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Some of you already have pre-orders in for the Xbox One and it’s simply a matter of waiting until you can find out when it’s actually going to be in stores. You might think you already know enough about Microsoft’s next-gen console but, this morning, the folks in Redmond are showing off what comes with a very special version of the Xbox One.
A new unboxing video on the Xbox One site opens up the cardboard enclosure that the console will be shipping in, offering a look at the bits and pieces you’ll need to assemble in the right order. This isn’t just any old Xbox One that’s being unboxed, though. It’s a limited edition Day One version. Relevant details from the accompanying blog post:
In the video, we are unboxing the Xbox One Day One edition – which includes an Xbox One console, Kinect, a specially branded DAY ONE 2013 controller with chrome D-pad, the Xbox One Chat Headset, a 4K rated HDMI cable, power supply and a code for a Day One digital achievement. This will be available in limited quantities.
The Xbox One console is state of the art – a 500GB hard drive, slot load Blu-ray drive, IR blaster port, HDMI input and output connectors, a S/PDIF interface, new Kinect sensor port, three USB 3.0 Super Speed ports, Wired and Wireless network support and a Kensington Security Slot.
The chat on Xbox One offers 3x the sampling rate of the Xbox 360. The quality of the Xbox One Chat Headset speaker and microphone have been upgraded to take advantage of the much improved audio quality. It’s also super lightweight-only 44g-with a padded earpiece that can be worn on either your left or right ear, and a bendable, rotating mic boom. You can control mute and volume without taking your hands off the controller.
Now, you might remember Microsoft previously stated that the Xbox One’s headset isn’t shipping with the console. But based on the info above, it appears that at least the Day One edition will let you start screaming at other firsters as soon as you hook things up.
Virgin Media Games Space created for games players and developers
Oculus Rift and Cello Fortress to showcase latest innovation
Superfast 1Gb broadband powers new hub on Silicon Roundabout
Virgin Media is creating a pop-up games hub in the heart of London’s technological innovation, Silicon Roundabout¹, to champion the future of British gaming. The Virgin Media Games Space will be powered by the company’s superfast broadband, providing speeds of up to 1Gb, and will include a stellar line-up of games to play, industry talks to inspire and workshops to help create the next generation of gaming developers.
Games curator and event producer David Hayward is overseeing the creation of the space to provide a environment for gamers and budding developers of all ages to come play, learn and develop their digital skills. The free Virgin Media Games Space will open its doors to the public on 27th August until 21st September, and the best parts will also be available for visitors to enjoy at this year’s Eurogamer Expo.
The British video gaming industry is a valuable contributor to the national economy and considered an area of growth with some of the world’s largest franchises already developed here, as well as strong communities of independent game developers. With gaming high on Government agenda, measures are being introduced to help develop programming skills as part of the national curriculum. Virgin Media Games Space is celebrating this welcome news by offering gamers a glimpse of the future and helping wannabe developers build it.
Virgin Media has a track record of championing undiscovered talent and now, after the success of last year’s 100 Day Game Project which saw a winning team of students from Essex University create and launch ‘Super-Fluid’ as an Android and iOS app in just 100 days, has invested to help even more raw talent hidden amongst the gaming community.
All visitors will have the opportunity to experience the latest in virtual reality gaming courtesy of Oculus Rift, plus have a chance to test yet-to-be-released indie titles such as Super Pole Riders, There Shall be Lancing and Krautscape.
Some Virgin Media Games Space highlights include:
Week 1 – Lifelites Game Jam a 24-hour developer session to produce games for children with limited mobility
Week 2 – Cello Fortress showcase
Week 3 – New Sony Computer Entertainment tiles, Beyond: Two Souls (PS3), Tearaway (PS Vita)
Week 4 – Arcade Jam – Games collectives and artists from all over Europe will come together to build DIY arcade machines and games. See the results at VMGS, all week from September 17th – 21st
Richard Larcombe, director of advertising and sponsorship at Virgin Media said: “We’re excited to be able to provide a space where anyone can come and play games all day long but also where visitors can come and learn or be inspired by experienced developers from across the industry.
“The digital world is creating incredible job opportunities as well as entertainment for people and the rise of the British gaming industry is something to be proud of. This is going to be a unique place for people to use who’ve got the same passion for gaming we have. Whether it’s to debate, develop, or push the boundaries of new technologies, Virgin Media Games Space will provide something for everyone no matter their gaming abilities.”
David Hayward, curator and event producer, said: “It’s immensely exciting that London is getting its first game space, and I’m very pleased to be curating it. Games are such a diverse thing now, and I think Virgin Media Games Space will be an excellent way of supporting that.”
The Virgin Media Games Space will be open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-7pm before it’s re-homed to take centre stage at this year’s Eurogamer Expo. It’s free to visit anytime. To attend any of the organised events, visitors can secure their place from 19th August at www.vmgs.com.
