Category: XBOX

Microsoft Launches 500GB Xbox 360 with CoD, Other Variants Face Price Cuts

A little too late or right on time, Microsoft has announced the launch of its Xbox 360 500 GB bundle for the Indian market priced at Rs.19,990. The bundle includes two popular Call of Duty titles – Black Ops and Ghosts. The bundle also includes a one month Xbox Live Gold membership.

In addition, prices of other variants of the Xbox 360 have been slashed. The 4GB standalone version is now priced at Rs. 12,990, which gets a price cut of Rs 3,000. The 250GB Xbox 360 with Kinect now gets a price tag of Rs 29,990, while its earlier price tag was Rs. 31,990. The 4GB Xbox with Kinect price has been slashed to Rs 21,990 from Rs. 26,990.

Xbox Variant New Price Old Price

4GB standalone Xbox 360 Rs.12,990 Rs. 15,990

250GB Xbox 360 with Kinect Rs.29,990 Rs.31,990

4GB xBOX 360 with Kinect Rs. 21,990 Rs.26,990

Meanwhile in November, Microsoft announced a new exclusive Xbox One Assassin’s Creed bundle with Kinect featuring Assassin’s Creed Unity.

February 2, 2015
Microsoft to Unveil its Next Generation Gaming Plans on 21st January

Microsoft’s Xbox One had a good holiday season last year where it outsold its arch nemesis, the Sony Playstation. The trick Microsoft used was selling the Kinect motion sensor as a separate device and slashing down the cost of the gaming console by $50. But the company has bigger plans for its gaming ecosystem, and it will be unveiling them real soon.

Microsoft will be holding a consumer preview of its next operating system, Windows 10 on the 21st of January. It has already held a developer’s preview where it showcased several new features along with the return of the trusty old Start Menu that it unceremoniously pulled out in Windows 8. The new OS also comes with features like multiple desktops and a Task View for multitasking.

Microsoft will be presenting a consumer preview of Windows 10 on January 21

During the event, Xbox’s Head, Phil Spencer will unveil the company’s plans for increasing the gaming ability of the desktop systems. In a post on the Xbox Weblog page, the company has said, “Our goal is to help PC gaming flourish, and we’re excited to be helping shape the future of Windows. Phil Spencer will be sharing on the Windows consumer experience at a Windows event on January 21, including the role that gaming will play.”

We are eagerly waiting for the new Windows operating system. Also, prospects of additional gaming support would really make hardcore PC gamer’s brains’ tingle.

January 17, 2015
The Simpsons Are Back! This Time, on Minecraft

Fox Broadcasting Company’s hit satirical family sitcom, the Simpsons has become a household name all over the world. The show depicts the American Suburban lifestyle through frenzied family of Simpson family which includes Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie.

Now, Microsoft is preparing to bring Simpson family, as well as 19 more characters to life in Minecraft’s cubic world next month. The pack contains the playable characters which will be released in late February for $1.99. The customizable models of the characters lets Homer keep his trademark potbelly and Marge her blue, beehive hair in the pixelated, polygonal forms.

Microsoft acquired Minecraft for $2.5 billion in September and has teamed up with Twentieth Century Fox to transform the characters of Springfield to textured cubic blocks for Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

Minecraft is an award winning sandbox independent video game originally created by Swedish programmer Markus “Notch” Persson and later developed and published by the Swedish company Mojang since 2009. Minecraft has become one of the most popular video games in history, with over 100 million downloads since its launch.

January 16, 2015
Forza Motorsport 6 Announced, Features the All New Ford GT

Turn 10 Studios and Microsoft today officially announced the Forza Motorsport 6 at the ongoing North American International Auto Show in Detroit. As expected, the game has been announced exclusively for Xbox One featuring the new Ford GT as the cover car, courtesy a partnership between Microsoft and Turn 10 Studios with the car manufacturer.

The announcement apparently was followed by Ford’s announcement today of its GT supercar, sporting a carbon fibre chassis powered by Ford’s twin-turbocharged Ecoboost engine producing 600 hp. In addition, other performance cars by Ford including the GT, Shelby GT350 Mustang and F-150 Raptor will also feature in the game. Meanwhile, Turn 10 Studios have confirmed that gameplay footage will be revealed at E3 this June.

Global Product Development, Vice President for Ford Group Raj Nair, said that Forza Motorsport will give fans an opportunity to “virtually experience” Ford’s lineup of performance cars.

