Crucial has announced the immediate availability of the Crucial Ballistix Sport XT memory.
Designed for gamers and enthusiasts looking for fast and responsive performance, Ballistix Sport XT modules offer XMP profiles for advanced speeds and timings as well as easy BIOS configuration in supported systems.
"The Crucial Ballistix Sport series is designed to provide mainstream users and performance enthusiasts with a reliable, no-hassle gaming experience," says Jeremy Mortenson, senior product manager, Crucial.
"The new Sport XT memory offers an attractive new heat spreader styling for gamers who are looking for enhanced thermal performance, and a new colour that complements popular motherboards."
Available in 4GB and 8GB modules and up to 32GB quad channel kits (8GBx4), Sport XT memory offers DDR3 speeds up to 1866MHz. Crucial Ballistix Sport XT memory modules are available now at ebuyer, and dabs, or directly at www.crucial.com/uk.
Formed from the ashes of the late, great TOCA racing series, the long-dormant Grid franchise returns. Walking the line between simulation and arcade racer, can it measure up against petrol-head favourites Gran Turismo and Forza? Read our full review to find out.
Though the TOCA series that laid the foundations for Grid 2 many moons ago was primarily a simulation racer, the rise of titles like Burnout and the Forza series have seen developers Codemasters take the Grid series down a more accessible route. As punchy as the Burnout series with its car damage modelling (if not quite as boisterously over the top), Grid 2's cars lean slightly more towards the arcade end of the racing spectrum. Though steering is weighty and measured, the emphasis on drifting and the ability to rewind time a limited number of times following particularly nasty crashes give Grid 2, like its predecessor, a more playful tone than the likes of Gran Turismo or even its TOCA forefathers. There's no scalable handling assist option here either, meaning you've to persevere and learn the quirks of Grid 2's driving systems in order to succeed. While it arguably denies Grid 2 a unique feel, being a sort of mash-up of some of the best bits of recent driving titles, it's undeniably good fun throughout, giving all races a thrilling sense of speed and danger.Rather than obsessing over an exhaustive list of cars, Grid 2 focuses on a few dozen lust-worthy road warriors, decking them out in fictional sponsor-heavy paint jobs. While the lack of real-world licensing may put off purists, Codemasters have weaved a worthy plot through Grid 2's single player campaign to justify the game's cars and sponsors. A monied petrol-head is looking to establish a new racing championship called "World Series Racing", a multi-discipline season that pits racers of many specialities against each other on a global stage. You're among those racers. Though only ever really a framing device to get you from one race or event to the next, it's delivered with authenticity, as your racer rises in popularity on social media channels and becomes the talk of in-game ESPN pundits. It gives a great sense of momentum and progression to the campaign.
Races occur across the globe in locations as varied as Paris and Hong Kong, on circuit tracks and offroad trails. As well as standard races, other of the many modes contained within include point-to-point chases, time trials and an interesting "live-routes" race that sees corners and turns revealed only after the previous one was hit, changing with every lap. It's chaotic fun, and one where the visceral car damage modelling system really shines as racers trying to second-guess the circuit collide spectacularly, causing bonnets to crumple and fibre glass to splinter.However, while there's a good number of tracks and modes to conquer, many reuse track segments and assets too often to feel truly unique, and you'll likely tire of them before long if you choose to pursue multiple WSR seasons. Likewise, some of the city-based tracks can feel a little bit lifeless and drab, whereas offroad races are filled with neat touches such as animals crossing roads and flurries of leaves. The influence of Codemaster's Colin McRae series is keenly felt here, and it seems to be where the developers are most confident when it comes to track design.
Even if you put the car damage system to one side, Grid 2's vehicles look great. Though those weaned on the auto-erotica of Forza's in-car recreations will be disappointed to see only a bonnet view as close as you'll come to the driver's seat, the cars have been lovingly created. Particularly praise worthy is the reflections of each bonnet, picking up details like firework displays and skyscraper lights as you tear around night-time tracks. Presentation across the board is of a high standard, with clean, inviting menus, roaring engine sounds and a soundtrack that kicks in at the most heart-pounding moments of tightly fought challenges and races.Multiplayer is delivered through the thorough RaceNet system, which tracks all of your Grid 2 online achievements. It smartly sets you up against racers of a similar ability to yourself, and even assigns you a real-world "Rival" to challenge for grudge matches, rotating rivals to give fresh opposition over time. Live events too will offer unique challenges throughout Grid 2's online lifetime, letting the hardiest of racers battle it out for the most prestigious rankings. However, Grid 2's multiplayer suffers from the same track shortcomings as the single player mode, and it's frustrating that you can't carry over your fleet of unlocked cars from single player to multiplayer too. You'll have to be committed to a wholly separate progression system to make use of the best cars online.
