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SOURCEBOOK: Click Entertainment profile

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:30:00 +0100

Our series of profiles of leading games service and creative firms continues with Click Entertainment.

Click Entertainment

Sector: International Distribution
Year Established: 2009
Number of employees: 15+
Address: London, United Kingdom
Phone: 020 3137 3781
Fax: 020 3137 3782

Key contacts:
Jake Wright, Head of Business Development – jake@click-entertainment.com
William Skipsey, Sales Manager – william@click-entertainment.com
Dan Thurgood, Business Development Manager – dan@click-entertainment.com

General – info@click-entertainment.com
Sales – sales@click-entertainment.com
Purchasing – purchasing @click-entertainment.com
Accounts – accounts@click-entertainment.com

Website: www.click-entertainment.com
Email: info@click-entertainment.com
LinkedIn: Click here

Click Entertainment is a leading UK based distributor of video games, consoles and accessories throughout Europe and Worldwide. Our company is built on strong working relationships, highly competitive pricing and a personal service you can trust.

We have direct relationships with manufacturers, publishers and leading global distributors, and hold large quantities on a wide range of physical stock at all times. Ever increasing demand means that our stock sells fast, so we keep on top of current market trends, replenishing stock constantly.

With our trusted delivery network, we are able to dispatch orders safely and efficiently anywhere in the world.

A high level of service ensures that our customers are always satisfied and experienced account managers, sales, customer services, accounts and technical support staff will always be available to assist customers with any enquiries.

Click Entertainment is featured in Sourcebook, the essential guide to service firms and creative agencies in the games industry.

The 2013 edition is published on July 26th and is a premium print book mailed to readers of MCV plus its sister titles Develop and PCR, and available as a digital edition on PC and iPad, and at www.intentmedia.co.uk/sourcebook.

To make sure you are featured amongst its listings of the leading agencies and services in games, contact Jennie.Lane@intentmedia.co.uk or call her on 01992 535 647.

Indie devs must seek a publisher to release games on Xbox One

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:29:00 +0100

Microsoft will not allow independent developers to self-publish on Xbox One.

ShackNews reports that devs must partner either with Microsoft Game Studios or a third party publisher if they hope to release their games on the platform.

Microsoft is now the only console platform holder to prohibit self-publishing on its machines, with both Sony and even now Nintendo trying to court the creative independent developer community.

Indeed, Sony’s whole approach to PS4 has been one designed to place the developer – be they a triple-A international powerhouse or a lone startup, at the heart of the user’s experience.

The lack of indie gaming on Xbox One will certainly limit to scope of the machine’s digital catalogue, although Microsoft will most likely argue that its rules will raise the quality bar for consumers.

GameStop buoyant about Xbox One and PS4 pre-owned

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:19:00 +0100

The president of global games retailer GameStop has played down fears that Xbox One will curtail the pre-owned market.

“Both Sony and Microsoft have said games can be resold and that’s exactly what we anticipated,” Bartel told Forbes. “It’s a recognized way to make these games more affordable. All three new platforms understand that.

“We anticipate millions of gamers will sign up for both PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360 by the time we start taking reservations. There’s a tremendous consumer demand for next gen consoles and I think the Xbox One reveal will just build on that.”

Bartel added that “GameStop puts $1bn in trade into the market and 70% of that money goes back into new game sales”.

None of which even acknowledges that fact that huge question marks hang over the pre-owned market not only for Xbox One but also for PS4.

The truth is that we’re none the wiser as to Microsoft’s pre-owned plans for Xbox One than we were before the machine itself was announced last night. Yes, pre-owned games will be functional on the machine. Will players have to pay a fee to access them?

And don’t forget the PS4, either, over which similar uncertainties abound.

Bartel risks seriously unsettling investors if it turns out his confidence was ill-judged. Unless, of course, he knows something that the rest of us don’t. In which case we’d absolutely love to know.

Kinect will be listening to you

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:58:00 +0100

The in-built microphone in the new version of Kinect shipping with Xbox One will always be listening to you.

That includes when the machine is turned. If this wasn’t the case then users would not be able to turn on their machines via voice.

"The Kinect has a variety of settings," Microsoft hardware program manager John Link told Polygon. "It's always available to the system, so ... you can count, as an application developer or a game developer, [that] everyone's going to have a Kinect. You always have that stream available.

“There are settings, obviously, in the console to be able to change the settings of how your Kinect is used, if you're interested."

Is this a potential personal security headache in the making for the company? No, according to a Microsoft spokesperson: "The new Kinect is listening for a specific cue, like 'Xbox on’.

"We know our customers want and expect strong privacy protections to be built into our products, devices and services, and for companies to be responsible stewards of their data. Microsoft has more than 10 years of experience making privacy a top priority. Kinect for Xbox 360 was designed and built with strong privacy protections in place and the new Kinect will continue this commitment."

There may also be further issues brewing regarding Kinect’s visual monitoring of its users. Owners will log into their machine simply by walking into Kinect’s field of view. Although it hasn’t been confirmed, it seems as if Xbox One owners will also be able to log into another user’s machine by presenting themselves to Kinect.

