Microsoft’s new console is called the Xbox One, and it will include a slew of new features besides games, with Microsoft wanting to make the Xbox One your One Box. First and foremost being its ability to run multiple programs at once. For example, they showed that someone watching Star Trek could then search for show times of Star Trek: Into Darkness on internet explorer (which will come up as a side bar on the right hand side). The console will also be able to watch live TV (presumably still requiring a subscription to cable of some kind), play music, and seamlessly switch between them using voice commands and Kinect.

Kinect will come bundled with every Xbox One and Microsoft heavily touted its new technical power. It can take two gigabytes per second of data and has a wider, 1080p view. They also said that while doing work out games it can read your heartbeat. Yes, you read that right, Kinect can read your heartbeat. Because that is not creepy at all. The Kinect will allow voice navigation, letting you say things like “Xbox go home” and it will bring you back to the dashboard. Kinect, of course is not the only way to use the new Xbox. A new controller will be bundled in with each console and features an improved new D-pad and allow force feedback into the triggers. There was also mention of how raising your controller could raise a shield in game (Kinect would track you raising it); could this play into Crytek’s long in development game Ryse? Time will tell.

The console itself seems to be a power house, though Microsoft did not divulge all of the details like Sony. It will feature 8 Gigabytes of RAM, USB 3.0 connectors, a Blu-ray player and has a 64 bit architecture. The console will run “practically silent”. Xbox One will be connected and ready at all times. My assumption would be that this mean the console goes into a stand-by mode when turned off and allows quick access to it whenever it’s needed. After the reveal, Don Mattrick told Geoff Keighley of Gametrailers that the console would not require an always online connection. No mention is currently made of used game but Wired reports that the company will require an installation of all titles. To use the game on a second account, the account owner would have to pay a fee and then be allowed to install.

The new Dashboard runs off Windows, which is one of three operating systems that the Xbox One uses alongside the classic Xbox operating system and a third one, which is used to connect Windows and Xbox. The dashboard looks quite similar to the current Xbox 360 dashboard, but with the addition of a trending area. This will show you what games, tv shows and films are popular with your friends and other users on Xbox Live.

Microsoft announced partnerships with ESPN, and the NFL today to allow you to watch ESPN programming and games or NFL games on your Xbox One. There was no mention on how much the use of the NFL system could cost, but my assumption would be quite a lot. Both systems will also offer integration of fantasy sports to the Xbox as well, with your league being available on the right hand side. The programs will alert you whenever any of your players score you points.

ESPN and the NFL were not the only ways Microsoft wants to be more active in your TV watching experience. As I said above they will have live tv on the Xbox One as and their own original content. Nancy Tellem, the head of Xbox Entertainment studios talked about how there is a new, live action, Halo TV series, produced by Steven Spielberg, coming to the Xbox One. More “comedies, dramas and digital shorts” are also in the works. Nancy spoke about how TV on Xbox would be “immersive” and personalized to your tastes and needs. Tellem wants the Xbox to become the “next watercooler”, where you can discuss what is happening live with other people.

All of this would not be possible without Xbox Live. Microsoft is making a new push with greater cloud computing for this console, allowing more storage of saves and content to be stored in the cloud. The new Xbox Live will run on 300,000 dedicated servers (compared to the 15,000 that it is currently running on). These new servers will allow for “Bigger matches, with more players” and living persistent worlds (read: MMOs). Another major feature, that almost felt rushed over, was that the Xbox One will have a dedicated DVR. This DVR will allow for the recording of gameplay footage and an editing/sharing tool natively built for the Xbox One. It wouldn’t be Xbox without Achievements though, and Microsoft confirmed they will return as well. Microsoft is also finally implementing Skype on Xbox, allowing for conversations while you watch movies, tv or (presumably) play games.

Xbox One, is of course a gaming console and Microsoft showed off a few titles for the console. The first title shown was Forza Motorsports 5, and my goodness did it look pretty. The new game in the franchise from Turn 10’s first trailer for it can be seen below:

The next title shown off was Quantum Break from Remedy Studios, the makers of Max Payne and Alan Wake. The trailer for this game can also be seen below and I highly recommend it as it is quite stunning.

According to Microsoft Game Studios head Phil Spencer, Microsoft Game Studios currently has 15 titles in development, with 8 of them being new IPs. It was not said if these titles were Xbox live arcade games, retail games or Kinect titles though. But to put this into perspective, if Microsoft is working on 7 classic franchises those are likely Halo, Fable, Forza, Gears of War, and possibly Crackdown. This will allow two more classic titles (Banjo Kazooie please?) and seven more original IPs (Quantum Break would be the first original IP).

EA sports took the stage to talk about how the Xbox One will make their sports titles even better. EA announced a strategic partnership with Microsoft, with exclusive content coming to FIFA 14’s “Ultimate team” mode. EA Sports also went on to announce that four titles were in development on the Xbox One: FIFA, Madden, NBA Live and UFC. The assumption would be that FIFA and Madden would both launch with the console, NBA and UFC would launch on the console when they launch. With the new console comes a new engine from EA called the Ignite Engine. It will offer “ten times more details” and “True player motion”, alongside 3D crowds, dynamic sidelines and daily streams of new content.

The final title shown at the event was Call of Duty: Ghosts. Developer Infinity Ward talked about how the title is running on a new engine, and will run at 60 Frames per second on Xbox One. The story of this new blockbuster is being written by Steven Gaghan, director of Syrian and writer of Traffic. “Ghosts” begins with America crippled, and your team is a rag-tag squad from all branches of the armed forces fighting against an enemy who is more powerful than you. It will include new features for gameplay like the “lean” and “slide” features, allowing you to lean around cover and slide respectively (duh).

Multiplayer was lightly touched on, with new features including “Dynamic maps”, which will have the maps layout changes due to things like earthquakes and floods, and character customization, allowing you to change helmets, clothing and so on for your avatar in multiplayer. Like on the Xbox 360, all COD DLC will come first to Xbox Live. The first trailer can be seen below.

Xbox One is coming to stores later this year, and more games will be showed off at E3. Don Mattirck also said we would likely see the new title from Black Tusk Studios, a studio founded to create the next “AAA game” for Microsoft. This reveal was full of a lot of promises and possibilities, but we have no real details. Sony offered specifics on what developers were building games for their system, gameplay footage, and what the exact specification of the console were. Microsoft talked in far less specifics would could be to their detriment. We will have a full reaction from the entire League of Mediocre Gamers tomorrow, showcasing how each of us felt about the reveal. What did you think of the reveal? Are you excited about the new features, or disappointed by their lack of games? Let us know in the comments below!

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By, Bobby Marquardt