However, no official launch date for Forza Motorsport 6 has been announced. The last title from the franchise Forza Motorsport 5 was launched back in 2013 for the Xbox One. Meanwhile, this year also mark’s the tenth anniversary of the Forza Motorsport series, which first debuted in 2005 for Xbox. Do check out the announcement video below:

January 13, 2015
Sony and Microsoft Ready to Begin Console Wars in China

China is a country that practically produces almost everything available in the market. The country is the manufacturing hub of most of the world’s electronics. But it has serious distrust for foreign products. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is a nanny state that is quick to ban anything that doesn’t stand up to its cultural standards. The country recently lifted a 14-year ban on foreign consoles in the country. This led to the arrival of the two gaming giants in the country who will now start a new battle in their war of console supremacy in the most populated country in the world.

About four months back, Microsoft’s Xbox One hit the Chinese shores. On January 11th its arch nemesis, Sony PlayStation 4 will arrive to begin the familiar war. Sony told Reuters that it would arrive with 30 titles and has already applied for licenses for them. In comparison, Xbox One has only 10 titles in the country.

It is rather difficult to get your gaming title passed through the scrutiny of the Chinese censors. The country is infamous for having a giant mechanism that constantly censors content throughout the media and the internet. The safest bet for the companies is to bring sports based titles to get past easily through the licensing process. It doesn’t seem like the Chinese gamers are going to get access to the likes of GTA 5 anytime soon.

These devices also come at a hefty price tag even though the consoles are made in the country. The PS4 comes for 2,899 yuan(Rs. 29,240) while Chinese buyers would have to shell out 3,699 yuan (Rs.37,300) for the Xbox One. Microsoft hopes to sell a million devices by October 2015.

It is good to see China opening its doors to the world one step at a time. It’s about time the country also imported democracy and let its people taste real freedom. Well, if freedom in 21st century means being a slave to the screen, guess the Chinese aren’t far from it.

December 12, 2014
Xbox One Finally Races Ahead of the PS4, Records 1.2 Million Sales in November

Microsoft’s Xbox and Sony’s Playstation family of devices have been taking on each other for a long while now. The companies are the market leaders in gaming consoles and this time around they were trying to be complete home entertainment devices so one can tip the other out of the competition. Sony’s Playstation has regularly been ahead of the Xbox in terms of sales but this November, Microsoft’s baby went past PS4 with a massive sale of 1.2 million devices.

For a struggling Sony, this cannot be good news. The company has been seriously struggling for the past few years with no respite in sight. The Playstation ecosystem is the best performing device in Sony’s consumer electronic line-up. The current generation Xbox One’s price was slashed by $50, and it took the benefit of a festive season where the purse strings are loosened. This led to Xbox One leading in both US and UK markets.

Folks working at Xbox One offices were visibly elated. The company had previously hit a 10 million console sales milestone just a month before, and a massive boost from the November sales definitely put them on cloud 9.

Nintendo’s Amiibo were also a hit this year and were well received.

On the other hand, Sony’s compatriot and a gaming giant, Nintendo also had some happy news to share. Their interactive action figure line-up called Amiibo also found a lot of takers in the market. Nintendo has unveiled the Amiibo lineup at this years E3 held in June. These NFC powered figurines interact with the company’s Wii-U and Nintendo 3DS consoles and store user information and gameplay. The Amiibo lineup definitely helped Nintendo to increase its clout in the industry.

Sony needs to buck up in the console race if it wants to be counted in the consumer points tally. The consoles are Sony’s last remaining saving grace. A potential price cut or offers should be in order. The festive season is still on, and the company can make a comeback in time to have a happy Christmas this year. Or else it would be another in the line of disappointments it faced this year.

December 12, 2014
New Halo 5: Guardians is a Mix of All the Right Ingredients That Made Halo So Epic

One of the most awaited Xbox One exclusive – Halo: The Master Chief Collection will hit the stores today. The game will include four full campaigns and over 100 multiplayer maps including the debut of Halo 2: Anniversary. The upcoming Halo has enormous gameplay value this holiday season, though the whole package won’t be available at the launch. Microsoft and 343 Industries have confirmed that they are going to give everyone an access to the Halo 5: Guardians multiplayer beta who buys a copy of The Master Chief Collection.

Meanwhile, a video footage of Halo 5 appeared online. The video was barely a few seconds, though it sent shock waves across the Internet community, especially Halo fanatics. Some Halo fans were expressing concern as the video reveals a player sprinting and aiming down sights, skills that were not included in the early Halo games. This disappointed Halo fans as they perceived that 343 Industries has buckled under the pressure of an evolving FPS ecosystem, however, Executive Producer at developer 343 Industries Josh Holmes took to Twitter to relieve his fans.