It’s even possible that this form of, for want of a better term, DRM may play a part in the sticky issue of pre-owned authorisation.

The end of Xbox Live Arcade

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:25:00 +0100

Microsoft is abolishing the Xbox Live Arcade and Indie game sections for the Xbox One's new marketplace, Phil Harrison has revealed.

Speaking to Eurogamer, the Microsoft EMEA corporate VP said that the Xbox Live Arcade and indie channels were being ditched in favour of a marketplace that did not discriminate against game type.

Harrison referred to the previous method of using specific indie game sections as using “discrete silos”. Discoverability of these games will now be centred around other features such as friend recommendations.

“In the past we had retail games which came on disc, we had Xbox Live Arcade and we had Indie Games, and they had their own discrete channels or discrete silos,” said Harrison.

“With Xbox One and the new marketplace, they're games. We don't make a distinction between whether a game is a 50-hour RPG epic or whether it is a puzzle game or whether it is something that fits halfway between the two.”

Sister site Develop has more on this story.

GALLERY: See the Xbox One in all its glory

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:15:00 +0100

Microsoft has released the first gallery of official Xbox One assets.

Here we get a good look at the console, the controller, the new Kinect and a couple of glimpses of the dashboard UI.

What the pictures don’t convey is the size of the console – it’s certainly a beast. Albeit a sexy one.

Here you go:

Battlefield 4 locked on for November release, Xbox One SKU confirmed

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:11:00 +0100

EA's flagship shooter will be released this November for current-gen consoles, with Xbox One and PS4 versions to follow.

Battlefield 4 will arrive on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on November 1st, while EA has said the game will "also be available" for Sony and Microsoft's next gen consoles. There's no confirmation, but it's a safe bet that means "launch title" as and when those formats get dated.

The release date puts it just four days ahead of rival FPS Call of Duty: Ghosts, which is due on November 5th.

Any Battlefield fans that pre-order this year's outing will receive the China Rising premium DLC for free. This includes four multiplayer maps, with exclusive weapons and vehicles.

Meanwhile, if they pre-order the Battlefield 4 Digital Deluxe on EA's download store Origin, they will receive China Rising, bonus in-game items and access to the BF4 multiplayer beta.

PC version of FIFA 14 not built using new Ignite engine

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:02:00 +0100

FIFA 14 is built using a brand new next-gen game engine… which the PC version won’t use.

The football game will on PS4 and Xbox One use the fancy new EA Sports Ignite engine which delivers a host of improvements involving opponent AI and animation.

But despite the fact that the new generation of consoles basically ARE PCs, EA will not be using the EA Sports Ignite engine on the platform.

"Clarification for the PC related questions earlier," EA Sports FIFA community manager Rob Hodson confirmed on Twitter. "EA Sports Ignite will power FIFA 14 on Xbox One and PS4, not PC."

FIFA 13 marked an important year for PC gamers because it was the first time that development of the PC build had caught up with consoles and brought it into line with Xbox 360 and PS3. That this trend won’t continue this year is a crushing disappointment to PC gamers.

Fingers crossed for FIFA 15.

Thief reboot heading to Xbox One

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:41:00 +0100

It was a no brainer, but it's still nice to hear confirmation: Square Enix's new Thief game will released for the next Xbox.

The reinvention of the classic PC stealth franchise was announced earlier this year for PS4, PC and "other next generation consoles". Finally, we can stop pussy-footing around that particular terminology.

The game is currently in development at Eidos Montreal, the studio behind Deus Ex: Human Revolution. It is due for release on all three platforms in 2014.

Square Enix has promised to show off more from the game at E3.

Xbox One: just the facts

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:29:00 +0100

Have you been left exhausted by the information overdrive regarding the new Xbox One last night? Us too.

Thankfully we’ve distilled the whole thing down to a handy list that covers the basics of everything we – and in some instances don’t – know:

THE MACHINE

It's called Xbox One.
That's because it is designed as an 'all-in-one' device.
It combines next-gen games playback with Xbox Live apps and a mix of new TV services.
It will be released in Q4 this year.
No, we don't know how much it costs or the exact release date yet.
A new Kinect comes with each console.
The new Kinect features a 1080p camera with expanded field of view.
Kinect's software has been updated for better body tracking.
In fact Kinect can track details so finely it can monitor your heartrate for fitness games, Microsoft says.
The Kinect microphone has also been improved with advanced noise isolation.
The console will not run with Kinect unplugged.
The Xbox controller has also been updated, with 40 purported tweaks - and a new look.
Joypad improvements include a new directional pad, new thumbsticks and ergonomic design.
New rumble means even the triggers on the game pad vibrate.
It uses Blu-ray discs.
The new design of the chasis means it can only be laid horizontal.
Underneath the bonnet there is an eight-core, x86 processor plus 8GB of RAM.

THE SOFTWARE

Xbox One runs three operating systems: the Xbox OS, a version of Windows, and a bridge between them.
The mix of operating systems and the high-speed hardware means users can seamlessly switch between functions such as Internet Explorer and watching TV.
Something called 'Snap' lets you run two such apps or functions at once - such as playing a multiplayer game while watching a film.
If you say 'Xbox On' the machine goes to a personalised home screen for you.
Voice recognition software will learn from what you say and improve over time.
But voice functionality won't be available in all languages - just those supported (with more presumably added over time).

