by Stone Marshall | Sep 7, 2017 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Recently, Microsoft and its third party partners announced quite a few Japanese games coming to Xbox One, partly as a result of a recent trip by Xbox Division Head Phil Spencer to Japan, where he met local publishers and developers.
Xbox fans can expect to play Code Vein, Dynasty Warriors 9, they will get their hands on the Sword Art Online franchise for the first time with Sword Art Online: Fatal Bullet, and quite a few more.
Back in the early months of Xbox 360, Microsoft launched a big push with quite a few Japanese exclusives like Tales of Vesperia, Lost Odyssey, Infinite Undiscovery and more. Unfortunately, it did not last long. During a chat at Gamescom, DualShockers asked Xbox Games Marketing General Manager Aaron Greenberg if we can expect this newfound commitment to Japanese games to have a lasting impact.
Greenberg mentioned that Microsoft always had a deep respect for Japanese creators, and they worked with them on a number of projects both internally and on the third-party side. Phil Spencer himself cares a lot about Japanese developers, and working with them is a personal passion of his, as shown by the fact that he regularly goes to Japan to meet them.
According to Greenberg, we should expect to continue to see more and more Japanese games coming to Xbox One, and Microsoft is going to do as much as possible with them.
He also mentioned that Japanese creators are always among the first to adopt and experiment with new technology. With Xbox One X they’ve been working with local developers and heard good things from them. They’ll wait until it’s time to announce more, but it’s important to both Microsoft and Phil Spencer, and they know that this matters to the fans.
Speaking of Japanese games, we also asked about the extension of the trademark for Scalebound, wondering if Microsoft is still looking to do something with teh IP. Greenberg put rumors to rest explaining that the game was canceled, and that’s the reality of the issue. He has a lot of respect for the Director, Hideki Kamiya, and he feels that everyone at Microsoft believed in the partnership with PlatinumGames and in the vision for the title. Yet, some times you just put the ingredients together and for whatever reason things don’t work out. It happens with movie projects, music projects and any creative process, including video games.
During the same chat Greenberg also talked about the “overwhelming” reaction of the fans to Xbox One X, and mentioned that Microsoft is working hard to manufacture as many units as possible to meet demand.
Xbox One Fans Can Expect More Japanese Games According to Aaron Greenberg
by Stone Marshall | Sep 7, 2017 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
Microsoft has been making quite a few announcements lately, but the house of Xbox has been quiet about what The Coalition and the main team at 343 Industries are doing. According to Xbox Games Marketing General Manager Aaron Greenberg this is a positive signal, as he told DualShockers during an interview at Gamescom in Cologne
Greenberg thinks that first party studios being quiet is a good thing. As a fan he knows that The Coalition is there, and they’re hard at work on “something,” and the same goes for 343 Industries. The question is how far in advance Microsoft should announce what they’re doing.
There are so many games coming to Xbox One over the next twelve months, and Microsoft feels good about its first party lineup. Greenberg feels that it’s nice to be able to have a strong lineup like that, and still be a little quiet about what is being done behind the scenes. That being said, he recently visited The Coalition, and he is “very excited” about the future of the Gears of War franchise. He is also very excited about the future of the Halo franchise.
Interestingly, Greenberg also commented on Black Desert Online‘s upcoming release on Xbox One: Microsoft believes that there is an opportunity to have more MMO games on the console, and Black Desert in particular has a strong following, but isn’t yet very well known in the west. So it’s a great opportunity to bring a great game to the console and give it more visibility in the west.
This was actually the idea behind the E3 show: showing a large and diverse line-up of creators from all over the world, including Europe, Korea, Japan and more. Microsoft “really want that diversity,” and the folks working at Xbox pride themselves on loving games and wanting to honor the creators and artist making these titles.
Xbox Division Head Phil Spencer himself is a game developer, and has a “deep appreciation” for this. According to Greenberg it’s not always about selling millions of units, and Microsoft wants to make sure that they have a good variety and a diverse lineup for their players.