No penalty to hip fire in H5, no movement penalty when scoping/zooming, no flinch. Tune in for the beta gameplay reveal at #HaloFest Monday.

— Josh Holmes (@JoshingtonState) November 9, 2014

Halo fans got a chance to see how the Halo 5 multiplayer looks like during the HaloFest yesterday. The beta for the upcoming Halo 5: Guardians has all the elements that made Halo one of the biggest gaming franchises of all time. Some would argue that Halo 5: Guardians beta is actually a step backwards, but in our opinion, this is what made Halo one of the most popular games. Developers have done a great job by simplifying gameplay mechanics and fine tuning certain aspects. The beta feels like a perfect blend of what previous Halo games were known for.

The three-week Halo 5: Guardians beta kicks off from 29th December, delivering three maps and seven modes to a whole lot of Halo fans. Don’t miss out the world premiere of Halo 5 multiplayer gameplay below:

November 11, 2014
Thanks to a New Compact Processor, Xbox One Might Get Cheaper

It is Microsoft’s policy to Y-cut the Xbox One’s price for the holidays, but there are hints that the gaming console may get a permanent price drop. Recent reports have hinted that Microsoft is planning for a potential smaller, cooler and cheaper Xbox One processor and how that could result in a thinner and cheaper Xbox One console.

Daniel McConnell, AMD’s Senior Physical Design Manager, had posted on his LinkedIn profile that he “successfully planned and executed the first APU for Microsoft’s Xbox One console in 28 nm technology and a cost-reduced derivative in 20 nm technology.” The entry containing the 20 nm processor has since been removed from McConnell’s profile.

Xbox One’s processor is fabricated at 28 nm, meaning each transistor measures 28 thousand-millionths of a meter. A 20 nm version would lower cost and power consumption, which would have a knock-on effect on cooling systems and, therefore, on casing design.

A 20 nm processor would lower the costs and power consumption, which would have a knock-on effect on cooling systems and therefore on casing design.

There aren’t any clues as to when this slim and affordable silicon will arrive, but recent AMD roadmap leaks suggest that its first CPU architecture based on the technology will ship in 2015. In other words, you could buy a cheaper Xbox by this time next year.

It is said that the new processor could be as much as 30 per cent more powerful while consuming 25 per cent less energy. And the small size means smaller cooling assembly and a thinner chassis to go along it, which ultimately translates to lower-priced device.

Xbox One has been struggling to break into the market like as it did in the past, but has been unsuccessful due to the soaring sales of PS4. The use of faster, slimmer and cheaper processor can help Microsoft step up its game and revive its old charm in the market.

November 3, 2014
Xbox One to Get Custom Themes and Backgrounds

One of the big requests from gamers has been custom user interface themes for their Xbox One. Now, Xbox Head Phil Spencer has confirmed that Xbox One owners will eventually be able to take in-game screenshots and customize the look of their console’s dashboard.

“I was told themes and background pics are something that we are working on and screenshots, you know people beat me up on screenshots,” Spencer said on a recent Inner Circle podcast episode (check out the full episode below). “The team has done a great job with the monthly updates, some of the things are just a prioritization and are a time in development.

“But I know that people like to customize the look of their dash,” he added. “And I think both themes, backgrounds and screenshots are things I know people want so we are going to deliver on them. But we can’t give a when yet.”

The talk about themes really kicked into high-gear when a concept video from YouTube user Prime Ghost Gaming posted the a promo piece for the Xbox One (Below).

Microsoft’s newest console has already received a number of monthly updates that have added a host of features that weren’t present at the console’s launch, including a new media player, better SmartGlass functionality, and external hard drive support.

October 9, 2014
Microsoft will ship Standalone Xbox One Kinect with One Bonus Game

Microsoft’s standalone sensor for the Xbox One increased the console’s price to an unreasonable level, prompting Microsoft to drop it and make it an optional purchase. Now Microsoft gives you an option to buy a standalone Kinect.

Microsoft announced that it will ship a standalone Kinect sensor for the Xbox One on Oct. 7 at $150. However, to make the deal little sweeter they have added a free game with its Dance Central Spotlight, the latest in the dance series from developer Harmonix, which will be available as a digital download.

The standalone Kinect sensor follows Microsoft’s decision to make it an optional peripheral, releasing the Xbox One on its own, without the sensor, earlier this year with an RRP of $599. According to Microsoft, the unbundled console saw Xbox One sales double in the United States.

Buying the complete Xbox One bundle is still the cheapest way to get the console and Kinect sensor, but the standalone Kinect gives people the option of getting the base console and then adding the sensor at a later date if they so desire.