THE TV ELEMENTS

With a HDMI feed from other set-top-boxes or cable providers, Xbox One can act as a TV guide and live television service.
This function will not necessarily be immediately available in the UK, however - it will launch in the US first, and requires a separate device.
The OneGuide is a new electronic programme guide that can be controlled via voice or used to create playlists of favourite TV shows.
'Trending' functions will track what TV shows are popular on Xbox Live. Although this too will be a US-only feature at launch.
As part of its push into TV, Microsoft has teamed up with Steven Spielberg to produce a Halo TV show, presumably broadcast through Xbox Live.
Microsoft has also scored a deal with the US' NFL to offer interactive sports TV exclusive to Xbox One.

NEW XBOX LIVE

Xbox Live has been improved for Xbox One.
Downloaded games can be installed in segments so you can play them faster
It has background update downloads.
Game saves and profiles, plus entertainment content (music, movies or TV shows) you buy are saved in the cloud.
Membership from Xbox Live Gold for 360 will transfer over to Xbox One.
Your gamerscore and achievements will also carry over to Xbox One's version of Xbox Live.
In fact the achievements system is being expanded: it now records what you do and adds new achievements and objectives over time.
But some elements of the existing Xbox Live - such as avatars - will NOT be transferred over to Xbox One.
The in-built game DVR records your gameplay and saves footage to the cloud, complete with sharing tools.
Competitive elements mean other players can compete against your 'shadow' and tracked performance.
Smart Match is a new matchmaking tool that aims to eliminate waiting for multiplayer games to start.
Skype has also been redesigned for Xbox One to take advantage of Kinect and HD TVs, plus it allows for group calls.

THE GAMES

Microsoft unveiled two new first-party titles: sequel Forza 5 and new IP Quantum Break from Alan Wake creator Remedy.
Quantum Break mixes TV footage with gameplay, with the two promising to interact and change depending on how you watch or play.
There are another 13 first-party games in the works, 7 of them are new IPs.
Microsoft says it is investing more than ever in first-party development and has more titles in development than at any other time in its history.
EA unveiled four sports games at the event: FIFA 14, Madden, NBA live and the new UFC.
All are powered by a new next-gen engine, called EA Instinct.
FIFA 14 Ultimate Team will have exclusive game modes on Xbox One.
Activision closed the reveal event with the first public look at Call of Duty: Ghosts.
Microsoft and Activision have also renewed their agreement for Xbox owners to get Call of Duty DLC and competition content first.

THE THORNY POINTS

All software needs to be installed to the device.
Xbox One does not require an 'always on' connection. But regular connection to check updates and software licences is required.
Cloud functionality will track which licences for which software players own.
It is not backwards compatible.
It is not expressly designed to block pre-owned.
But it might implement a system where publishers can control the pre-owned sale of their games, or charge for fees to activate used games.

Xbox One DOES require a sort of permanent internet connection

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:17:00 +0100

Got your head around the pre-owned situation? Good. Now here’s the next confusion for you – does the Xbox One need a permanent internet connection?

This is Microsoft’s official line: "Xbox One does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the internet."

Right.

Rumours of the Xbox One requiring a permanent internet connection had been doing the rounds for quite some time until earlier this month when a “leaked” and not at all staged email appeared online finally dismissing the rumour.

Now, however, it appears that while the console WILL function offline it will need to be connected to the internet periodically as the console will check for an internet connection once a day.

"There are many devices in your life that require the internet to function," Microsoft's Phil Harrison told Kotaku. "Xbox One is no different in that it requires, at some point in the beginning and at various times through its on state, to connect to our cloud and to our Internet.

“That is to deliver Xbox Live functionality, that is to deliver download content to you, that is to deliver some of the innovations around TV and entertainment that we showed today. But it doesn’t require it to be online all the time."

This was his answer when pressed on how often Xbox One will check its connection to the internet: “[It] depends on the experience," Harrison replied. "For single-player games that don’t require connectivity to Xbox Live, you should be able to play those without interruption should your internet connection go down.

“Blu-ray movies and other downloaded entertainment should be accessible when your internet connection may be interrupted. But the device is fundamentally designed to be expanded and extended by the Internet as many devices are today."

Harrison was then asked the following by Kotaku: “If I’m playing a single player game, do I have to be online at least once per hour or something like that? Or can I go weeks and weeks?”

To which he replied: “I believe it’s 24 hours.”

This was then further complicated by a follow-up statement from Microsoft PR: "While Phil [Harrison] discussed many potential scenarios around games on Xbox One, today we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail.

"There have been reports of a specific time period — those were discussions of potential scenarios, but we have not confirmed any details today, nor will we be."

The fact about pre-owned on Xbox One

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:33:00 +0100

And no, that’s not us mixing up our plurals and our singulars.