Xbox Wants Diversity in its Games Lineup; it’s Good for Gears of War and Halo Developers to Be Quiet
by Stone Marshall | Sep 6, 2017 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
First released in 2015, Rocket League took the gaming community by storm on PlayStation 4 and Windows PC, and it wasn’t too long until it made its way to Xbox One. Once again, the game is making the jump to a new console. With the release of Rocket League on the Nintendo Switch, developer Psyonix is bringing exclusive Nintendo-themed battle cars.
When Rocket League releases on Nintendo Switch this holiday season, these three Nintendo-themed cars will be available as free special unlocks. Technically speaking, the Mario NSR and Luigi NSR are the same vehicle. Whether or not a player is Mario or Luigi is dependent on the team color they select before a match. Orange players display the Mario skin while Blue players show up as Luigi. For the Metroid-themed Battle Car, Samus’ Gunship, the team color variations are modeled after different Varia Suits from the series.
Along with the different body designs, both cars feature specialized boosts. The Mario and Luigi NSR feature a “Super Star” trail while Samus’ Gunship uses a “Wave Beam.” Other Nintendo items include Mario and Luigi hats.
Rocket League on Nintendo Switch was officially announced during Nintendo’s Treehouse presentation at E3 2017. Anticipation for the reveal came much sooner though as Psyonix began teasing the possibility of a Switch port
Right out of the gate, the Switch version includes all previous game modes and features found in other versions of the game. This includes later additions such as Hockey, Dropshot, and additional rotating modes. It also supports cross-network play, but the systems have yet to be announced.
Other unique features come from the design of the Nintendo Switch. The biggest draw is the ability to play Rocket League on the go. Users can get the same console experience, without being tethered to their living room. Additionally, local wireless multiplayer allows Switch owners to circle around each other to play without using dedicated Wi-Fi.
Rocket League rolls out onto Nintendo Switch consoles during the 2017 holiday season. This means that players will have plenty of time to battle their friends during the holiday break. Expect a solid release date in the coming months.
‘Rocket League’ on Switch comes with exclusive Nintendo battle cars
by Stone Marshall | Sep 6, 2017 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
The Xbox One S offers a sleek, compact, and 4K Blu-ray-capable alternative to the original Xbox One, which has now been discontinued, and with multiple bundles sporting a variety of storage capacities and packed-in games, the Xbox One S is great option for anyone looking to pick up an Xbox system for the first time. At just $280 for the standard 500GB version with a game, it’s also one of the most affordable consoles on the market today.
Should you go all out and purchase the 2TB version of the console, or stick with your tried-and-true Xbox One? With the native 4K-capable, ultra-powerful Xbox One X console launching at the end of 2017, the answer to that question really depends on your eagerness to adopt the latest-and-greatest tech. Below, we take a look at how the newest console from Microsoft competes with its predecessor, the original Xbox One, in terms of specs. After all, a side-by-side juxtaposition could be enough to sway you one way or another
| Xbox One | Xbox One S |
| Base price | $250 (500GB), with games | $280 (500GB), with games |
| Drive | Up to 1TB | Up to 2TB |
| Resolution | Up to 1080p | Up to 4K for video |
| Dimensions | 13.1 x 10.8 x 3.1 inches | 11.6 x 8.9 x 2.5 inches |
| HDR support | No | Yes |
| Blu-ray equipped | Yes, up to 1080p | Yes, up to 4K |
| Cortana equipped | Yes | Yes |
| Operating system | Windows 10-based Xbox One OS | Windows 10-based Xbox One OS |
| Compatible with Kinect | Yes | Yes (with an adapter) |
| Bluetooth controller | No | Yes |
| Built-in power brick | No | Yes |
| USB 3.0 ports | 3 | 3 |
| Dedicated Kinect port | Yes | No |
| Available from | Amazon | Amazon |
| DT review | 4 out of 5 stars | 3.5 out of 5 stars |
Blu-Ray, HDR, and new streaming features
The Xbox One S supports 4K video playback from streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon, and several others. The console also features a built-in 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. At less than $300, the Xbox One S is a relative steal when compared to the price tag of some of dedicated UHD players currently on the market, which makes it a solid purchase for individuals who currently own a 4K TV. The last-gen Xbox One accepts Blu-ray discs, sure, but it can’t handle UHD Blu-ray.