Verdict:
Grid 2 is a confident return for the franchise, with enjoyable car handling and a unique single player mode. It suffers from recycled tracks and its playful approach to licensing may not be for those looking for a truly authentic racer, but there's lots here to enjoy nonetheless.
Oculus Rift's Andrew Reisse, co-founder of the massively exciting virtual-reality gaming headset, has died aged 33 following injuries sustained from a tragic car accident.
Reisse was an innocent bystander crossing a road in Santa Ana, California, when he was hit by a car evading police in pursuit. The car had ran several red lights before colliding with Reisse as he crossed the road. The car is thought to have run another red light at the crossing Reisse was walking across.
"Andrew was a brilliant computer graphics engineer, an avid photographer and hiker who loved nature, and a loyal friend. Andrew was unique in so many interesting ways. He was extraordinarily kind and utterly selfless. He was a mentor and an inspiration to everyone around him.
"Andrew's impact on the software and hardware we've developed at Oculus is immeasurable. He was a lead on the Oculus SDK, the Unreal Engine integration, Hawken VR, and nearly every demo we've shown since the company inception.
"Andrew was taken from us long before his time. Words cannot express how sorely he will be missed or how deeply our sympathy runs for his family.
"Andrew, you will always be in our thoughts and never forgotten. We love you, Reisse."
Our condolences go out to the Reisse family and Andrew's friends. May his memory live on in the great experiences Oculus Rift looks certain to deliver.
There are lots of things to be skeptical of when it comes to Microsoft's forthcoming Xbox One next-gen console, from DRM measures to a focus on entertainment over games. All reasonable worries, but we're at odds with the netizens of the world when it comes to the design of the console. We like the angular black design that the Xbox One uses, but it's not gone down well with many gaming fans, who've likened the forthcoming machine to a 1990s VCR.
Microsoft have now gone on the offensive, defending its "new approach to design" and their attempt to bring together all the console's elements in a unifying way.
"We wanted to think from a holistic perspective," said Ramiro Torres, creative director of design on the Xbox One.
"Its design has to make an appropriate statement that reflects its capability as an all-in-one entertainment system.
"The console and Kinect sensor are liquid black so they melt into the background when being used, allowing the content on your TV to dominate the living room."
Check out the video above, where the Xbox One design team discuss their choices, and give a sneak-peak at some of the designs that didn't make the cut.
Razer may have just revealed the most attractive gaming laptop we've ever seen with the unveiling of their new 14-inch Razer Blade.
Featuring the company's signature black and neon green stylings, it weighs just 1.88kg and is a slim 16.8mm thick, making it on a par with Apple's svelte 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro models (weighing in at 1.54kg and 19mm thick).
Despite that, the Razer Blade remains a powerful gaming machine too, packing in a Nvidia GTX 765M (2GB GDDR5 memory) and Intel HD4600 graphics, one of Intel's latest Haswell Core i7 processors, 8GB DDR3 RAM, a choice of either 128GB, 256GB or 512GB SSDs, 3 USB 3.0 ports and a claimed 6 hours of battery life (though we'd imagine that to drop considerably under a gaming load. It's one slight failing? It's resolution, hitting highs of only 1600x900 rather than being a full HD panel.
If previous Razer machines are anything to go by, expect the build quality here to be of Apple-like standards too - Razer have formidable expertise when it comes to putting together comfortable keyboards and trackpads in particular.
Equally formidable however is the Razer Blade's price. Starting at around £1,200, it's a luxury item, and one that will likely look a little outdated a year or two down the line. Still, at the moment it's about as luxurious as ultraportable gaming laptops get.
Nvidia have lifted the covers off their GeForce GTX 700M notebook GPUs, promising to deliver the fastest gaming speeds in the thinnest gaming laptops ever.
Headlined by the GeForce GTX 780M (which Nvidia claim is the fastest notebook GPU based on full HD 3D Mark Fire Strike benchmarks against a rival AMD Radeon 8970M), all new chipsets are based on Nvidia's impressive Kepler architecture. Looking at the GTX 780M's numbers, you've got packed in here 1,536 CUDA cores, an 823MHz base clock speed and memory configurations of up to 4GB of 256-bit GDDR5; verging on desktop territory.
All also include new technologies to enhance and adjust performance on the fly.
These include Nvidia Optimus technology, which extends laptop battery life by switching on the GPU only when it is needed, Nvidia GPU Boost 2.0, which dynamically adjusts the GPU clock speed to improve performance, and the new GeForce Experience software, which adjusts in-game settings to find the best possible balance between stable performance and visual fidelity.