Now the dust has settled a little on a confusing 14 hours or so that’s what we’re left with. One fact. And that is this:

Yes, you will be able to play pre-owned games on Xbox One.

The problems arise when you try to expand that single statement to any substantial degree. Microsoft itself has issued so many contrary statements that we’re beginning to wonder if even it knows what the real answer is.

Interviews published overnight by CVG and Eurogamer both tend to suggest that yes, a gamer can lend a game to a friend and said friend can install and play it without paying a fee.

However, that situation changes in the following scenarios:

A) They give the disc back

B) The disc owner is no longer signed into the machine OR Kinect can no longer detect the presence of the disc owner – we just don’t know

When the first scenario kicks in, and possibly the second, the user trying to play the game (which by this stage will be installed on the console) will be prompted to pay a fee to continue. The fee being the full price of the game.

Kotaku was also told that as long as the disc owner stays signed in there will be no charges.

Here’s another complication. In CVG’s article Phil Harrison claims to have worked closely with retail on all of this, and in Eurogamer’s piece Harrison says there will be a facility to trade-in games at retail. Kotaku, however, was told that the new trade-in system would actually function online.

Not confused enough? Try this – Engadget was told that if you go to a friend’s house without the disc you’ll actually be able to download the whole thing over Xbox Live and continue playing! Will that cost anything? That’s not explored.

Add to that the likes of T3’s Matt Hill, who was told that licenses for used games are automatically transferred over the cloud and you’re left in a “right old pickle”.

Oh, and don’t forget that Xbox customer support was telling people last night that talk of a fee was incorrect.

Still, at least Major Nelson has released an official statement clearing everything up:

“We know there is some confusion around used games on Xbox One and wanted to provide a bit of clarification on exactly what we’ve confirmed today.

“While there have been many potential scenarios discussed, today we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail. Beyond that, we have not confirmed any specific scenarios.

“Another piece of clarification around playing games at a friend’s house – should you choose to play your game at your friend’s house, there is no fee to play that game while you are signed in to your profile.”

And if you missed it last night, when MCV spoke to Microsoft we were told nothing other than the fact that yes, pre-owned games will work on Xbox One. They are NOT blocked. That was repeated more than once.

However, the company is currently unwilling to answer direct questions about whether users will ever be charged a fee to play pre-owned games and how much that fee will be. Instead, we’re being fobbed off and told that further details will be announced later.

And that’s the really annoying thing. Forget what we said earlier – Microsoft does know exactly what its plans are. It’s just choosing not to tell us.

And as a result we’re rightly predicting that’s because they’ve got what they know we will perceive as bad news and they’re scared of telling us. Please Microsoft, we’d love you to prove us wrong.

Sadly the overarching conclusion is that the Xbox One launch is one that has been irrevocably sullied by an ill-advised employment of the oldest of old school PR tactics. Blair-era question blanking. And that just doesn’t cut it in today’s digital age. It hasn’t since the turn of the century.

When will companies learn this? There were lots of questions leading into the Xbox One reveal last night but there were undoubtedly two that stood out above the rest: Will it require a permanent online connection and will it block pre-owned? The answers to both questions have been absurdly confusing and for that Microsoft has absolutely zero excuse.

PC release planned for Xbox One Kinect

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:43:00 +0100

The new Kinect hardware bundled with Xbox One will also get a PC release.

While Microsoft had no official word on it during today’s reveal, multiple company representatives confirmed that it would likely arrive at some point after the Xbox One’s launch.

"We will bring this to PC," Kinect program manager Scott Evans told Shacknews. "We will have more information soon."

Microsoft’s corporate vice president of interactive entertainment business Ben Kilgore affirmed the news with Polygon, adding that it will release on Windows “at some point down the line.”

The current Kinect was released on PC in early 2012, just over a year following its original launch on Xbox 360.

EA still developing Wii U titles, says CFO

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:28:00 +0100

EA is still developing games for the Wii U, according to EA chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen – just not as many as they are for Xbox One and PS4.

Polygon reports that Jorgensen stated as much during the Stifel Nicolaus 2013 Internet Media and Communications Conference, which would seem to contradict EA spokesman Jeff Brown’s recent statement that the company doesn’t have any games in development for Nintendo’s console.

"We are building titles for the Nintendo console, but not anywhere near as many as we are for PS or Xbox,” Jorgensen said.

"I think what the consumer will find is a lot more powerful gameplay with the new boxes that are coming out, and a lot of excitement, but it'll remain to be seen as to the services associated with those as to how consumers decide which direction they might want to go."

EA previously announced that Wii U releases for both Madden NFL 25 and FIFA 14 would be left out; FIFA specifically due to ‘disappointing’ commercial results of FIFA 13 – one of the console’s launch titles.

Stock Market: GameStop down, Sony up following Xbox One event

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:15:00 +0100

Reactions to Microsoft’s Xbox One reveal have come in across the stock market, with GameStop and Sony seeing significant swings – though not in the same direction.

Games Industry reports GameStop saw shares fall by 5 per cent in response to the announcement, likely driven by the uncertainty tied to the hardware’s potential restricting of used games and what that would mean to the retail chain.