Independent game developer Reptile Games is pleased to announce their game, Megabyte Punch is currently available to the public via the Humble Bundle Store, Desura and Gamersgate. Described best as a mash-up of SSB, Megaman and Custom Robo. Megabyte Punch is an electro fighting/beat ‘em up game in which players can build and customize their own player. The game is currently on sale for $11.99 (US), 20% off its original price of $14.99 for PC (Windows), Mac and Linux. Megabyte Punch fans can also purchase a special edition of the game that comes with the original Soundtrack with 27 tracks, HD Wallpapers, and extra custom levels for $20.00.
In Megabyte Punch players battle various creatures in the story mode to get their parts and upgrade their own fighter; like Tornado shoulders for a whirlwind attack or powerful hips for a devastating pelvic thrust attack. Then, using the abilities of their customized fighter, they can compete in tournaments or battle against other players in a destructible arena.
In the multiplayer battle mode players can fight other players with the abilities each customized creature gives them. Players can also enter the tournament to win rare new parts for their character. Players will have the opportunity to create their own versus levels with an external image editor and add it into the game for endless destructive fun.
Features of the full game: * Chunky stylish graphics. * 6 unique electro-worlds with boss fights. * 150 parts to collect and endless combinations to customize your character. * Pumpin’ Electro Soundtrack. * Compete in the tournament for rare parts. * Up to 4 player local co-op and versus mode.
“There are loads of different parts and abilities players can use to build a unique fighting character”, states developer Tim Remmers. “We’re very excited to release Megabyte Punch onto the world and anxious to see how players will use and abuse the abilities of their customised characters!”
Fans of the game are encouraged to visit the Steam Greenlight page and vote to see it available on the distribution platform.
The next generation of console gaming may have finally found its niche – as the generation that blurs the line between video game players and video game creators. That’s according to a new announcement by Microsoft, which confirms – like Sony with the PS4 – that XBox One owners can use the next-gen console as their very own development kit.
Xbox’s corporate vice president Marc Whitten said that all Xbox Ones will function as development kits, which are usually only available to licensed developers. This will give everyone who owns an XBox One the tools to build their own XB1 games as part of the very system they’re playing them on – a trend Ouya started with its independently-focused Android-based console; and subsequently adopted by Sony for the Playstation 4. To add to the appeal, reports spreading on the internet claim Microsoft will allow indie developers to self-publish on the Xbox One, though Microsoft are yet to comment on this part of the equation.
UPDATE: However, the functionality WON’T be available immediately at the console’s launch; it will be installed on all consoles at a later date.
Here’s Microsoft’s official comment:
Our vision is that every person can be a creator. That every Xbox One can be used for development. That every game and experience can take advantage of all of the features of Xbox One and Xbox LIVE. This means self-publishing. This means Kinect, the cloud, achievements. This means great discoverability on Xbox LIVE. We’ll have more details on the program and the timeline at gamescom in August.
Let me be the first to claim this day, Global Gamedev Independence Day 🙂
UPDATED TO ADD:
Mark Whitten added in late-breaking news today that independently-published games will have just as much potential for exposure as professionally-published games, with Microsoft having no intention to separate the two from the future XBox Live Marketplace:
“My goal is for it to just show up in the marketplace. Of course there will be different pivots inside of that. There will be everything from what are we curating, kind of like spotlight content, to the normal discoverability stuff like recommendations, what’s trending, what’s got a lot of engagement on the platform. And you’d be able to find that content in any of those. There wouldn’t be any difference based on what type of game it was. Then of course there will be other type of pivots where you can go and look at whether its a genre of game or any other. But you shouldn’t think of it as there’s an indie area and a non-indie area.
Just as today, where we will highlight things that are coming in on the service, we want to make that more discoverable. We’ll make it things that we curate as well as the other ways that you find content whether that’s what your friends are doing or what we recommend based on your play behaviour. Or top listings. We want to make sure we have all of those types of discoverability mechanisms.”
Microsoft are yet to comment on whether indie developers will experience any cost to their own pockets to acquire devkits or publish their games. But you WILL have full rights to charge for the games if you prefer; and pricing is aimed to be similar to today’s Xbox 360 Marketplace. With little else revealed, Whitten says we’ll have to wait to Gamescon to know the rest of the details. Stay tuned!
Set to retail with an RRP of £49.99, compared to $59.99 in the States.
Microsoft has announced Xbox One games in the UK will come with a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of £49.99.
OXM spotted the prices on the company’s online store, which currently lists Dead Rising 3, Ryse: Son of Rome, Forza Motorsport 5 and Kinect Sports Rivals for that price.
Last month, Microsoft announced that first-party Xbox One games would be sold in North America for $59.99, which is the same price games are currently sold for there. In terms of the UK, it’s worth remembering that retailers are likely to undercut Microsoft – in fact, Amazon is already listing Need for Speed Rivals at £43.99.
Sony has yet to announce any UK pricing for its games, though the company has similarly confirmed an American price point of $59.99.
