Tag: Xbox One

Halo Infinite 2020 Xbox, PC Trailer Released

Halo, the almost two-decade long-running series will launch its latest entry in fall 2020. The multi-billion dollar franchise that comprises of video games, feature films, and novels will culminate the vast and detailed storyline in its 6th title in the main story. The legendary first-person shooter game that cemented many of the fundamentals of the genre will be the launch title for the new generation Xbox.

Microsoft initially teased Halo Infinite at E3 in 2018. It unveiled the game studio’s plan on going back to the original artwork and styling like the first three games in the series. The trailer at E3 has given the iconic Master Chief (the protagonist) a lot more screen time. The Chief was seen slotting in Cortana’s chip into his helmet, with her voice also being heard later at the Control Room, suggesting her possible return.

Halo Infinite will launch alongside the company’s next-generation consoles, codenamed Project Scarlet. The game will also be available to Xbox One and, for the first time since Halo 2, on PCs. Microsoft earlier in the year announced the entire lineup of the Halo franchise will be ported to PC. In the new trailer, an unnamed engineer is seen resuscitating the Spartan, Master Chief.

343 Industries, the team behind the game states that Halo Infinite will be a “spiritual reboot” of Halo. The game will feature new characters and a “perfect starting point” for new players. This implies that the game would be set on the titular Halo ring just like the first title 20 years ago.

Also Read: Nokia Reportedly Plans On Releasing Two 5G Smartphones In Q3 Of 2019

The story will bring distinct challenges for the Master Chief along with new and repeating characters. Halo Infinite is rumoured to be an open-world version of Halo. The game will run on the new Slipspace Engine developed by 343 Industries. This will provide ample power for future Halo entries and experiences. Glimpses of the engine’s capabilities are seen in the trailers that carry the “in-game captured footage” tag.

June 10, 2019
Microsoft Renames The Windows 10 Xbox App To Xbox Console Companion

Microsoft has always had its gaming console companion app pre-installed on every Windows 10 supported device. This was done in order to bridge the social gap between its PC and console gaming fans. In the latest Windows update, the company renamed its Xbox App to Xbox Console Companion. This update is a refresh right before the upcoming ‘new desktop experience’ by the company. Apart from the name, no functional changes have been made to the Windows application.

However, Microsoft has planned updates in the future that will lead to the revamp of the dashboard setup in the app. Furthermore, these changes will be made for an unannounced Xbox console settings menu. The future iterations may also team up with the launch of Microsoft’s xCloud, the online gaming and streaming service. It will also allow cross-platform game streaming amongst the user’s devices. However, no significant changes are mirrored in the Xbox apps for Android and iOS as of now.

When users will update the Microsoft store, they will receive a pop-up message from the company. The message will start with, “Pardon our dust.” and go on to describe the reason for the new name of the application. Xbox Console Companion receives a new icon and will be dedicated for Xbox users. An up-to-date version of Windows (10th May 2019 Build) is required to experience the new feature as promised by Microsoft.

The original Xbox app is made for managing games installed on the Windows 10 PC. It also provides a simple catalogue for users to browse games in Microsoft Store, or manage the Xbox Live profiles. The app has in-built functions like social chat. This allows for cross-platform chat with friends and participation in communities, sharing in-game achievements and tracking them, managing video clips and capturing screenshots. The latter two of the features were made possible to the users via the console’s DVR feature which also makes game streaming possible via an Xbox console to a Windows 10 PC.

Microsoft will hold a press conference at the gaming expo E3 2019 on June 9th. This event should unveil more details regarding the promised desktop experience and xCloud. The game streaming service will begin its trials in the latter half of the year 2019, as previously claimed by Microsoft. The rebranding of the desktop apps name after the overhaul of Windows 10 Game Bar lays the foundation for the future console’s framework. The Game Bar is now equipped with PC resource monitors, customizable widgets, and broadcast/game capture controls.

Also Read: Google Maps Will Now Provide Info on Trains and Buses In India

With social media now integrated directly with the GameBar, users will be able to access cross-platform voice and text chat. This feature is synchronized across Xbox devices, as well as multiplayer team management. Additionally, Spotify music controls can also be a part of Microsoft future plans to enhance user experience during gaming. The aforementioned features although, might be removed from the now repurposed Xbox Console Companion App.