"GameStop does not comment on speculation or rumors,” GameStop president Tony Bartell said. “What I can share is that we are looking forward to the upcoming release of the Xbox One. We're excited about the immersive entertainment experience the new system has to offer.”

“In the meantime, GameStop is working closely with Microsoft to ensure there is an opportunity for customers to take advantage of our popular buy-sell-trade model and provide a seamless transition for consumers to enjoy the next generation of console gaming.”

Other relevant players were affected by the unveiling as well. Sony saw a stock rise of 9 per cent, while Nintendo shares were up nearly 3 per cent.

Microsoft stock meanwhile hardly budged, dropping less than 1 per cent after the conclusion of the event.

Xbox One "does not target high-end graphics"

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:57:00 +0100

A Microsoft developer has effectively admitted the Xbox's retreat from the console graphics war.

"We purposefully did not target the highest-end graphics,” GM of silicon development Greg Williams told Engadget, as spotted by CVG. “We targeted more as a broad entertainment play and did it in an intelligent way.

"The people who are here have clearly done them before and we've done them within Microsoft before. But this is one of the more strategic plays and in terms of the overall product, that is a clear differentiator, and the [hardware IP] that we've developed here is truly unique."

The console will be powered by a custom Microsoft 8-core CPU.

As pointed out in MCV's analysis of tonight's event, what we have seen from Sony and Microsoft point to one platform holder targeting the core audience with high-end gaming tech and another targeting the living room with an all-round entertainment solution.

ANALYSIS: Xbox One - One console, two strategies, three unanswered questions

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:36:00 +0100

Xbox today unveiled a device pitched as 'Instant, Simple, Complete'. Alas, the announcement was anything but.

I and hundreds of other journalists will be hammering out their OpEds and perspectives on today's Xbox One showing.

Did Xbox manage to catch up with Sony's PR head start? What do we make of a device that is simultaneously a Windows and Kinect powered IPTV set top box and next-gen games console? What questions remain unanswered in the 19 day wait to E3?

For me, I think you need to first go back to the first page and ask what on earth an Xbox One is.

As with Sony's February unveiling of the PS4, Microsoft today fell into a number of jargon black holes, gravity wells ripe with puff and hyperbole that undermined years of R&D and a device that appears to be feature-rich and an instant hit with some powerful third-parties.

Xbox One is "alive" they told us. It is a "lag-free, instant experience". It uses something called 'snap' that lets you watch TV and search the internet at the same time. An actual moment passed where an Xbox exec said that the high-end body-tracking Kinect functions were 'games and science stuff'.

In the relatively dry run through some of the smart features, Xbox almost forgot to spell out its plan here.

And that's a shame, as the real message is wonderfully bullish: Xbox knows that in pure numbers terms it is the top dog in town. 360 has conquered a generation - a generation of hardware, and a generation of young men.

The device's successor is a set top box. It plugs into the established Xbox Live platform with added TV and DVR functions, has improved controllers (voice, motion and button) plus last but not least (although Microsoft talked about them least) high-end games with bigger graphical oomph.

Xbox One is a service sold in a box that pumps out content from the biggest names in entertainment: Paramount, ESPN, EA, Steven Spielberg and Activision.

As a proposition, that as a thing for retailers to sell and the games industry to make content for is the ideal heir to the 360 throne. Incremental improvements and ultra-populist content.

THE BOX UNDER THE TELLY

The TV element of Xbox One is hugely important, but I imagine some commentators may be sniffy about it at first.

Understandably: Microsoft spent almost 30 minutes talking about some of the least sexy next-gen console features ever seen. You can Goog--sorry, Bing for information about one movie while watching another; you can record TV and switch back and forth between live shows and the dashboard; the programme guide will show you what is 'trending' on Xbox Live. Well blow me down.

But look at it from Microsoft's point of view, and this is an attempt to broaden out a device that has already cut through pretty significantly, even displacing 'PlayStation' culturally as the catch-all mass-market go-to phrase to describe video games.

We know Xbox has a strong bloodline of games, supplied by third party and occasional* first party brilliance - so Microsoft must be thinking that it will leave the games to its partners.

Instead Microsoft will push hard into TV content, and 'entertainment' functions that add more reasons for retailers to sell, and consumers to buy, an Xbox One.

(*I know they also announced a raft of first party productions today. 15, with eight of them new IP to be precise. But Xbox's ten year history of big console game development is, truthfully, sketchy - and the one first-party game announced today, Quantum Break, was essentially fluffed with little to no explanation how this TV-game hybrid is executed.)

X STILL MEANS UNKNOWN

There are lots of unanswered questions, of course.

There was no mention whatsoever of how this platform operates as an ecosystem for developers. Is the Marketplace for games dead or alive? Is there still an XBLA ghetto? What about day and date digital releases? Maybe there are no changes at all to create continuity - we already know that gamerscores and achievements will carry over to the 'new' Xbox Live - but we just don't know yet.

And while Xbox One is not 'always on' and it's not deliberately designed to stop the preowned games market, it will likely allow 'second user fees' to be charged by publishers. It remains to be seen how that will be implemented, if at all. Retailers tell us they have been told zero, which strikes me as a PR blunder here - as these are the very people Microsoft should not be upsetting this early on.

