to the internet.

    “Well, that’s a question you should put to Microsoft and Sony! I would say that a lot of people are already always online through other devices – I would suspect that the audience is ready.”

    Now Mallat could just be playing it safe and saying that we would have to ask either Microsoft or Sony, but I am assuming as the head of a major game development studio that he may actually already know if the next Xbox will be always-online or not. Sony has already announced that the PS4 will not require it and there is too much smoke around Microsoft’s camp to not say there is fire somewhere. I am not saying Microsoft will do it, but I am thinking there has been more than serious discussions about it and who knows, maybe their delay in announcing the new Xbox could be a rethinking of strategy after the negative reception to the possibility.

     

  • Xbox Rumor Mill…….Go!

    Photo courtesy techspot.com
    Photo courtesy techspot.com

    I am not in the practice of posting articles for every single Xbox rumor that passes in front of me. I like to wait and let them marinate and then serve them to you on a nice place setting and watch as you take tiny bird bites and see how you like them. Let’s go over the last few that are making the rounds. Need a refill before we begin?

    1. The next Xbox will need to be online. As in always online.

    This is the biggie that has everyone up in arms. I am not leaning one way or the other honestly so I will try and give you an objective opinion about both sides. Always online is going to be the future. It is undeniable. There will come a time when almost everything short of a refrigerator or toaster is going to need an internet connection. Microsoft was ahead of the curve when they introduced Xbox Live over ten years ago and made it require a cable internet connection leaving all the 56K users out in the cold. They knew that to have the speed needed it had to have a fast connection and Microsoft also saw that 56K, while being in the majority of homes, was on borrowed time. It was a gamble that paid off, but this is a different gamble altogether. If this rumor is true, Microsoft is hedging their bets on the future of the Xbox brand on it. I know that consoles will eventually require an internet connection for functionality, but I hope that Microsoft is not a generation too soon with it.

    The outcry over an always online Xbox may seem like internet fanboy complaining and I hope that is all it is. But there is still a large part of the country that has spotty internet or no internet at all. Hard to believe in this time, but Microsoft has to realize this. I believe that is why Sony has already announced that the PS4 will not require an internet connection to play. They are placing their bets that some people will be turned off by Microsoft making them be online to play and will be waiting on them with arms wide open, ready to accept them into the Sony family. This is not a far-fetched idea when you think about it.

    I get the feeling that Microsoft is feeling like Sony after the success of the PS2. They feel they can do no wrong and people will follow no matter what. Sony learned a harsh lesson about that in the first few years of the PS3. They learned they were not invincible and it looks like they are trying to correct a lot of this with the PS4. Be wary Microsoft.

    2. The next Xbox will cost $500 straight up with a second model at $300 with a subscription fee.

    I think this is a rumor you can go ahead and count on being true. It was most likely the whole reason why they tried the approach last year with the Xbox 360 where you get the console for $99 and agree to a two year subscription to Xbox Live. I think it will be a harder sell for the next Xbox, but that’s not to say it won’t be a success. A $99 360 is an easy sell to some, even with a subscription model. Now, asking $300 for a new console AND a two year subscription may be a bit more of a stretch. If I am going to save and spend $300 on a console I, personally, would just get 200 bucks more and buy my console outright. However, we do buy phones like this so I can see where Microsoft would think this is a viable option.

    3. The next Xbox will essentially become your cable box.

    This goes back to #1 on the list. Rumors are that the system will be able to connect with your cable boxes and communicate with them. This would fit in with Microsoft’s mission to make the Xbox the entertainment center of your living room. How Microsoft will make this a unique experience like Nintendo TVii remains to be seen. There will need to be some kind of special feeling to this to have some people (me) adopt it. I am sure that Microsoft has some tricks up their sleeve for this.

    4. Microsoft is shooting for a late-May announcement for the next Xbox.

    May 21 is the date that rumors suggest when the big event will happen. If this is true then it means that Sony will have had three and a half months of time for people to learn the ins and outs of every bit of PS4 info they can find. Did Microsoft wait too long? And because Sony had such a great announcement and Microsoft waited so long, are the expectations unattainable? If they do wait till May 21, why not just do it at E3 a couple of weeks later? Microsoft has wasted valuable time while many have begun to question items about their next console. Let’s hope they blow us all away.

     

  • Could Killer Instinct Be Ready For Another Ultra Combo?

    Photo courtesy biasedvideogameblogger.com
    Photo courtesy biasedvideogameblogger.com

    It looks as though Killer Instinct is crawling out of the grave that Fox dug for it. Last year, Microsoft was denied the renewal of the license because Fox had a similar named property and didn’t want to share.

    Well Fulgore days are here again!!!

    Microsoft and Fox have signed what Matlock would call a “Trademark Coexistence Agreement”, which basically means that they have something that is named the same thing, but are cool with each other using the name. See, Fox had a TV show back in 2005 named Killer Instinct and it made no complete sense to fight Microsoft on the use of the name of a show that no one fucking remembers. Oh and the fact that the game came way before the show also.

    Now this does not mean that a new Killer Instinct is on the way, but it does free up Microsoft to start one if they want to. I would think the fact that they signed this agreement would be a tell that they have more Jago action planned for the future.

     

  • New Xbox Bundle Combines Batman With Darksiders

     

    Photo courtesy joystiq.com
    Photo courtesy joystiq.com

    Microsoft is releasing a new bundle for the Xbox 360 that will combine a 250 GB hard drive with Batman: Arkham City and Darksiders 2. The Spring Value Bundle will costs $299.99 and is available now at all retailers.

    Along with the games you will also receive a free month of Xbox Live.