But with the launch of Intel's Haswell processors looming, which claim to offer integrated graphics performance on a par with dedicated GPUs, will Nvidia's latest efforts be redundant? Naturally, Nvidia's Rene Haas, VP and GM of computing, thinks otherwise.
"If you're talking about gaming, which is the most popular usage for GPUs, Haswell falls far short of GeForce," he said.
"We expect well over half of today's games won't play at standard resolutions on Haswell. That's nothing new. Two generations ago, Sandy Bridge couldn't play roughly half the games of 2010; Ivy Bridge had the same problem with the newer games of 2011. Any serious gamer will tell you that integrated graphics is far from adequate for delivering a reasonable, let alone good experience. Haswell won't change that."
Haswell will have benefits for Nvidia's notebook business however, Haas suggests:
"Haswell is a great CPU, and that actually helps us. We have a much higher market share on Intel platforms versus that of AMD, so to the extent Haswell is successful competing with AMD, we'll do well. We had a record number of design wins with Ivy Bridge, and I expect we'll have at least as many designs with Haswell. In fact we have over 95% of the gaming notebooks this refresh, so things are starting off great."
Expect to find the GTX 700M series notebook GPUs in machines by Acer, Asus, Clevo, Gigabyte, MSI, Razer and Toshiba, releasing in the coming weeks and months.
In a somewhat surprising move, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, first released in 2003, is set to swoop down onto Apple's iPad.
One of the greatest role-playing games ever made, and certainly the best Star Wars title, it was developed by a pre-Mass Effect Bioware churning out some of the best games of their careers.
Set many thousands of years before the events of George Lucas's films, it charts the rise of an evil Sith lord, with a superb twist-heavy story and the chance to shape your character any which way you choose.
IGN have been given early access to the app (which has yet to appear on the UK iTunes store), praising just how well the game stands up today. The site also praises the port's tap-to-target combat (with the turn-based pause system well suited to mobile play), but admitted to struggling at times with the drag-to-walk movement controls.
If you've never played the game before, definitely give it a go on iPad, as it's a bone-fide classic, even with the slightly dodgy movement according to IGN.
No word on UK pricing or release yet, but it seems only a matter of days, if not hours away.
Amazon have become the latest retailer to take a punt on the pricing of Microsofts so-far-divisive Xbox One next-generation games console. If your bank balance is in the red, you may want to look away now.
Though Microsoft have yet to reveal a recommended retail price, Amazon have set their pricing for the console at a whopping £599.99.
To put that in perspective, the Xbox 360 launched at £209 for its basic model, with a premium model weighing in at £279. The Sony rival, the PlayStation 3, cost £425, while Sony also have yet to reveal pricing for their next-gen PlayStation 4 console.
In Microsoft's defence, Amazon have a tendency to push their pre-order prices higher than their eventual selling price, giving them the opportunity to lower the price later on ahead of launch. It looks good, right?
The news follows an earlier pricing leak by Zavvi, who were among the first to offer pre-orders for the new console. They set pre-order prices at £399.99 - a price that was initially regarded as quite expensive but that looks positively like a bargain now.
The days of grabbing a bargain second hand Xbox game may be a thing of the past with the launch of the Xbox One. Tech Digest has learnt that the second hand game activation fee for Xbox One games could be as high as 90% of their original retail price, or roughly £45, on top of whatever was paid for the disc in the first place.
That's according to a a senior "employee at one of the UK's largest video game retailers" speaking to Phil Jones, owner of ConsoleDeals.co.uk.
According to Zavvi, Xbox One titles will sell new for £49.99. An activation fee for second hand gamers of 90% would mean second hand titles could cost as much as £44.99 to play. Considering even recently released second hand games currently can be as much £10 cheaper than their brand new counterparts (and older titles sell sometimes for less than £5 in total), it's a move that could cripple the used games market and its associated retailers.
"The second hand games market has been struggling to survive for the past decade; this leak, which we believe to be true, is the final nail in the coffin." said Jones.
"We were all expecting the worst and we got the worst - I'm shocked that Microsoft is taking this decision"
Microsoft have so far only released the following in regards to the activation fee:
"We know there is some confusion around used games on Xbox One and wanted to provide a bit of clarification on exactly what we've confirmed. While there have been many potential scenarios discussed, we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail."
Clearing up precisely nothing.
If the report proves true, Microsoft may have some very skeptical gamers to win over at E3. The Xbox One PR machine will need to go into overdrive, or Microsoft may have to consider changing what is sure to be an incredibly unpopular policy.