Tensions and apprehensions about the answers are understandable, and Microsoft will have to push through a swathe of confused or angry reports today on those elements. That stuff is proof how much developers care about their products and how protective retailers are of their business. It's up to Xbox to put them at ease or show them what other opportunities are out there.

The fear of course is that in looking for its own opportunities - sidling up to Hollywood talent to make a Halo TV show, for instance - Xbox has forgotten the people that put it where it is, the people in the industry that had faith in the first place.

There's a 19 day wait until E3 and we're promised more information and may even get some assurance then.

FORMAT OVER FUNCTION

But the other striking impression I had from today's announcement wasn't what Xbox didn't say, but what it did say - and how that compares or contrasts to Sony's PlayStation 4 unveiling earlier this year.

I think the result lays bare the core strategy for the two devices. And while the aim is the same - create the best console, sell the most games and hardware - the approaches are almost polar opposite.

As the respective companies' own execs put it:

PS4 is "designed by developers for developers".

Xbox One is "designed by gamers for gamers"

My extra take:

PS4 is designed as a reaction to what Sony has done.

Xbox One is designed to secure what MS wants.

PlayStation 4, as we were told over and over, is about games developers of all sizes. It is a platform built as a direct answer to past foibles. It's easy to make games for, has a better online system, and has renewed developer support. It is a symbol of Sony redressing past sins in the games industry.

Xbox One is focused on Microsoft's ambitions beyond the games industry. It's friends with JJ Abrams, you know. It hired someone from CBS to make a Halo TV show. A man from NFL or some such, literally said that Xbox One means it is "going to be easier to play fantasy football with this device". I don't know who that stuff is for - but Microsoft thinks there is an audience to find for it.

(Media voyeurs may also find it interesting to compare how Sony and MS actually executed their announcements. Sony just flew everyone it could to one location in New York. Microsoft however arranged a string of briefings over the last few weeks; some were taken to MS HQ a few weeks ago - some retailers were briefed around the same time - while some flew over to see it live today and get hands on, some of us watched it at a screening streamed to a nearby location, the rest watched it at home in their pants. If you're a journalist and ever wondered where you sat on MS' press pecking order, well now you know.)

END OF PART ONE

Ultimately, however, today's details were just the first step in the Next One story.

At the livestream screening in London today, Xbox staff were keen to stress that the unveiling of the device was the 'First part of two part story'.

We have to wait until E3 for more detail on some actual games, the price and the date.

Right now, MS staff can be proud that months of secrecy and information control has lit up the games media like a Christmas tree.

But today felt like Christmas Eve, not Christmas day. And if Xbox One is "ready when you are", as claimed by Xbox boss Don Mattrick, then we are ready for more information.

Or as Microsoft's new friends in TV-land would say: To be continued.

UPDATE: Confusion over Xbox One's pre-owned compatibility and internet requirements

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:30:00 +0100

The new Xbox One WILL NOT require a constant internet connection. Sort of. But it WILL limit pre-owned. We think.

Wired reports that all games will require installation onto the console. Individual games will be tied to a user’s Xbox Live account. If a disc that has already been installed on another machine is inserted, users will be prompted to pay a fee to access it.

The same will apply even if a user simply lends the game to a friend.

This is quite probably the “change of model” that UK retailers were briefed on by Microsoft representatives last week. MCV understands that some retailers have said they will be willing to sell this 'fee' along with the pre-owned games themselves.

On the plus side, once a game is installed onto a console the disc will no longer be required to play it in the future. And as it will remain registered to a user's account it can be redownloaded at a later date.

Microsoft has however confirmed that the machine will not require a permanent internet connection, with Don Mattrick saying in a post-event interview: “Gamers – we got your back.”

It has also been confirmed that Xbox One will not function if Kinect is not connected to the console.

UPDATE: Wired has added an amendment to its story claiming that Microsoft has contacted them "to say that the company did have a plan for used games, and that further details were forthcoming".

Furthermore, Official Xbox Magazine UK editor John Hicks added on Twitter: "At no point when I was talking to MS did they say there was a fee for used games. They said used games were important and supported."

OXM suggests that if a user sells a game they will be able to deactivate it with Microsoft, eradicating the need for the new owner to pay for an unlock fee. The mechanism would still stop users lending games to their friends, however.

UPDATE 2: T3's deputy editor added the following on Twitter: "[MS] told me that once you sell a game, the license transfers in the cloud. So a new gamer activates it, it's removed from yours."

UPDATE 3: Microsoft has also issued a new statement regarding the console's online requirements. "Xbox One does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the Internet." That presumably means online activation is required but then offline play is OK?

UPDATE 4: This is the official line from Microsoft: "We are designing Xbox One to enable customers to trade in and resell games. We’ll have more details to share later." Microsoft representatives are not clarifying whether a fee will need to be played to play pre-owned games, or how much that fee will be.

