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Microsoft is Out with the Perfect Xbox Specifications : Here’s a look at Your Dream Console

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On Monday, Microsoft brought out the big guns and came out with the full specification list for its new Xbox Series X, and gamers couldn’t be more excited. The new model boasts of near-perfect specs and is expected to be on every gamer’s Christmas wish list. So, what’s so special about the Series X and why is the gaming fraternity going crazy over it? Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the Microsoft Xbox Series X which promises to bring be a next-gen gaming console.

Mind-Blowing Specifications

  1. The Xbox Series X will run on an AMD Zen 2 RDNA custom processor, which will be four times faster than the processor used in Xbox One.
  2. The new processor also offers 12 teraflops worth of GPU, which is twice that of the Xbox One X.
  3. The 12 teraflops GPU means the Xbox Series X will go far beyond the capabilities of mid-range AMD or Nvidia cards, making it a new gold standard.
  4. The Xbox Series X supports Variable rate shading which allows users to prioritize effects as per their needs and requirements. It also makes it possible to focus individual effects on just one game character or object, and renders that perfectly, without affecting the image quality of the rest of the screen.
  5. Xbox X will also have the DirectX Raytracing feature which will be on show for the first time ever, with this console. This feature will allow the console to create life-like images, realistic acoustics, real-time reflections, and even real-life lighting within the game.
  6. To wring the latency, the new Xbox comes with next-gen storage using SSD which promises faster load times than ever before.
  7. Furthermore, the Quick Resume option will allow players to access several games without delay from their suspended states.
  8. Also, to improve latency the device supports the Dynamic input option which results in minimising latency between Controller and console communication.
  9. The console also fully supports HDMI 2.1, meaning it has options such as Low Latency, Refresh rate variation and even Tearing prevention while gaming.
  10. Xbox Series X can go as high as 120 frames/sec, meaning the games will appear to be more real than ever before.
  11. Furthermore, Microsoft is heavily committed to its earlier games and hence will extend compatibility to Xbox One, 360 and original games with backward compatibility.
  12. The Series X, will, therefore, run all prior games faster, steadier and with better resolution than ever before.
  13. Also, the new Series will support videos in 8K, making it a great investment to have for the future, wherein 8K video support TVs become more popular.

Furthermore, Microsoft has said that further updates and specifications will be released in the coming months, with the Game Developers Conference in March being a key focal point. Also, the E3 convention in June might give Microsoft another opportunity to unveil more specs and features of the Xbox Series X. This convention might give us details regarding pricing, availability and even new launches. One of the most highly anticipated new launches for the Series X will be Halo Infinite. With these specs in place, Microsoft’s dream of creating the world’s most powerful console might just come true with the Xbox Series X.

Microsoft Vs Sony

The one area where Microsoft has a clear edge over Sony is with regards to backward compatibility of games. Whereas the PS4 has made several of the older PS games obsolete, Microsoft continues to make it possible for its users to access and enjoy its older titles. The two key interest areas where Microsoft seems to be the clear winner are computability and also delivery. Smart Delivery is a new feature that has come into play which makes it possible for you to reuse the games on various devices. For instance, if you buy a game for a particular device, Microsoft allows you access to the right game version for various Xbox types. Therefore, once you buy an Xbox, whichever one it may be, Microsoft has your back and will help you enjoy the gaming experience for years to come. This auto-updation of games is a feature loved by games as it allows them to enjoy games across platforms with ease, and unnecessary expense.

Furthermore, recent developments prove that Microsoft is interested in entering the cloud-based gaming industry, and the Xbox Series X might be a step in that direction. Their strategy seems to be to consolidate gaming across various platforms from PC to cloud, with mobile, Xbox and other consoles adding into the picture. However, Sony has stayed quiet with regards to its flagship new model PS5 and has released no announcements regarding the same. This announcement from Microsoft now has made it clear that it is now Sony’s turn to try to outdo the other with their announcement. Sony will, therefore, now be under pressure to release appropriate specs within a specified time interval. The relative quietness from their end indicates that something huge is in the making, and this sure seems to be an exciting time for gamers all around the world.

Microsoft Reveals its Xbox Scarlett Project at the Briefing Prior to E3 2019

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One day to go for the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2019, and Microsoft has already given some hints on the products, it is going to showcase at the event, especially, its latest Xbox console. This time one of its biggest rivals, Sony, is not even appearing at the event, which has made the company even more excited. But Sony is not the only rival for the company this time, and Google‘s Stadia is also here to give Microsoft a great competition.

Microsoft Xbox
Image Source: techradar.com

This year’s E3 event is quite special for the company as it will be introducing a next-generation Xbox video game console by the codename, Project Scarlett, at the event. The game is forty times better at performance than its previous versions and has been developed by the same team which developed Xbox One.