Turtle Beach have confirmed that they've been given the green light by Microsoft to make the first wave of gaming headsets for the freshly-announced Xbox One games console.
Though Turtle Beach have yet to reveal any details on what their headsets will offer, it's a safe bet that some form of simulated surround sound and voice masking tech will make an appearance, as in their recent high-end Ear Force XP510 gaming headset for Xbox 360.
Turtle Beach tell gamers to keep an eye out during E3 for more announcements.
"In Turtle Beach we have a partner that can help Microsoft deliver world class gaming audio experiences to our customers," said Branden Powell Director of Strategic Alliances Xbox Hardware Group.
"Turtle Beach has consistently innovated in wireless, surround sound, and other features and we are looking forward to working with them."
Those however how have bought a pricey gaming headset for the current generation Xbox console will be in for a bit of a shock however, as they will not be compatible with the Xbox One console. The new machine uses a brand new proprietary port for hooking up headsets, making your old gear obsolete unless some sort of converter can be made.
Rockstar have lifted the covers on two deluxe versions of their hotly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto V game, with both the GTA V Collector's Edition and Special Edition versions of the games offering collectible items and in-game digital additions alongside the standard game.
The Collector's Edition, packed in a large box, is the most jam-packed for hardcore fans and includes an exclusive artwork book, an blueprint map of the in-game world of Los Santos with secrets marked on it, a GTA V security deposit bag with logo key, and snapback baseball cap.
Digital content in the Collector's Edition includes an aerial challenges Plane Trials mission pack, additional in-game outfits and tattoos, additional weapons, unique vehicles and a garage to store them in, the ability to make custom characters for online modes and, intriguingly, an ability to boost in game character's Trevor, Michael and Franklin's special ability recharge times by 25%.
The Special Edition has much of the above, but does not include the large box, nor cap nor security deposit bag, and also removes the ability to create custom online characters, as well as removing the unique vehicles and garage.
A pre-order bonus across all versions of the game, including the standard edition, gibes access to an in-game blimp to pilot too.
We're still waiting on pricing for these deluxe versions of the game to be revealed, and will pass them on as we receive them.
With both Sony and Microsoft's next-generation consoles mostly revealed, we're now starting to get a picture of which machines is set to be the most powerful. And it seems as though Sony's PlayStation 4 will offer more raw graphical horsepower than Microsoft's Xbox One according to reports.
Eurogamer's in-depth tech breakdown Digital Foundry team have conducted a detailed hardware comparison of the two machines, pointing out revealing differences in the graphical processing units of the two that sees the "PlayStation 4's 18 CU graphics core has 50 per cent more raw power than the GPU in the new Microsoft console".
"We know that both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 are based on Radeon GCN architecture and we also know that each compute unit is capable of 64 operations per clock," writes Eurogamer's Richard Leadbetter.
"So, again through a process of extrapolation from the drip-feed of hard facts, the make-up of the One's GPU is confirmed - 12 compute units each capable of 64 ops/clock gives us the 768 total revealed by Microsoft and thus, by extension, the 1.2 teraflop graphics core.
"So that's another tick on the Durango leaked spec that has been transposed across to the final Xbox One architecture and the proof we need that PlayStation 4's 18 CU graphics core has 50 per cent more raw power than the GPU in the new Microsoft console."
So what, if any, reason is there for Microsoft's console to be less powerful? It seems tied to Microsoft's decision to lock down 8GB of RAM for the console at an early point in development "serious volume of next-gen DDR4" was unavailable, leading to a complex architecture being created to avoid DDR3 bottlenecks.
With the PS4 design stage not suffering from similar problems, more die-space was freed up for graphical power.
Having now been given a good idea of the specs and features of both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One next-generation consoles, if you're a gambling guy now may be the time to place your best as to which machine will take the gaming Christmas number one spot.
Bookmakers Paddy Power have been quick out of the blocks with their odds for the two consoles, letting chancers put their money on which of the two gaming systems will be the top seller in 2013.
And it's looking a close-run race.
With the internet reacting fairly negatively to the launch of the Xbox One, it's the PlayStation 4 that's considered the most likely to sell in the run up to Christmas with odds of 4/11 while the Xbox One sits slightly behind at 15/8.
A cheeky spokesperson for Paddy Power said "With both consoles set to retail at roughly the same price it should be a case of one or the other for most gamers but there is the third option of a girlfriend."
Interestingly, but unsurprisingly, the Wii U console doesn't even figure in Paddy Power's estimations, with Nintendo as of the beginning of May having only sold 390,000 of the machines.
Microsoft have confirmed that the Xbox One's new and improved Kinect sensor will be made available to Windows PC users.