June 5, 2019
Konami Celebrates 20 Years Of Contra With Anniversary Bundle

Every so often the phrase “only 90s kid will remember..” pops up. Whatever said after can be either ridiculous or hilarious. However, nothing will hold a meaning more true to the phrase than Contra. Konami, the developer behind Contra, has bundled the original game alongside different variants from different country releases and its sequels on the game’s 20th Anniversary.

The game that was released in 1987 to critical acclaim worldwide. Starting as a run and gun shooter game in the arcades, Contra’s port to the PC and the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) cemented its near legendary status. 20 years passed and it is still remembered as a ‘classic’ that 90s kid adored when they were younger, playing with siblings or friends for hours on end.

The basic premise of the game had the player battling enemies, both humans and aliens, as military personnel. The setting and timeline depended on the country where the game is released, but more often than not it was a futuristic shooter. The official Japanese release set the game in 2633 A.D.

The game’s popularity had seen it ported to various systems, namely PC, Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and MSX2, from the Arcade original. Konami’s Contra Bundle is to feature the Hard Corps and Operation C variant while also including the European adaptation Probotector and Super Probotector alongside the Original 4 titles (Contra, Super Contra, Super C and Contra 3)

Also Read: Galaxy Note 10 Rear And Front Camera Setup Revealed In Leaks

Konami has also announced that the free updates will bring the Japanese versions of Contra and Super Contra to the collection as well. No drastic changes to the gameplay will be made but tweaks for a better overall experience on the PC, PS4, Switch and Xbox One. The bundle is set to be released this summer along with bundles of Castlevania and other timeless arcade games carrying a price tag of $20 (approx. Rs.1,400)

May 29, 2019
Xbox One Consoles Bricked By An Unknown Bug On Wednesday

This Wednesday, Microsoft’s Xbox Twitter Support page was a galore of memes and spam. Why? Because a mysterious bug surfaced on the Xbox one consoles for nearly everyone across the globe. While some users reported a black screen, some users complained that they couldn’t get their console to start. And the very few users who luckily got past the startup screen were unable to log into Xbox live.

Reports And Complaints

A lot of reports and complaints originated around 7 pm IST, saying that a lot of Xbox one gamers couldn’t boot their Xbox One up. Even after restarting it several times, there wasn’t a fix available to the problem. Meanwhile, a lot of gamers started reaching out to the Xbox Support page on Twitter, creating a mess. Literally everyone saw that coming.

Xbox Gives A Response

Xbox support tweeted a while later (you can check out the tweet here) and redirected the users to a Live status page which, surprisingly, was down as well. Gamers, obviously, were in a turmoil. So a lot of them resorted to hilarious ‘PS4 threats’ and a variety of memes. You can find them on the link mentioned above, and below as well.

https://twitter.com/GrVtPr0t0typ3/status/1090686600634339334

Read More : Microsoft Launches The Surface Pro 6, Surface Laptop 2 In India

This specific outage was received with a lot of hostility because it wasn’t allowing any gamer to play online as well as offline. So, all people were able to do was just stare at their screens until Microsoft worked on the bug.

Some hours later, Xbox support got back to their user base with the relieving news that the issue has been resolved. Gamers were able to get back online and text their buddies ‘Servers are back up, let’s play’. According to some tweets, the issue was caused due to a service update, that had to be rolled back in order to fix the outage. But hey, all’s well that ends well.

January 31, 2019
Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition Launched

Microsoft has launched its new gaming console, the Xbox One X in June 2017 at the Entertainment Expo. The Xbox One X, Microsoft’s much awaited Project Scorpio is touted to be the world’s first true 4K gaming console. The console will be available to buy in the US from November 7 for $499 (Rs 32,000). At the same time, the company announced a limited period Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition for consumers who’d prefer a more cosmetically enhanced version of the Xbox One Day One Edition.

The limited edition console, as mentioned earlier, features a slightly more gradient design, and the Project Scorpio code name etched on both the console as well on the controller. Microsoft confirmed that all initial Xbox One X units up for grabs will be a Project Scorpio Edition, and will sell for the same price as the Xbox One Day One Edition.

The Xbox One X is a mid-cycle Xbox refresh from Microsoft but, has enough horsepower under the hood to grant it the label of being the most powerful gaming console in the world when it arrives in November.