The Xbox One S also supports HDR, or High Dynamic Range, which greatly broadens the range of displayed colors and contrast. Deeper colors and richer contrast means more vibrant and realistic imagery. All of this creates more stunning, lifelike graphics. The HDR upgrade makes for a vivid in-game experience, but you must have an HDR-capable TV. Even then, only a small selection of games, such as Gears of War 4 and Forza Horizon 3 support the feature.
Winner: Xbox One S
Aesthetics and design
The Xbox One S is an aesthetic marvel when compared to the aging look of the Xbox One. Opposed to the uninspiring, cinder-block design of the Xbox One, the Xbox One S features a matte-white block on a raised black base. The Xbox One S is also capable of being positioned upright, though the upright stand comes exclusively with the 2TB model, or as a standalone accessory for $20. Its predecessor, on the other hand, can only be positioned horizontally. The Xbox One S is smaller than the Xbox One, yet still manages to house the power brick that was once an outside component of the Xbox One.
As anyone who has ever owned an Xbox One knows, the touch-sensitive power button was oftentimes problematic. Similarly, the controller sync button was inconveniently located. The Xbox One S addresses many of these design flaws. The front of the Xbox One S features a physical power button, controller sync button, a disc eject button, and a single USB 3.0 port. The backside of the Xbox One S has two HDMI ports (one in, one out), two more USB 3.0 ports, S/PDIF, and Ethernet. Both models offer an IR blaster, as well.
Winner: Xbox One S
Bye, bye Kinect. Hello, Cortana
The Xbox One S dropped the dedicated port for the Kinect. Only a handful of games utilized Kinect to begin with, making the move fairly irrelevant from a gaming standpoint. However, it is still possible to use the motion-sensing device with the Xbox One S via an adapter. Moreover, Microsoft is currently giving them away for free through its support site. However, since Kinect users will have to use one of the USB ports for the adapter, they will now be down to only two USB ports, and the additional adapter requires its own power supply, unlike the original Xbox One.
The Kinect port has been also replaced with an integrated infrared blaster on the Xbox One S, allowing users to configure their Xbox One S to control devices such as their TV and A/V receiver. After several postponements, the Xbox One S finally features Microsoft’s digital assistant, Cortana.
The assistant — first introduced on desktop machines with Windows 10 — is aimed at carrying out an array of standard tasks, and thus allows you to look up the weather, search the internet, open apps, and perform a host of other actions. At the moment, Cortana is wildly insufficient for more than the most basic functions, though the feature will likely get better as time goes on. As with any platform, trial and error is key to a harmonious relationship. Both the Xbox One and Xbox One S can use Cortana and Kinect.
Winner: Xbox One
Controller
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
The folks at Microsoft continue to further distance themselves from the Kinect, and as such, the latest Xbox controller comes with a jack that allows you to communicate with your digital assistant via a headset. From a tactile, gaming perspective, the controller still very much feels like the controller we’ve all grown accustomed to, albeit with a new textured grip and an assortment of covers. The controller also comes equipped with Bluetooth, which extends its range and makes wireless gaming with Xbox Anywhere titles far easier.
Winner: Xbox One S
Compatibility
The Xbox One S supports all the games you loved on Xbox One, and vice versa. It’s also possible for the Xbox One S to upscale older games to 4K (not that it doesn’t render at that resolution — it only upscales). Regardless, unless Xbox One owners are really chomping at the bit for increased support and video quality, there’s no dire need to upgrade at the moment.
Winner: Tie
Conclusion
To upgrade or not to upgrade? The Xbox One S is without a doubt one of the best Ultra HD Blu-Ray players on the market for the price. Coupled with the general gaming upgrades, the Xbox One S is a great option for individuals looking for a worthy Ultra HD Blu-ray player, as well as individuals purchasing their first Xbox. Though our initial review for the original Xbox One actually gave it a higher score than the Xbox One S due to the platform’s potential, the Xbox One S is the superior machine.