In April, Microsoft said it had sold 5 million Xbox One consoles to retailers, while Sony said it had sold 7 million PlayStation 4 units to consumers. Earlier this month, Sony said it had sold 10 million PlayStation 4 consoles to consumers. Microsoft has not released an Xbox One sales figure since April.

Microsoft has already made a series of price cuts, including bundling top games and Xbox Live Gold membership into the price of its console. Then in June, Microsoft unbundled the console and sensor, selling the Xbox One without Kinect for $399. Sales of Xbox One more than doubled in the U.S. after Microsoft unbundled that console and sensor, the company said in July.

The Kinect sensors allows users to control their Xbox One consoles and play games using voice and gesture commands. Microsoft earlier this month announced India availability of the Xbox One console on September 23, and made it available for pre-order it Rs. 39,990 without Kinect, and Rs. 45,990 with Kinect.

 

August 28, 2014
Microsoft’s Xbox One Now Available for Pre-Order on Amazon India

Microsoft’s Xbox One will be available in India on 23rd Sept 2014 starting at Rs. 39,990 it is now available for pre-order. The Xbox One with Kinect is priced at Rs. 45,990. They will be sold exclusively through Amazon India. Amazon is also running a couple of promotional offers for the first 1000 customers who book the console.

The special offers are worth Rs. 10,000 and it includes : Rs. 3,000 off on an additional controller, 2 free Blu-rays worth Rs. 2,500, a discount of Rs. 2,000 on speakers, and Rs. 1,000 off on backpacks. The Xbox One standalone variant comes with a free game, Fifa 2015 whereas the Kinect variant of the console comes with a free Dance Central Spotlight DLC and Fifa 2015.

The bundle includes the Xbox One console with a 500GB hard drive, Xbox One Wireless Controller, and a free 14-day trial of Xbox Live Gold for new members.

The Xbox One with Kinect will have a number of special experiences such as gesture controls, biometric sign-in, controller paring, Skype video calls, direct personalization, instant scanning of QR codes.

Both the Microsoft Xbox One uses an incorporated CPU-GPU design by AMD, including an 8-core low power x86-64 AMD “Jaguar” CPU. The Xbox One’s CPU cores runs at 1.75GHz.

Xbox One is also packed with features like the Game DVR/Upload which lets you capture and record your greatest game moments and through ‘Upload Studio’ you can easily edit and share clips with your friends and community. It also offers many apps such as Skype which is specially designed for Xbox One, Internet Explorer, OneDrive, Twitch, Machinima and IGN which are integrated flawlessly with your games and TV experience.

Pre-Order Now

 

August 9, 2014
Microsoft Offers Football Fans an Improved Experience on Xbox One and Windows 8

The start of a new NFL season is just around the corner, and Microsoft’s been working hard to improve the experience for football fans on the Xbox One. A new version of the NFL app for Xbox One, coming out later this month, is how the company plans to do it.

There are a lot of new features, with Fantasy Football and NFL Now, the league’s upcoming online video service, is playing a huge role in the refreshed version. First and foremost, Microsoft wants its NFL app to feel like your own, which is why it lets you personalize it with content from team and players you’re interested in, as well as different media provided by NFL Network, NFL RedZone, NFL Sunday Ticket and NFL Now.

The new version has an updated Snap mode that shows a stream of plays made by your fantasy players. And instead of navigating menus to play highlights, you’ll be able to set global Xbox One notifications for when fantasy players make big plays. Just hold the Xbox button and a replay will Snap to the side of the screen alongside whatever you’re doing. Perhaps most importantly, the new app will work with more fantasy football leagues beyond NFL.com. Microsoft representatives confirmed that ESPN is on board, and work is underway to bring Yahoo and CBS into the fold.

The new app is a fruitful result of NFL and Microsoft’s $400 million, multi-year partnership. It’s worth noting that you won’t have to buy an Xbox One to get most of these features. The NFL app will be one of the very first “universal” apps on the console. That means the same app will work both on Xbox Ones and Windows 8 PCs — a feat made possible by the fact that the game console partially runs on Windows. Of course, the advantage of having a Xbox is that you can pass your cable feed directly through the console and use the NFL app side-by-side with live games.

To go along with the introduction of a new NFL app for Xbox One and Windows 8, the software giant has also planned to help professional coaches and players during games with Surface Pro 2 tablets. It allows NFL teams to review plays instantly on the sidelines.

August 4, 2014
Xbox One Owners Get an EA Treat, Unlimited Games for $5

You finally landed your expensive Xbox One. Now you are out of cash and the games designed for your console are equally expensive. Of course you can use for its entertainment experience, but you didn’t buy that Xbox to just watch TV, you want to game. Well you need not worry anymore, EA got your back.