Since the new console runs on the Scorpio engine, it is backward compatible to run all 900px and 1080px Xbox one and 360 titles at upscaled 4K. Which means all existing Xbox One titles should look better on the Xbox One X due to enhanced visual fidelity, anisotropic filtering, and faster loading times. The new console will also work with all current Xbox One accessories, Microsoft has confirmed.

4K will largely be the buzzword, all Scorpio-exclusive games will super sample down to 1080p and all Scorpio-exclusive game modes will be available for all users regardless of their display. Technically, players will not require a 4K-ready monitor to use the Xbox One X. The console will use supersampling to improve visuals on 1080p screens while offering true 4K UHD playback on 4K screens.

August 21, 2017
Microsoft Launches Gears of War, FIFA 16, and Forza 6 Xbox One Bundles in India

The Xbox One turned one this month and Microsoft India is celebrating its anniversary by announcing three new exciting Xbox One console bundles launching on October 2nd, 2015.

Xbox One Forza Motorsport 6 Limited Edition Console

The Forza Motorsport Edition is the first ever racing-inspired console from Xbox with iconic sports car styling and custom automotive sound effects. The bundle includes a 1TB hard drive, matching wireless controller with rubberized diamond grips, and a digital copy of Forza Motorsport 6 plus the Tenth Anniversary Car Pack which features spectacular cars, all for Rs. 39,990.

Forza Motorsport 6 has been praised for its visual design and graphical details.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBbXxfZYTAA

Xbox One 1TB EA Sports FIFA 16 Bundle,

In this bundle, you’ll get a full-game download of FIFA 16, three FIFA Ultimate Team Loan Legends, and one year of EA access. FIFA 16 boasts of spectacular gameplay with terrific graphics and also includes for the first time an all women’s team. “The bundle provides an improved experience gameplay across the pitch in FIFA 16, with more ways than ever to create moments of magic.”

Xbox One Gears of War: Ultimate Edition Bundle

This bundle comes with a 500 GB console, a wireless controller, a full digital game download of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition. The Xbox One Gears of War console is priced at Rs. 34,999. Some other features include a 60 FPS competitive multiplayer experience with 19 maps and six game modes. Players who purchase the Ultimate Edition can participate in the multiplayer beta of Gears of War 4, which is set to be released in 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwbYhvlrQbc

Apart from these bundles, Amazon India is offering a minimum of 50 percent discount on select Xbox One games such as Halo, Forza 5, Call of Duty: Ghosts, WWE 2K15 valid till the 30th of September. So make the most of this anniversary and shop away.

“Games and gamers are at the center of everything we do and we’re always looking to offer the best ways to play on Xbox. With the launch of these bundles, we have taken into account the feedback that we received from our fans in India and added more storage to their consoles. This year, we’re delivering the greatest games lineup in Xbox history and we’re committed to delivering gamers the experiences and value they can’t find on any other platform.” said Anshu Mor, Director Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft India.

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September 25, 2015
Windows 10 Powered Xbox One Will Feature A Brand New Dashboard and Cortana

A new Xbox One is soon to come with a Windows 10 upgrade. Microsoft announced a redesign to the Xbox One dashboard that promises fast, easy-to-use experience. The Xbox One Experience will be available to members of the preview program over the course of this week.

Participants of the preview will get to test out the console so as to provide a feedback to the Xbox team on the Xbox One’s new UI, which is still “a work-in-progress”. Here’s an eight-minute video of Microsoft’s Larry Hryb and Richard Irvine of the Xbox engineer team providing a detailed look at the consoles new design.

Some of the major features of this new UI are a cleaner home page, faster access to essential apps such as Friends, Parties, Messages and Notifications, and an emphasis on vertical placement. It also appears that Microsoft is moving away from the tiled interface that was introduced with the Xbox One.

Another major feature is Cortana. Microsoft’s Kinect system will get a big upgrade which will provide a whole new experience of gaming where you can start a party and invite friends or record videos all without lifting a finger. So you can say “Hey Cortana, record the last minute and share it to my activity feed” and she will publish a game clip straight away. However, it appears you will need to have a Kinect in order to let Cortana to work.

For existing Xbox One owners, the new update will be available sometime in November.

September 20, 2015
Top 8 Upcoming Games to Pre-Order Now!