Speaking to ShackNews, Kinect's program manager Scott Evans revealed that Microsoft "will bring [Kinect] to PC", stating that more details would be brought to light "soon".
The Windows PC community of hackers proved invaluable to the original Kinect - while gamers were jaded with the peripheral's lack of accuracy and poor software support, the PC community of Kinect owners found many memorable and potentially useful applications for the technology.
While no firm release date for Kinect 2.0 for PC has been given (unsurprising considering we are still waiting on a firm release date for the Xbox One console itself), if the release timing of the first model is anything to go by, expect to see the new sensor made available to PC users within its first year of release.
Now able to process as much as 2Gbits of data a second, the new Kinect's camera will also be able to recognise more advanced gestures and movements. Capturing 1080p video and recognising more advanced skeletal maps with more joints and articulation points, the sensor's voice recognition technology has been updated to allow for more conversational control commands to be stated.
Offering the new console with a 12 month warranty and no deposit needed, Zavvi also have a pre-order price promise that guarantees you'll only pay the cheaper price of the console in the unlikely event the retailer decides to lower the price between now and launch.
It's not clear yet however what the bundle includes beyond the console itself and its required Kinect sensor.
The retailer has also revealed pricing for the games announced so far for the console, with a blanket price of £49.99 across the board.
That's an exact match for both Sony's hardware and software for the PlayStation 4, meaning we're likely to see a real fight to be at the top of Christmas lists later this year when the two consoles launch.
It may be Microsoft celebrating the launch of their new Xbox One console, but it's rivals Sony who have seen the stock market shift in their favour tonight.
Sony's stock close today at 22.91, a jump two points higher than eight hours earlier, and before the unveiling of Microsoft's Xbox One console, set to face-off against the PlayStation 4 console Sony debuted back in February. That's lead to a 9.25% hike in Sony's market price, a very healthy shift indeed.
Microsoft's stock on the other hand stayed almost static despite the big announcement, down slightly by 0.66%.
So what's caused this? There's two potential reasons for the slightly incongruous financial shift.
PlayStation fanboys may call out Microsoft's console launch as being a failed one, too focussed on TV content and not enough on the games that will attract the console's hardcore audience. Indeed, the initial response from the web has been one that's less than stellar, as What Hi-Fi editor Joe Cox highlighted with this tweet:
However, a more likely reason is the growing rumour that Sony is planning to spin off its entertainment division. It's a potentially lucrative move, one that Daniel S. Loeb, a hedge fund manager who happens to own 6.5 percent of Sony, first suggested. Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment has of late offset losses from the company's consumer electronics business.
If you're a gamer on a budget, Microsoft's freshly-announced Xbox One console may not be for you, as second hand games and pre-owned titles will require an additional activation fee to play.
This seems to be because all games will require a mandatory installation to the console's onboard HDD that ties titles to a single Xbox One owner's account, preventing them from passing the disc around.
A second hand game that has already been tied to a console will require a monetary fee in order for activation via the internet and Xbox Live to occur, it seems.
It's a move that's sure to split the gaming community down the middle. Cash-strapped gamers will be up in arms, neither able to sell on their games nor pick up a bargain on the second hand market. It's also looking unlikely that you'll be able to let your pals borrow games either, as they too look set to require an activation fee for a separate console unless Microsoft introduces some sort of loaning system. It's not yet clear if games will even work across console accounts in the same household. Second hand retailers like CEX and GAME must be quaking in their boots too.
However, the move will mean that developers and publishers will make more money for their hard-earned work on games. They currently receive no money for second hand game sales, and increased revenues for these teams should lead on to better games in the future.
In any case, it's all become clear now why EA were so happy to give up their Online Pass model, right?
Microsoft's newly announced Xbox One console will not be backwards compatible, meaning your old library of Xbox 360 games will be unplayable on the new machine.
This lacking feature was confirmed by Microsoft Xbox Live VP Marc Whitten, speaking to The Verge. "The system is based on a different core architecture, so back-compat doesn't really work from that perspective," he explained.
It's a similar situation to that seen with the PlayStation 4, where its new architecture is also at odds with the previous generation's games.
However, whereas Sony's console will allow gamers to stream old titles, Microsoft did not announce any similar features for the Xbox One console. When asked whether or not the console's updated Xbox Live features would allow for older games to be downloaded, Whitten stated that no such plans were currently in the works.
However, Microsoft did confirm that all non-game content purchased on the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live will carry over to the Xbox One console, allowing players to carry over music and movie files.
Games took a bit of a backseat at tonight's big Xbox One console launch from Microsoft, but one title sure to inspire feverish devotion from gamers was Infinity Ward's Call of Duty Ghosts, debuting its first ever gameplay trailer at the event.