For current Xbox owners, there’s little incentive to make the leap with the much more promising release of the Xbox One X — with 4K gaming — coming this November. If you’re looking for an upgrade right now, though, the Xbox One S is hard to beat for anyone content to play games at 1080p resolution.
Winner: Xbox One S
Updated on 8-28-2017 by Gabe Gurwin: Updated to reflect the discontinuation of the original Xbox One and final name of Xbox One X.
The Xbox One S is here, so is it time to ditch your original Xbox One?
by Stone Marshall | Sep 5, 2017 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
PlayStation VR isn't cheap, but including the camera is a great way to bring more players on board.
PlayStation VR may be the least expensive way to enter the world of virtual reality, but it still isn’t cheap. Previously, the headset sold for $400 in addition to the mandatory PlayStation Camera for an additional $60, but that changes this week with the newest PlayStation VR bundle.
Starting on September 1, the PlayStation VR’s standard bundle will come with a PlayStation Camera for $400, effectively giving customers a $60 discount. Sony says that this will be the “core” PlayStation VR bundle moving forward, so if you already own the camera but haven’t picked up the headset yet, you might want to act quickly.
In addition to the $400 option, those looking to also pick up a game with PlayStation VR can check out the $450 PlayStation VR Worlds bundle — previously called the “launch bundle” at most retailers. The package contains everything from the standard bundle and adds two PlayStation Move controllers and the PlayStation VR Worlds game. Coming with several different mini-games, including The London Heist, Danger Ball, and the enthralling Ocean Descent, it’s a great way to get introduced to VR technology, though not all of the games are created equal. VR Luge is a pretty mediocre racing game, and Scavengers Odyssey is all but guaranteed to make you queasy.
PlayStation VR has been on the market for almost a year, and its library of games has grown steadily. While short, Farpoint is the first shooter for the system to feel like more than a technical demonstration, and Superhot VR offers a nice twist on the unique first-person shooter. We’re particularly excited for Megaton Rainfall, which releases on September 26. The superhero game tasks you with defending Earth against alien invaders, all while you avoid destroying the skyscrapers that litter the planet’s cities. It’s also playable on a standard PlayStation 4 system, though its first-person perspective seems built for VR.
If you already have a PlayStation VR headset, you’ll be seeing some improvements in the near future. The next PlayStation 4 software update adds new surround-sound options in “Cinematic Mode,” as well as additional broadcasting options so you can stay connected with your viewers without removing the headset.
PlayStation VR gets a price cut, now comes with PlayStation Camera
by Stone Marshall | Sep 5, 2017 | Awesome Book News, Free, Intro, Minecraft News, Minecraft questions, news, parent-news, State of Stone, Stone Marshall Book News, Stone Marshall Books, Stone Marshall Club, Stone Marshall Minecraft Adventures, Uncategorized |
One of the biggest reasons to upgrade to a new console generation is power. Better graphics, better processing capabilities — all of it leads to bigger and better-looking games. With its upcoming new version of the Xbox One, now known officially as the Xbox One X, Microsoft wants to convince you that adding more technical firepower should not be reserved for whole new generations of consoles.
While the One X is a still an Xbox One, it is heftier, faster and more powerful under the hood and now with the original Xbox One no longer available to purchase, Microsoft is pushing Xbox fans young and old towards its new system.
The One X is the younger sibling of both the original One and One S, with years worth of extra development and planning behind it. It should, in theory, offer substantial performance and feature improvements over its predecessor. But is it worth buying over its more affordable One S sibling?
A lot of One X pre-order buyers certainly think so, but while we won’t be able to judge Xbox One X fully and fairly until we get out hands on the hardware itself and take it for a spin, we now have enough details to start having the conversation of whether you should upgrade from an Xbox One or Xbox One S to the Xbox One X.