2015 is almost coming to a close and the year has already seen the release of some pretty amazing console games that were highly anticipated such as Batman: Arkham Knight, Mortal Kombat X, Metal Gear Solid V, and many more. But the year isn’t over and there are a few more expected in the next few months and in the first quarter of 2016. We’ve decided to list out some of them for all you gaming nerds out there that you may want to pre-order right away.

Call of Duty: Black Ops III

We can never get tired of Call of Duty, can we? The Black Ops segment of the franchise introduced a science fiction turn in Black Ops II that features a future warfare setting with robots and futuristic technology with a separate zombie story line as well. Black Ops III, much like its predecessor, will be set in a “dark, twisted future”. On April 26th 2015, the first teaser for the game was released and it was also revealed that the zombie mode will return. The game is set to release on November 6th on Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. However, pre-orders for Black Ops III are yet to begin.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58Pspqx0XGs

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Halo 5: Guardians

Another popular first-person shooter franchise, Halo, is set to release its newest game on October 27th. Halo 5: Guardians is a sequel to Halo 4. The game will be released for the Xbox One and Producer Josh Holmes stated that the game’s engine employs a “new progressive resolution system that allows us to dynamically scale the resolution at which we render the game” to guarantee it maintains a frame rate of 60 FPS.

Some of you Halo fans may also be interested to know that a Halo television series is being produced by Steven Speilberg and is set to air along with the release of Halo 5: Guardians. The game will also see returning fan-favorite Nathan Fillion as Edward Buck from Halo 3: ODST. You can spot him in the opening scene below.

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Fallout 4

Another post-apocalyptic game, the popular Fallout franchise will come out with its fifth installment, Fallout 4 for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox One on November 10, 2015. Fallout 4 will be an open-world, first-or third-person role-playing game. And with its non-linear gameplay, players can roam about as they please.

The game takes place 200 years after a war over resources that ended in a nuclear holocaust in 2077. The protagonist emerges 200 years later from an underground bunker known as the Vault 111.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE2BkLqMef4

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Star Wars Battlefront

The Star Wars hype is getting bigger and louder as we lead up to the release of The Force Awakens. EA Dice is all set to release Star Wars Battlefront on November 17 on Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, with no news yet for Windows.

Players will traverse planets from Star Wars that include Hoth, Tatooine, and Endor. Players will get to choose to control either the Rebel Alliance soldiers or the Imperial Stormtrooper. And the most exciting news comes in the form of playable characters that include Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and Bobba Fett, as well as non-playable characters like R2-D2 and C3PO. Time to embrace your inner Jedi or Dark Side.

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Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

The ninth installment to the Assassin’s Creed franchise, the game will take place in 1868 Industrial London where twins Jacob and Evie, who serve as the new protagonists, arrive to find it controlled by Templars. The story will see famous figures such as Charles Dickens and Charles Darwin aiding the twins crusade against the Templars. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate will release on October 23 for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The trailer shows Jacob as the leader of the ‘Rooks’ out to take down the Templar establishment in London.

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Tom Clancy’s: The Division

The Tom Clancy series is back with The Division. This third-person shooter game is set in mid-crisis New York where the player will have to investigate the source of a virus. The game features a dynamic, time based weather system that will allow players to use it to their advantage. The game is scheduled to release on the 31st of December for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

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Uncharted 4: Nathan Drake Collection

When it comes to Uncharted 4 : A Thief’s End, Perhaps no game (except for Arkham Knight) has been as highly anticipated as this one. Popular adventurer Nathan Drake will be back with long-time friend and fan-favorite, Victor Sullivan for Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End and it is all set to blow you away.

The game is set three years after the events of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and will see Nathan. now retired and settled with wife Elena Fisher, back in globe-trotting action to help his older brother Sam. The game was set to release this year but has now been pushed to March 2016. Pre-orders will begin soon so PlayStation 4 gamers may want save up for it. If you haven’t played the previous Uncharted games yet, you can find Nathan Drake Collection for PlayStation 4 on pre-order.

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FIFA 16

Another year, another FIFA game. But we’re not complaining. This will be the 23rd game in the FIFA series and will be available on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Android and iOS. This years game will introduce female footballers for the first time. The 12 women’s national teams are Australia, Canada, Brazil, England, China, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, and the United States. Watch cover boy Messi do his thing along with some of your favorite players in the trailer below.