A far more graphically impressive shooter than previous Call of Duty games, Ghosts employs plenty of next-gen effects such as volumetric lighting and incredibly high-resolution textures and shadows that will make for the most realistic war game the developers have ever produced.
It'll also be pulled together with a script set in an all new world with an all new cast of characters written by Traffic scribe Stephen Gaghan.
Microsoft have lifted the covers on their long-awaited next-generation console, the Xbox One.
A far more elegant moniker than the rumoured Xbox Infinity and Xbox 720 names, Microsoft hope the new Xbox One machine will be a single "all-in-one" entertainment device at the centre of your living room, as focussed on delivering television content as much (if not more so) than games.
The Xbox One console and its specs
A slick, angular looking black box with an accompanying redesigned Kinect sensor, the Xbox One's internals make use of an 8-core CPU backed by 8GB RAM and 5 billion transistors, with x86 architecture and 64-bit support making it more similar to a high-end modern PC than the current Xbox 360.
Running "silently" despite the power according to Microsoft reps at the launch event at the company's campus HQ, the machine will also include a Blu-ray disc drive for movie playback and delivery of game media. A 500GB non-removable hard drive will be used for mandatory game installs and media content, with storage expansion via the cloud and the console's USB 3.0 port.
Future-proofed with 4K video support (alongside standard 1080p Full HD) and ticking AV enthusiasts boxes by supporting 7.1 surround sound, the console includes both HDMI In and HDMI out ports for hooking up to both a TV and set-top box.
"We're putting you at the centre of a new generation of your living room," said Microsoft's Don Mattrick.
Operating System and Interface
That living room experience will be shaped by the Xbox One's new operating system architecture that combines elements of the standard Xbox 360 interface with Windows 8 functions, such as application snapping to corners and split sides of the screen. Described by the Microsoft presenters as "three operating systems in one", users will be able to seamlessly move between applications in an instant, with an interface not dissimilar to the current Xbox 360 dashboard. It's a multi-tasker's dream. Kinect 2.0 and TV Interaction
Much of this movement between apps will be done with the console's new Kinect 2.0 sensor, which looks set to ship with every Xbox One machine. Kinect will be a mandatory requirement of the new console, and will always have to be connected to the Xbox One in order to operate it.
Taking in more natural, conversational voice commands, users will be able to switch on their console by simply stating "Xbox on" in the vicinity of their machines. The Kinect will also be able to identify between individual voices, booting up to multiple user's personal accounts by picking up the distinct differences in each person's voice.
Where the voice commands get very interesting and most useful however is with the way the Xbox One integrates with your live TV sources. The console will act as a go-between between you and your TV, letting you state simple voice commands to switch between playing games and live TV, without having to jump for a remote and hit the source channel. The Kinect will be able to understand conversational voice commands and interface with your TV to switch to the channel or TV show of your choosing, with the console featuring an integrated TV guide to help you find the show you're looking for.
Over time, this interface will get to know your favoured shows and offer recommendations, while the console's operating system will also pick out trending content and preferred shows from your social circles, offer them up as suggestions.
Kinect Gestures and Skype Video Calling
Now able to process as much as 2Gbits of data a second, the new Kinect's camera will also be able to recognise more advanced gestures and movements. Capturing 1080p video and recognising more advanced skeletal maps with more joints and articulation points, the new Kinect will allow users to "grab" content on the TV by expanding or closing the distance between two hands, resulting in an effect not unlike a tablet's pinch-to-zoom feature, taking you out of the current application and instantly back to the main Xbox One homescreen. There was even talk of the camera being able to recognise a heartbeat when exercising in front of it.
Skype calling is also integrated into the console, with the 1080p camera allowing for picture-in-picture video calls, something that will hopefully be supported during gameplay too.
A Revised Xbox Controller and Smart Glass
The standard Xbox controller has also been given a subtle redesign. Though staying similar to the current look of the Xbox 360 controller, it feature improved ergonomics and a more responsive D-Pad, as well as a more svelte battery compartment on the rear for wireless gaming. Microsoft reps mentioned "dynamic impulse triggers" but didn't elaborate on what that means - it may refer to rumble features, or varying degrees of pressure that can sensed or needed to operate.
Smart Glass returns too, allowing for much of the interface and portions of future, undisclosed games to be controlled by a tablet or smartphone, giving Xbox One owners a smorgasbord of potential control methods.