UPDATE 5: At this stage we can quite confidently conclude that there IS some kind of pre-owned limitation, or else Microsoft would simply confirm there is not. The shape of this limitation is less clear. Will pre-owned games need to be 'activated' via a fee? Can users 'deactivate' games they trade-in? Will this eradicate the need to 'reactivate' the game for the next owner?

UPDATE 6: MCV has now spoken to a Microsoft PR representative. The official line is as follows: “Xbox One will run pre-owned games. It will not block pre-owned games. We will additional details at a later stage.”

When asked if users would be charged a fee for playing pre-owned game the representative was not able to offer an official response on the record and reiterated that additional information regarding the use of pre-owned games would be revealed at a later date.

UPDATE 7: Eurogamer has offered this of its attempt to clarify the situation: "Our man on the ground was able to speak to corporate vice president of Microsoft Phil Harrison about this hot-button issue and was able to confirm that a second user can install a game from a friend's disc for a fee, though it's unclear how much this will be. Harrison also confirmed that several users sharing a console can access the same game at no additional charge, and Microsoft has 'a solution' for the resale market, though it's staying mum on those for now."

UPDATE 8: We've made some tweaks to the headline and intro para to reflect the updated information.

Microsoft's official Xbox One Q&A

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:47:00 +0100

Microsoft has supplied an official Xbox One Q&A that may help to clear up some of your questions.

Or it may not. Answers regarding online connectivity requirements and, crucially, pre-owned remains somewhat mysterious.

Here you go:

Q: Does Xbox One require an “always on” Internet connection?

A: No, it does not have to be always connected, but Xbox One does require a connection to the Internet. We’re designing Xbox One to be your all-in-one entertainment system that is connected to the cloud and always ready. We are also designing it so you can play games and watch Blu-ray movies and live TV if you lose your connection.

Q: How do consumers benefit by being connected to the cloud?

A: The cloud makes every experience better and more accessible. Because Xbox One is powered by the cloud:

Your games have more power available to create new gameplay, persistent worlds, and deeper experiences.
Your system and games can update automatically, so you shouldn’t have to wait for downloads or updates.
Your games and entertainment are stored and saved in the cloud, so you can access them anytime, from any Xbox One.*
Start a game, movie, or TV show on one console and finish exactly where you left off on another.
You can play multiplayer games with your friends, stream movies or TV shows right away, and enjoy the community and social features of Xbox Live.
Xbox One can recognize you, log you in and tailor your home screen just for you.
You can discover what your friends are playing, watching and listening to if they choose to share.

These are just a few examples of how customers benefit from our platform being connected to the Internet. It brings the future of TV and games to our consumers—and it’s designed for today and the decade ahead.

Q: When will Xbox One launch and in what markets?

A: Xbox One will launch in markets around the world later this year. We’ll have more to share later.

Q: Can I use my current gamertag on Xbox One and will my Gamerscore and Achievements transfer?

A: Yes. Your current Xbox Live Gamertag will stay with you on Xbox One if you choose to keep it, and your hard-earned Gamerscore and Achievements will indeed carry over from Xbox 360.

Q: Will Xbox One be backward compatible with my existing games?

A: Xbox One hardware is not compatible with Xbox 360 games. We designed Xbox One to play an entirely new generation of games—games that are architected to take full advantage of state-of-the-art processors and the infinite power of the cloud. We care very much about the investment you have made in Xbox 360 and will continue to support it with a pipeline of new games and new apps well into the future.

Q: Will Xbox One allow players to trade in, purchase and play pre-owned games?

A: We are designing Xbox One to enable customers to trade in and resell games. We’ll have more details to share later.

Q: Will my current Xbox Live Gold membership work with Xbox One or will I have to buy a new one?

A: You do not need to buy a new Xbox Live Gold membership. Your current membership will work on both Xbox 360 and Xbox One.

Q: Why require Kinect with every Xbox One?

A: The all new Kinect is now an essential and integrated part of the platform. By having it as a consistent part of every Xbox One, game and entertainment creators can build experiences that assume the availability of voice, gesture and natural sensing, leading to unrivaled ease of use, premium experiences and interactivity for you.

Q: Do I need to have a specific cable or satellite TV provider to watch live TV on Xbox?

A: Our goal is to enable live TV through Xbox One in every way that it is delivered throughout the world, whether that’s television service providers, over the air or over the Internet, or HDMI-in via a set top box (as is the case with many providers in the US). The delivery of TV is complex and we are working through the many technologies and policies around the world to make live TV available where Xbox One is available.

Q: Xbox One is a more powerful product compared to Xbox 360, but does it also use more power?

A: No. By providing multiple power states in Xbox One, we’ve balanced energy efficiency with functionality. We’ve taken a completely different approach to how Xbox One consumes power. It only uses the power it needs at that particular moment for the task at hand.

Zavvi taking Xbox One pre-orders for £399.99

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:33:00 +0100

Retailer Zavvi appears to be the first to have gone live with Xbox One pre-orders.

It is currently asking for £399.99 for the new machine. It is also asking £49.99 a piece for a number of games – FIFA 14, NBA Live 14, Madden NFL 25, UFC 14 and Call of Duty: Ghosts.