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September 18, 2015
New Xbox Elite Controller Lets You Hot Swap Parts for a Better Fit

At the ongoing E3 2015 at Los Angeles, Microsoft has announced a ton of goodies for its fans. The company announced hundreds of older Xbox 360 games that will also be compatible with the newer Xbox One console. As a cherry on the cake, Microsoft revealed a new Xbox controller, and it is definitely a beast in its own terms.

Described as the ‘Elite Controller for Elite gamers’, the new Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller has been added with many new features. The analog sticks and directional pad can be swapped out with different grips — concave, convex, textured, or whichever accessory creators come up with.

There are spots on the bottom for paddles, mostly for hardcore racing gamers, and every button can be remapped and reset using a companion smartphone app that will be released for Xbox One and Windows 10. You can even control the sensitivity level of the triggers on the back and analog sticks. The new hair trigger locks for the analog triggers are designed for shooters. It looks like a polished variant of the original controller, with a layer of customisability added to it.

The Elite Wireless Controller comes out in October and is priced at $150 (Rs 9,623 approx.)

Take a first look of the controller below:

June 16, 2015
E3 2015 : Watch the New Trailer of Beatbuddy Here

Today, the annual video game conference, the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) kicked off at Los Angeles where viewers were allowed to have a sneak peek of upcoming A-Class video games. Among the many trailers shown today was Beatbuddy. Game developer, THREAKS, announced that Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians will be coming to three consoles in the coming months: WiiU, Xbox One and the new NVIDIA Shield Android console, which released in the US a couple of weeks ago.

The game will take place across six diverse worlds where you control the little blob as he navigates through the colorful madness. It is like a rhythmic puzzle. The game was initially launched on Steam and iOS for Windows, Mac, iPad and iPhone and sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide. Beatbuddy combines puzzle solving and defeating the enemy by exploring different areas. The game won the Best Youth Game Awards in 2014.

The soundtrack of the game is composed by some of the big names in the music industry such as Austin Wintory, Parov Stelar, Sabre Pulse and the La Rochelle Band. The game is available only on SHEILD devices through the Google Playstore for $5.99 (Rs 361.61). But we will have to wait for the Android console to hit the Indian markets.

You can check out the trailer below. It strongly reminds us of Rayman; what do you guys think?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5f8BJfxgWQs&feature=youtu.be

June 16, 2015
PayDay 2 Promises a Whole New Level of Pulling Off Heists

Payday is a cooperative first shooter game developed by Overkill Software and published by 505 Games. This game launched its second edition, namely, Payday 2 Crimewave Edition, for PS4 and Xbox One today.

The game consists of a variety of ‘heists’ that can be carried out by the player, either by choosing AI allies or as a part of a multiplayer game. Heists include robbing banks, rigging an election or drug trafficking. This game mostly emphasises on stealth, from which you can earn bonus points and money on completion.

In PayDay2, you get to pull heists and robbery at a whole new level. New contacts include The Dentist (voiced by Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Bad) and the Butcher (voiced by Mira Furlon of Lost and Babylon 5 fame). Additional jobs and multi-stage contracts are included with an enormous variety of new weapons like shotguns, sniper rifles and grenade launchers.

The new edition is loaded with DLC packs and content updates like the Big Bank Heist, which is worth for over a year. You can also play as ‘Clover’, the first female heister. Overall, the game is promised with improved frame rate, better texture and 1080p resolution.

The new game also brings in new characters, more masks and a whole new level of customization. The game will be available on all leading retail and e-commerce stores and is priced at Rs 3,499. A perfect game for all players who are looking forward to pulling off their dream crime spree.

Watch its thrilling trailer here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NB2LatHJzr8

June 12, 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
Winner | Best Gaming Console | iGyaan Tech Awards 2014

With time, gaming consoles are getting even smaller. Each console on the list ahead was selected for its influence on the industry and the gaming culture as a whole, with special consideration for their benchmark titles, peripherals, monetary success, and total hardware sold.

Voting is now Closed! The Winner for the Best Gaming Console in the iGyaan Tech Awards 2014 is PlayStation 4.

The winner of the giveaway is announced HERE.

[button link=”https://www.igyaan.in/awards/” size=”large” text_size=”beta” newtab=”on”]Back To Awards Categories[/button]

December 27, 2014
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