This new Xbox machine possesses newly developed custom Zen 2-based processor CPU and will have real-time ray tracing for more genuine graphics. The machine will render the variable refresh rates as high as 120 frames per second. It is also incorporated with GDDR6 memory as well as GPU (Navi graphics processing unit) from Advanced Micro Devices. There will also be an SSD in the machine that will reduce the screen loading time.

Since the company has brought the cloud to the gaming, Scarlett will provide the support for multiplayer gaming through streaming and will also support the other gaming platforms. Also, it will continue to support thousands of Xbox games from previous generations through the cloud.

During the briefing prior to E3 event, Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s Xbox, said, “Project Scarlett is the foundation of our future in consoles and the formation of our future in the cloud. Consoles should be designed, built and optimised for one thing and one thing only: gaming.”

According to Microsoft, the company will be launching the new Scarlett Xbox during the holidays of 2020.

Along with Scarlett, Microsoft’s streaming service has also been much awaited. The company has revealed that it will release the streaming service in coming October. The streaming service will allow the players to connect their consoles to the Xbox Cloud and explore thousands of games through it. The console can be connected to the Xbox Cloud from any place and through any internet connection.

At its two hours conference, Microsoft also announced 60 new games, among which 14 are from its own Xbox Studio team.

Microsoft and Sony Joins Hands on Cloud-based Streaming for Games and Other Content

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Microsoft and Sony have been the biggest rivals with their major consumer interactive entertainment franchises – Xbox and PlayStation. But for the surprise of all, the game lovers and the other rivals and even the partner companies of the two, Microsoft and Sony have partnered with each other for sharing a few of each other’s services to get benefits from them.

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Image Source: techcrunch

The two tech giants announced on Thursday, that they are seeking to join hands such that Sony will be able to use the Microsoft’s Azure cloud to stream games over it and will participate in the research works along with the latter on Azure, in order to explore its scope for the game and other content streaming. Similarly, the two will be working together in order to develop new image sensors.

“Our mission is to seamlessly evolve this platform as one that continues to deliver the best and most immersive entertainment experiences, together with a cloud environment that ensures the best possible experience, anytime, anywhere. I believe that our joint development of future cloud solutions will contribute greatly to the advancement of interactive content.” Kenichiro Yoshida, President and CEO of Sony, said in a statement.

The partnership between the two can be considered as the prevention for the tough competition, that they may face in the coming future, as Google and Apple both have announced their new game streaming platforms, Stadia and Arcade. Both the game streaming services are expected to be threats for both their contemporaries, Sony and Microsoft. In fact, Apple’s Arcade game streaming service is the world’s first game subscription service for both desktop and mobile, which has already attracted the attention of many and are eagerly waiting for the same.

On the other hand, the other biggest gaming company, Nintendo, has also refurbished its Switch consoles giving a tough competition to the other gaming companies and leaving them behind with their outdated gaming services.

The deal between Sony and Microsoft is still at its early stage, and the two companies, along with developing the image sensors is also planning to work together in the field of semiconductors and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Though the plans look pretty promising, seeing the two rival companies work together will be interesting.

The Disc-less Xbox One S All-Digital Edition to be Available for Preorders from Mid-April

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The rumours of Xbox launching the disc-less console were already making rounds, starting from November last year. Apparently, the company has also confirmed the news that it is planning to launch a new Xbox One S without a disc drive in the coming month.

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Image Source: onmsft.com

It is expected that the console may be cheaper than its predecessors, as the company is removing the expensive Blu-ray drive from the console. The console will rely on the digital downloads and Microsoft’s services like Game Pass.

Microsoft had launched the game pass service in 2017, and if go with the company claims, it has registered millions of users for the same in the past two years. The monthly plan for the game pass costs a $9.99, under which the users get access to 100 different games, including Rocket League, the Halo series and Gears of War 4, etc.

Allegedly, Microsoft will also provide options to the users to have pre-installed games on the console. Even the buyers can choose on which games they want to have on their consoles.

In recent times, the company has been publishing all the new games digitally. Even the popular game Fornite has never been released physically. So the disc-less console maybe another lead to the digitization of the gaming industry.

As there are already speculations, that the new console will be cheaper, the cost of the console is estimated between $200 and $250. It is also expected that the Xbox One S may have a greater emphasis on Microsoft’s xCloud streaming service.

According to a report from Windows, Central reports, Microsoft’s All-Digital Edition Xbox One S will be available for preorders, starting from mid-April and will be launched widely to be available for purchases in the stores from the month of May, before Microsoft’s upcoming E3 show takes place in June.