Xbox Live on Xbox One
Xbox Live returns as the unifying online system of the Xbox One console, tying together game downloads and online play with media consumption services. On the new console it will still use the same membership you have on the Xbox 360, allowing you to carry over your hard-earned Gamerscore. 300,000 servers will be used to connect all users and services across the world, with almost all the consoles media content stored in the cloud, including save games.
This will also include user-created game clips, with the console offering recording functionality similar to the PS4's "Share" system, and likely tying in with Microsoft's recent partnership with the Twitch gaming channel.
Overall, Microsoft promise the next-generation of Xbox live will offer bigger matches with more players, improved matchmaking functionality and greater scope for games with persistent online worlds, hinting at potential MMO type games hitting the console.
Games
However, considering the Xbox 360 is primarily a games console, the Xbox One's launch featured scant few games, especially compared to the breadth of games on show during Sony's PlayStation launch event. Though Microsoft promise 15 Xbox One exclusive titles within the first year of launch (8 of which will be brand new franchises), only a handful were on show, and none demoed in real time on the hardware.
The headlining game on show was the grand unveiling of gameplay footage from the new Call of Duty: Ghosts title from developers Infinity Ward, showing off advanced textures and facial mapping technology, as well as new gameplay elements such as dogs and improved player movement. It looked fancy, even if sticking closely to the Call of Duty formula. As almost certainly a multi-platform title, the Xbox One coup here is exclusive DLC
EA showed off their new Ignite engine, which will power next gen Fifa, Madden, NBA and UFC, titles all headed to the Xbox One in the next twelve months. True Player Motion will add to in-game physicality and more advanced player movements, 3D crowds will enhance match atmosphere, while Xbox Live will deliver a daily stream of new content to EA games - likely tied into current sporting events. FIFA 14's Ultimate Team mode will also have Xbox One exclusive features, which will be revealed at E3.
The other two games on show were Forza 4 from Turn 10 Studios, looking as life-like as the developers racing titles ever do, and an intriguing new IP from Alan Wake developer's Remedy called Quantum Break, which seemed to tie telekinetic action into a third-person adventure.
No Backwards Compatibility
The Xbox One console will not be backwards compatible, meaning your old library of Xbox 360 games will be unplayable on the new machine.
This lacking feature was confirmed by Microsoft Xbox Live VP Marc Whitten, speaking to The Verge. "The system is based on a different core architecture, so back-compat doesn't really work from that perspective," he explained.
It's a similar situation to that seen with the PlayStation 4, where its new architecture is also at odds with the previous generation's games.
However, whereas Sony's console will allow gamers to stream old titles, Microsoft did not announce any similar features for the Xbox One console. When asked whether or not the console's updated Xbox Live features would allow for older games to be downloaded, Whitten stated that no such plans were currently in the works.
However, Microsoft did confirm that all non-game content purchased on the Xbox 360 through Xbox Live will carry over to the Xbox One console, allowing players to carry over music and movie files.
Second hand games will require an activation fee If you're a gamer on a budget, Microsoft's freshly-announced Xbox One console may not be for you, as second hand games and pre-owned titles will require an additional activation fee to play.
This seems to be because all games will require a mandatory installation to the console's onboard HDD that ties titles to a single Xbox One owner's account, preventing them from passing the disc around.
A second hand game that has already been tied to a console will require a monetary fee in order for activation via the internet and Xbox Live to occur, it seems.
It's a move that's sure to split the gaming community down the middle. Cash-strapped gamers will be up in arms, neither able to sell on their games nor pick up a bargain on the second hand market. It's also looking unlikely that you'll be able to let your pals borrow games either, as they too look set to require an activation fee for a separate console unless Microsoft introduces some sort of loaning system. It's not yet clear if games will even work across console accounts in the same household. Second hand retailers like CEX and GAME must be quaking in their boots too.
However, the move will mean that developers and publishers will make more money for their hard-earned work on games. They currently receive no money for second hand game sales, and increased revenues for these teams should lead on to better games in the future.
In any case, it's all become clear now why EA were so happy to give up their Online Pass model, right?
Spielberg's Halo TV Show and NFL Fantasy Football
Perhaps the most exciting game news from the event wasn't even actually tied to a playable game. Instead, it was the news that the Halo franchise would be being made into a TV show, to be helmed by legendary director Steve Spielberg.
It's a particularly interesting turn of events. Not only is it a coup to nab Spielberg, but, with the console's new focus on television, it looks as though Microsoft will be taking the same route as Netflix and LoveFilm in producing new content exclusive to their platform.
The Xbox One will also have a partnership with NFL, popping a fantasy football league alongside live matches, letting you check out your team and player's rankings in real-time in relation to their real-world games, side-by-side with the live feed of matches. Though this feature will be lost on all but American Xbox One owners, a football (or "soccer", if you're from across the pond) version would likely be well received across Europe.