EA announced its new service for Xbox One called EA Access. It is a subscription service that lets you access several EA title for a miniscule sum of $4.99. The service is in its beta stage for limited users but it will soon be available to a wider audience.

The library of games is called The Vault. It currently holds titles such as FIFA 14, Madden NFL 15, Peggle 2 and Battlefield 4. EA states that this entire collection of games is about $100 and is available to users at just about $5 a month.

Sony Playstation users already have access to the Playstation Plus program which provides access to exclusive content, as well as discounts on games, free games, and other free content. Sony said that its customers won’t appreciate just EA specific programs on their consoles and hence they may not bring EA Access on their Playstation ecosystems. But some analysts believe that this is Sony’s way of getting a better deal from EA.

One great feature of the service is that once you’re an EA Access member, you can download upcoming EA games five days before the release date to play for a limited time. Madden NFL 15, NHL 15, FIFA 15, NBA LIVE 15 and Dragon Age: Inquisition are all included, with more to come. It saves your progress so if you love it, you can buy it, and you can pick up right where you left off.

EA must have understood that the times are tough and their multi-million dollar invested games would be hard for their fans to afford. Subscription based service would be a great way of reaching out to gaming enthusiasts. Although it doesn’t have to be so rock bottom cheap. Options like these will also encourage novices to give the games a try and who might buy the full games and the consoles, thereby being equally profitable for all.

August 1, 2014
Updated Xbox One Will Have a Facebook Inspired Live Feed

In terms of numbers, Microsoft may sell less consoles than Sony, but it seems that Microsoft’s Xbox One is gaining better features faster that the arch-rival Sony. It has been said that players can expect, as part of the August Xbox One update, some noteworthy additions to the the console.

Microsoft’s Larry Hryb outlined some major features in a new blog post this weekend. The August update will expand the activity feed on Xbox Live and turn it into a Facebook-like inteface. Players will be able to write text messages on their feed or share gameplay clips. They can also interact with others’ updates with ‘likes ‘and ‘comments’.

Friends’ activities can be found quickly on the revised Home Page. An enlarged ‘Friends’ area gives you an update on their online or offline status, including their most-played games. A leaderboard tracks who’s been picking up the most Achievements. Also, the Friends list is going to show you how long it’s been since your buddies were online.

Update 1408 is expected to launch next month and is said to include the long-awaited 3D Blu-ray playback. It will also give you the ability to remotely download games and apps purchased through Xbox.com and SmartGlass, but only when your console is set to automatically turn on.

A low battery notification will tell you when your controller’s almost out of battery. Notifications can be disabled during videos for an uninterrupted viewing experiences. The Blu-Ray player app will be upgraded to support 3D Blu-rays.

Microsoft will also add support for mobile purchases in August. If you’re away from home and decide to buy a game from SmartGlass or Xbox.com, your console will automatically power on, download it, and install, so it’s ready whenever you next pick up a controller. Sony has offered similar functionality for the PS4.

No specific date is given for the update’s release. Only that early access users will be seeing them first, starting next week.

July 21, 2014
GTA 5 Preorders Begin with Major Graphical Upgrades for PS4, Xbox One and PC

Its time to get ready to unleash the adrenaline you had been patently hiding deep down. The moment you have been waiting for is right around the corner. Rockstar games blockbuster hit Grand Theft Auto Five (GTA 5) is now up for preorders.

The game has been upgraded for these new releases and there are a lot of graphical elements added to the game. These versions have increased draw distances, new wildlife, and better resolution overall.

Visual Renovation makes the game look even better.

Even the traffic and pedestrians have increased from the previous versions of the game. The makers promise a realistic feel of the elements like water, trees, the barren grounds now have grass elements. The game will render at the native 1080p.

GTA 5 is much faster and efficient as the game takes full advantage of the PC and new consoles graphical capabilities. The users will be able to take their game data from previous versions and start going forward in the new version.

With the release of the previous version of the game the makers were able to make a billion dollars in just 72 hours. Now with upgraded graphics and multiple additions the game will definitely be worth the prolonged wait for the gamers.

All three versions of the game are priced at $59.99 on GameStop. The release date has not been specified yet.

July 8, 2014

Xbox Variant	New Price	Old Price
4GB standalone Xbox 360	Rs.12,990	Rs. 15,990
250GB Xbox 360 with Kinect	Rs.29,990	Rs.31,990
4GB xBOX 360 with Kinect	Rs. 21,990	Rs.26,990