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Microsoft Reveals New Xbox One Console

Don Mattrick, president of the interactive entertainment business at Microsoft, announced the Xbox One console at a reveal event in Seattle on Tuesday.

Yusuf Mehdi, senior vice president for Microsoft's interactive entertainment business, previewed the console's voice-controlled system and its home screen at the event. Users can use voice control to watch television via the console, and then switch immediately between TV, music, and games instantaneously. The console will feature a "snap mode" that will allow users to perform multiple functions at once, such as watching a movie and also accessing an Internet browser at the same time by using voice commands or hand movements. Users can also multi-task while using Skype. The Xbox One will also feature an interactive television guide.

Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of XBox Live at Microsoft, reported the Xbox One's system specs at the event. The system will feature an 8-core CPU, 8GB of system memory, a 500GB hard drive, a Blu-ray Disc drive, USB 3.0, and WiFi Direct. The conosle will feature three operating systems: Xbox's own upgraded operating system, a kernel of Windows, and a system that connects both operating systems to allow for easier switching. Xbox One will also feature a new Kinect sensor, a new controller with 40 new design changes such as a new D-Pad and a new ergonomical design, and an upgraded SmartGlass feature. Whitten also stated that the Xbox One will have 300,000 servers for XBox Live. Data will be saved via Cloud, and it will feature a new achievement system.

Upcoming Titles

Electronic Arts announced that it is developing new FIFA, NBA Live, Madden, and UFC games that will launch in the next 12 months. Microsoft Studios, confirmed that the Forza Motor Sports 5 game will be released for the Xbox One at launch. Microsoft Studios will launch 15 exclusive games for Xbox One within a year of launch, eight of which will be new franchises, including the new Quantum Break game.

Microsoft also announced that the Halo franchise is getting a live-action television series that involves Steven Spielberg as a producer.

Xbox One will launch worldwide later this year. More information about the console and upcoming games for the console will be revealed at E3.

Compatibility and Used Games

After the event, Microsoft confirmed with the technology news website The Verge that the Xbox One will not be able to play Xbox 360 games.

Microsoft also told the Wired website, "On the new Xbox, all game discs are installed to the HDD to play." If someone wants to use the game on a second account, Wired reports "that owner would be given the option to pay a fee and install the game from the disc, which would then mean that the new account would also own the game and could play it without the disc."

A company spokesperson later told the Polygon website, "Xbox One's support for used games and these other scenarios may not look like they have on previous console generations, and that's what we'll be explaining as soon as we're able."