Price
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox One console will cost £399.99 in the UK.
That's according to online retailer Zavvi, who have set the price for their pre-order packages accordingly. The retailer has also revealed pricing for the games announced so far for the console, with a blanket price of £49.99 across the board.
That's an exact match for both Sony's hardware and software for the PlayStation 4, meaning we're likely to see a real fight to be at the top of Christmas lists later this year when the two consoles launch.
Release Date
No specific launch date was given, though Microsoft did state the Xbox One will launch worldwide this year.
So, what do you think of Microsoft's Xbox One console? Everything you hoped it would be? Or has Sony's PlayStation 4 got it beat? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Crucial has announced the immediate availability of the Crucial Ballistix Sport XT memory.
Name: Grid 2
Rather than obsessing over an exhaustive list of cars, Grid 2 focuses on a few dozen lust-worthy road warriors, decking them out in fictional sponsor-heavy paint jobs. While the lack of real-world licensing may put off purists, Codemasters have weaved a worthy plot through Grid 2's single player campaign to justify the game's cars and sponsors. A monied petrol-head is looking to establish a new racing championship called "World Series Racing", a multi-discipline season that pits racers of many specialities against each other on a global stage. You're among those racers. Though only ever really a framing device to get you from one race or event to the next, it's delivered with authenticity, as your racer rises in popularity on social media channels and becomes the talk of in-game ESPN pundits. It gives a great sense of momentum and progression to the campaign.
However, while there's a good number of tracks and modes to conquer, many reuse track segments and assets too often to feel truly unique, and you'll likely tire of them before long if you choose to pursue multiple WSR seasons. Likewise, some of the city-based tracks can feel a little bit lifeless and drab, whereas offroad races are filled with neat touches such as animals crossing roads and flurries of leaves. The influence of Codemaster's Colin McRae series is keenly felt here, and it seems to be where the developers are most confident when it comes to track design.
Multiplayer is delivered through the thorough RaceNet system, which tracks all of your Grid 2 online achievements. It smartly sets you up against racers of a similar ability to yourself, and even assigns you a real-world "Rival" to challenge for grudge matches, rotating rivals to give fresh opposition over time. Live events too will offer unique challenges throughout Grid 2's online lifetime, letting the hardiest of racers battle it out for the most prestigious rankings. However, Grid 2's multiplayer suffers from the same track shortcomings as the single player mode, and it's frustrating that you can't carry over your fleet of unlocked cars from single player to multiplayer too. You'll have to be committed to a wholly separate progression system to make use of the best cars online.
Oculus Rift's Andrew Reisse, co-founder of the massively exciting virtual-reality gaming headset, has died aged 33 following injuries sustained from a tragic car accident.
Razer may have just revealed the most attractive gaming laptop we've ever seen with the unveiling of their new 14-inch Razer Blade.
It's one slight failing? It's resolution, hitting highs of only 1600x900 rather than being a full HD panel.
Nvidia have lifted the covers off their GeForce GTX 700M notebook GPUs, promising to deliver the fastest gaming speeds in the thinnest gaming laptops ever.
In a somewhat surprising move, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, first released in 2003, is set to swoop down onto Apple's iPad.
Amazon have become the latest retailer to take a punt on the pricing of Microsofts so-far-divisive Xbox One next-generation games console. If your bank balance is in the red, you may want to look away now.
Turtle Beach have confirmed that they've been given the green light by Microsoft to make the first wave of gaming headsets for the freshly-announced Xbox One games console.
Rockstar have lifted the covers on two deluxe versions of their hotly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto V game, with both the GTA V Collector's Edition and Special Edition versions of the games offering collectible items and in-game digital additions alongside the standard game.
With both Sony and Microsoft's next-generation consoles mostly revealed, we're now starting to get a picture of which machines is set to be the most powerful. And it seems as though Sony's PlayStation 4 will offer more raw graphical horsepower than Microsoft's Xbox One according to reports.
Having now been given a good idea of the specs and features of both the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One next-generation consoles, if you're a gambling guy now may be the time to place your best as to which machine will take the gaming Christmas number one spot.
Microsoft have confirmed that the Xbox One's new and improved Kinect sensor will be made available to Windows PC users.
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox One console will cost £399.99 in the UK.
It may be Microsoft celebrating the launch of their new Xbox One console, but it's rivals Sony who have seen the stock market shift in their favour tonight.
If you're a gamer on a budget, Microsoft's freshly-announced Xbox One console may not be for you, as second hand games and pre-owned titles will require an additional activation fee to play.
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