Specs
| 
| 
| 
|
| CPU | 8 core, AMD custom CPU @ 1.75GHz | 8 core, AMD custom CPU @ 1.75GHz | 8 core x86 CPU @ 2.3GHz |
| GPU | AMD GCN GPU @ 853Mhz w/ 12 compute units | AMD GCN GPU @ 914Mhz w/ 12 compute units | AMD custom GPU @ 1,172MHz w/ 40 compute units |
| Memory | 8GB DDR3, 32MB ESRAM | 8GB DDR3, 32MB ESRAM | 12GB GDDR5 |
| Memory bus | 256-bit | 256-bit | 384-bit |
| Memory bandwidth | 68GB/s, 204GB/s | 68GB/s, 219GB/s | 326GB/s |
| Storage | 1TB/500GB 2.5 inch HDD | 1TB/500GB 2.5 inch HDD | 1TB 2.5 inch HDD |
| Optical drive | Blu-Ray | 4K UHD Blu-Ray | 4K UHD Blu-Ray |
| 4k Support | No | Yes, limited | Yes, native |
| HDR support | No | Yes, HDR10 | Yes |
Hardware design
Since the Xbox One X is part of the Xbox One family, the biggest differences between it and the current Xbox One models are mostly internal. Microsoft has made distinct architectural changes to its design, instead of simply throwing more modern hardware at the problem of the Xbox One’s occasional power disparity with the PS4.
Xbox One X’s graphics chip packs 40 compute units into a slightly slimmer footprint than the Xbox One S, where there are only 12. Those cores are also optimized for DirectX 12 and will be clocked at 1,172MHz – much higher than the Xbox One and Xbox One S. The CPU offers a roughly 30 percent increase in clock speed, so it should be a lot more powerful in its own right. All in all, Xbox One X’s graphical performance is said to be around the six teraflop mark, which would mean it has a little less raw power than an Nvidia GTX 1070 desktop graphics card, or a little more than an AMD RX 480. That means the Xbox One X has more than 4.5 times the graphical performance of the original Xbox One.
In terms of physical design, the Xbox One S cut down the size of the original Xbox One to a more svelte package, but Microsoft vastly overstated the size difference. Still, the white shell and perforated edges gave the Xbox One S a premium look that we appreciated over the bulky black Xbox One. The Xbox One X, in our brief experience, rolls back that premium feel a bit, reverting to the black box look that has defined the console line thus far. Microsoft is right that it’s the smallest Xbox yet, but it’s not dramatically smaller than the Xbox One S.
The Xbox One X will come with a full 12GB of GDDR5 memory as well, which will give developers a lot more leeway and really help the system handle 4K content. In comparison, the original Xbox One only has eight gigabytes. Although we do not have detailed specifications for it, the 1TB internal hard drive should be as much as 50 percent faster too, which should lead to faster boot times and a reduction in loading screens over previous generations of the console.
Winner: Xbox One X
Resolution and framerate
ForzaTech demo running at 4K at 60FPS
All of that power is designed to drive what is considered by many to be the next big benchmark for mainstream gaming: 4K resolution. At four times the detail level of now-standard 1080P, 4K offers crisper detail and more true-to-life visuals. Considering the original Xbox One struggled at times to deliver 1080P at anything over 30 frames per second, a big part of the Xbox One X’s design is to enable ultra-HD resolution gaming at higher frame rates.
Although we don’t know for sure how capable the Xbox One X is just yet, Microsoft showed off a number of games at E3 2017 that would support full 60 FPS playback at 4K. One of the big standouts was Forza Motorsport 7, but it’s far from the only one. You can find a constantly updated list of those games here.
Once we spent some time with the Xbox One X at E3, we were very enthused by its performance when hooked up to a 4K TV with HDR support. The visuals were sharp, and the HDR brought intense light and murky shadows to life in a way no other console can replicate. That said, a lot of the appeal faded when hooked up to a 1080p TV without the contrast and brightness needed for HDR. That is what most people are still using for their gaming, and the Xbox One X is more likely to draw in users with a high-end setup, or who are willing to buy one. Users with older TVs may only see a framerate bump.
