As Microsoft’s Xbox One release date in November looms closer every day, the Redwood, CA software giant announced on its Xbox blog that it will allow Xbox 360 Season Pass possessors who upgrade to the One to take their pass with them for free. The likes of Activision, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft are already signed on to be included in the program offering season pass discounts on downloadable content for the next-gen console.
The blog notes,
“You’ll be able access exclusive season pass content on anticipated titles like ‘Call of Duty: Ghosts‘ and ‘Battlefield 4’ on both Xbox 360 and Xbox One…Season Pass Guarantee makes transitioning from Xbox 360 to Xbox One an easier and smoother process, so you don’t have to worry about which console you’re playing games on or repurchasing your existing add-ons on Xbox One.”
This is great news for those who live in countries where the Xbox One is to be launched according to schedule and not so much for the eight countries where the release will be delayed. Still, for $499 with a developers kit included, the Microsoft faithful have a lot of great features to look forward to.
Instant Switching
A voice activated function, Instant Switching lets the user seamlessly switch from live television to gaming to movies. Hand cues such as extending arms towards the Kinect camera and grasping and minimizing in mid-air selects the screen and subsequently minimizes it for the ability to toggle between screens.
Snap Mode
Similar to Instant Switching, Snap Mode lets the user split the screen between multiple entertainment platforms. Yusuf Mehdi demonstrated Snap Mode at the Reveal Event by using the new sports offering as an example. Users can watch their favorite sports game all the while receiving live stat updates for their favorite Fantasy athletes as they watch highlights and update their roster–all on the same screen.
Guide
The Xbox One Guide lets users take advantage of the same voice recognition technology to find, watch, and keep up with their favorite shows. Favorites and Trending likewise lets users navigate through television channels to find shows they love and make it easy to stay up to date with the latest drama.
Skype
Skype will also be available on the Xbox One. The Kinect cam allows for group video calls on TV during Snap Mode. When the notification appears on the top of the screen, all the user has to do is say “Answer call” and Snap Mode will run, splitting the screen between whatever entertainment you’re engaged in as well as your Skype call.
Kinect
All of these new features and operations are made possible with an updated Kinect. The motion-sensing 1080p camera lens understands joint rotations, balance and weight distribution, and even reads the user’s heart beat which of course will be great for using Xbox One for exercise, but it also bolsters the fact that motion-detection for navigating the One will be silky smooth.
Under the Hood
As for the specs, as previously thought they were a bit limited but Microsoft did confirm some of the rumors. The Xbox One will run on an 8-core CPU, feature 8GB of RAM, offer 500GB HDD, boast a Blu-ray drive, and connect through a wireless Wi-Fi direct and HDMI input/output.
The Reveal Event, E3, and Comic-Con 2013 all offered glimpses into the new line of games and entertainment poised to be outfitted for the Xbox One. A pre-recorded Steven Spielberg video introduced a just-for-TV series of Halo, while NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell mentioned a new deal with the NFL and Microsoft to take advantage of the sports offering feature.
Games
New games from EA Sports will include contemporary versions of FIFA, Madden Football, NBA Live, and UFC. Microsoft Studios is all poised to release 15 new games, including 8 completely brand new franchises, which will be made available later this year and debuted at E3 back in June and Comic-Con earlier this month to much fanfare.