It should be noted that Forza 5 was tonight confirmed as a launch title for the machine. EA has said the same of Battlefield 4.

Zavvi is currently also charging £399.99 for PS4 pre-orders.

UPDATE: GAME is also taking pre-orders, although it has not confirmed a price. Instead it is accepting deposits for £20.

“Gamers all around the country have been eagerly waiting to find out what Microsoft will be bringing to the table – today we have our answer: not only is the Xbox One a really powerful piece of gaming hardware, it promises the next level in home entertainment," Game Retail's category director Charlotte Knight stated.

"The UK gaming community is obviously excited by the prospect of this next generation console and we can’t wait to see it in action at E3 next month!

“It is worth reminding everyone who’s interested in the Xbox One that many console launches have seen demand significantly outstrip supply, so we would urge anyone wishing to get their hands on a Xbox One from launch to place a deposit with our store teams or online as soon as possible.”

Xbox One owners can connect existing cable and satellite boxes via HDMI pass-through

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:45:00 +0100

The impressive TV functionality demonstrated in tonight’s Xbox One reveal will be available to everyone.

Previous TV integration with Xbox 360 was dependent on specific agreements with suppliers and was mostly limited to the US.

This is not the case with Xbox One. Instead, users will be able to attach the console to their Sky, Virgin, BT or Freeview box via an HDMI pass-through. The console will them simply display its output directly, although Xbox-specific functionality will be overlaid.

Some of the more technical features demoed, such as the NFL interactivity, will need to be handled directly through Xbox Live.

Ubisoft confirms Creed IV, Watch Dogs and four more games for Xbox One

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:42:00 +0100

Hot on the heels of the Xbox One reveal, Ubisoft has announced it has at least six titles on the way for the new console.

The publisher's offering will include Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Watch Dogs, which will be available for Xbox One by the end of the year. Which sounds like "on day one" to us.

Ubisoft also promised "at least six next-gen games" for Xbox One within the console's first year on sale. No doubt some of these will be surprise reveals at Microsoft and Ubisoft's respective press conferences at E3 in a just under three weeks.

The six next gen games will include a mix of "new episodes of existing franchises, new IPs and digital titles". Any new IPs will be some of the eight that Microsoft has claimed are in the works for Xbox One.

Xbox One not backwards compatible

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:21:00 +0100

Xbox 360 owners won't be able to play their games on the console's successor, Microsoft has confirmed.

Xbox Live VP Marc Whitten told The Verge that the newly-announced Xbox One console will have no backwards compatibility.

"The system is based on a different core architecture, so back-compat doesn't really work from that perspective," he said.

This is nothing new, of course. The Xbox 360 only played a limited number of original Xbox games, while rival PS3 was not compatible with any PS2 games.

Back in February, Sony confirmed that PS4 will not be backwards compatible either, but users will be able to play PS3 games via a streamed back catalogue set up with the help of cloud gaming service Gaikai, which Sony acquired last year.

Whether or not Microsoft has any plans for a similar service has yet to be confirmed, but given the modest collection Xbox Originals available for download on 360, it's at least a possibility.

Call of Duty: Ghosts gets Xbox airing, DLC exclusivity

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:09:00 +0100

The new Call of Duty: Ghosts looks to pack an impressive next-gen tech punch.

The game is built on a brand new engine and will also be set in a new world populated by new characters. A dog is even set to star as an actual squad member. And yes, the dog was motion captured!

Furthermore, Activision has extended its agreement with Microsoft to release all DLC for the game exclusive on Xbox One for a limited period.

Obviously Activision was keen to point out the increased visual fidelity of the new game which boasts enhanced fluid dynamics, reactive smoke and even interactive animal AI – walk through a pond and the fish will swim out of the way.

Infinity Ward has also introduced a lean feature, as seen in many rival shooters, that allows players to peak out from behind cover.

Multiplayer has had a significant revamp too with the headline feature being the introduction of dynamic maps. Events such as earthquakes and floods will change the level as it progresses. Players will even have the chance to control some of these alterations.

Character customisation has also undergone a revamp, with players now able to alter the look of their fighters.

Infinity Ward: We could have left Call of Duty

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:02:00 +0100

The team that invented Call of Duty said it could have abandoned the series altogether.

Instead, developer Infinity Ward chose to leave the Modern Warfare brand behind, and build a whole new Call of Duty with a new engine and new characters.

“We all really knew we wanted to continue making Call of Duty,” said Infinity Ward executive producer Mark Rubin.

“Because that was on the table, we could have done something else. But we wanted to make Call of Duty and we wanted to create a new universe, or a new story at least. We wanted new characters and new experiences.

“The easy thing would have been, as we had finished the arc of Modern Warfare 1, 2 and 3, to start a new arc within that same Modern Warfare universe. That was the week one step. But as we started to develop what we wanted as a story, and how we wanted to have the characters exist, we realised we didn’t want to do this in the Modern Warfare universe.”

Call of Duty: Ghosts received its worldwide debut during Microsoft’s new console reveal today. But was shown to press last week. The game is due on current generation and next generation consoles.

For more on Call of Duty: Ghosts, make sure to read this Friday’s edition of MCV.