All of that will, of course, depend on the ability for developers to optimize for the hardware, but with Microsoft using a more typical unified RAM system, the Xbox One X is more PC-like than ever, which should make porting games easier too.
Winner: Xbox One X
Home theater support
While the Xbox One X will be able to take advantage of 4K streaming on Netflix or YouTube, until ultra high-speed internet becomes more commonplace, a 4K UHD Blu-Ray player will be a necessity for those who want to take full advantage of their 4K TV. While that means buying a player, if you can have that bundled with a console upgrade that also lets you take advantage of 4K gaming, all the better.
There is no question here, the Xbox One cannot compete when it comes to 4K media support. The Xbox One S can, however, so it remains a viable option for anyone only looking to upgrade for that functionality.
Like the Xbox One and Xbox One S, Xbox One X will support Microsoft’s own in-house developed, HRTF, as well as bitrate passthrough for audio and features Dolby Atmos support for those of us lucky to have such a setup. Since both the 4K Blu-Ray player and high-end audio solutions are available in both the Xbox One S and Xbox One X, it seems that either console will be an excellent addition to your home theater setup.
Winner: Xbox One X / Xbox One S
HDR
Although it’s less marketable without a number, High Dynamic Range (HDR) is the other major display technology that hardware manufacturers are using as a reason for consumers to upgrade and the Xbox One X comes with full support. This allows the system to work with displays that support HDR to display a wider range of bright and dark lights, usually with the help of OLED or local dimming. Explosions look like real fire, and shadows have greater detail, in a way that is hard to explain without seeing it.
That is something that the Xbox One simply cannot do, so it falls behind there. The Xbox One S supports HDR 10 only, but with compatible games and displays, it offers a noticeable visual improvement. While Xbox One X should deliver a comparable experience and likely a better one, until we hear more, it is hard to say if it will be that much better at HDR support than the One S.
Winner: Xbox One X / Xbox One S
Game support and Backwards Compatibility
Much like the PlayStation 4 Pro, it will be up to developers to take advantage of the Xbox One X’s extra power with better framerates and native 4K support. Microsoft has been steadily announcing titles that support 4K and/or HDR, and we are keeping updated on those titles in another post.
In addition, Microsoft announced at E3 that original Xbox games would be coming to the Xbox One line, starting with the classic and oft-requested Crimson Skies.
As far as game support goes, there will be parity among all versions of the Xbox One. That includes access to the backwards-compatible Xbox 360 library available on the Xbox One and Xbox One S. It is not clear if the added performance of Xbox One X will really make much of a difference for Xbox 360 games, but it is good to see that people buying the new system won’t have to keep an original Xbox One lying around just to play their older games.
Winner: Xbox One X
Price and Availability
As expected, the Xbox One X will retail for $500 at launch. At the same time as Microsoft made that announcement, the price of the Xbox One S was also slashed to $250, putting a good amount of distance between the two products. Which one is the right choice will depend on your budget and whether you are already sporting a 4K HDR TV, or are willing to buy one. We found that you do not get nearly as much out of the Xbox One X without a higher-end set.
There may not be a clear winner in the price discussion, but there is a clear loser. With stock for the original One X disappearing and Microsoft not shifting any more itself, it is impossible to recommend at this point. While viable for second-hand buyers looking to join this console generation for the first time, if you’re buying new, your options are restricted to the One S and One X.
Winner: Xbox One S
Conclusion
If nothing else, the introduction of the Xbox One X, the Xbox One S’s subsequent price drop and the original Xbox One’s lack of availability, it becomes clear that this three horse race is now down to two. The standard Xbox One is no longer a competitive console, which is good news for Microsoft, which it seems is planning to continue rotating through Xbox One consoles, rather than resetting the platform completely.
Unfortunately, the Xbox One X still has limited appeal. Only those with 4K HDR TVs are going to see a big benefit from the $500 cost associated with the higher-powered console. For most, the Xbox One S is still the best option, and it is now available at a better price.
Update 08/28/2017 – Added news that original Xbox One production has ended.
Xbox One S vs. Xbox One X — is the upgrade worth it?