The new console may prove to be a milestone for Microsoft, as Microsoft will be the first company to launch a non-physical media home console.

Microsoft Expanding Xbox Live To Switch, iOS & Android

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According to a GDC listing, Microsoft is planning to expand the Xbox live support to cross platforms. The home video game console Xbox plays ones of the most popular games in the world, and Microsoft has decided to develop a Software Development Kit (SDK) that can be integrated to different platforms, like iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch beside Xbox and PC.

Xbox
Image Source: dailystar.co

The company is planning to announce the news and the details about the new SDK in the upcoming 2019 Game Developers Conference (GDC). The Game Developers Conference is the yearly convention for the game developers where they showcase their ideas and new gaming products. This year the event will be held in San Francisco in March.

“Xbox Live is expanding from 400 million gaming devices and a reach to over 68 million active players to over 2 billion devices with the release of our new cross-platform XDK,” says the GDC listing. At the event, Microsoft will be hosting a panel titled, “Xbox Live: Growing & Engaging Your Gaming Community Across Platforms.”

Microsoft has already made a few of its Xbox Live Achievements available on a few of the iOS and Android devices. But the new SDK will integrate Xbox Live achievements, friends, clubs and game history into non-Xbox and Windows PC platforms for the first time. The company will also be employing its PlayFab suite containing its backend tools as a part of this package.

“Xbox Live players are highly engaged and active on Xbox and PC, but now they can take their gaming achievement history, their friends list, their clubs, and more with them to almost every screen,” said Microsoft on its GDC conference schedule page.

This is an effort from Microsoft to break down longstanding barriers in the gaming industry, by building a cross-platform gaming service, that will enable the developers to get their users onto different platforms, such that they can be active on the Xbox games, without actually using the Xbox console.

Ed Fries : Lead Developer of the Gaming Console Xbox

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From the invention of computers decades ago till today, when the technology has surpassed innovations, games have also been evolving tremendously. Starting from the 8-bit block type games to the high-end graphics almost life-like games, have made their way in the market. Companies, like Atari and Microsoft, brought some of the earliest games which became widely popular all over the world. Genius people have contributed their bit to the development of the gaming sector from years, and have set a landmark in the industry. One such figure is Ed Fries.

Early Life

Ed Fries, born on 1954, is an American video-game programmer and an entrepreneur. It was in the early 1980s when he fell in love with video games while playing the arcade games. His father worked at the Boeing an Aircraft manufacturing company and his mother was an engineer. His father loved the aeroplanes more than anything and Fries also found similar love with games. Fries got a B.S. in Computer Science from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, in 1986.

Ed Fries
Image Source: eurogamer.net

Ed’s first program was a clone of Frogger that he developed for the Atari 8-bit family and was distributed using the bulletin board system. Developing this clone proved to be a lucky move for Fries, as someone from the gaming industry noticed his game and offered him a job. In 1982, Fries published his first game, which was named as The Princess and the Frog. The game was published by Romox. Fries wrote two more games for Romox, which were named as Ant-Eater and Sea Chase.

Career

Just after earning his BS degree, Fries went to the Seattle area, to join Microsoft. During his ten-years job with Microsoft, he worked on the productivity software like Excel and Word. He worked at Microsoft for ten years. During this time he also created Microsoft Game Studios.

Initially, he was handling the team of around fifty people and over the course of eight years, the team increased to above twelve hundred people. The team developed and published more than 100 games, among which a lot of games were sold to more than a dozen million customers.

It was in the late 1990s when Fries led a team which created the first version of the Xbox gaming console. The development of Xbox put Microsoft on the top list in the interactive entertainment business. Fries was the most important figure among the game development community and played a pivotal role in the acquisition of Bungie, Ensemble Studios, and Rare.

Career after Microsoft

Fries left Microsoft in January 2004 and, started consulting various startups. One of the companies he consulted was FireAnt which was later acquired by Sony Online Entertainment. Some other startups Fries was involved with were Ageia and Emotive Systems. Ageia, a company building an EEG based game controller, claims to bring the first “physics accelerator” chip for games and Emotive Systems.

Fries’ favourite game is World of Warcraft, and he is currently working on bringing the game into a three-dimensional life. This project is carried out by his own startup company Figure Prints. The company deals with making 3D models of a player’s characters, using Z Corporation printers.

Fries said in an interview that within just 12 hours of taking his company to live, more than 4000 people ordered a model. “It takes almost a week to complete one model”, he explained further. His another favourite game Halo got an updated version called Halo 2600, which was released as an Atari 2600. Currently, Fries serves as an advisor for Ouya, which is an Android-based game console and development program.