Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has announced that it has halted production of the second-generation PC-compatible Kinect sensors, with the Xbox One variants taking their place.

In a recent post on the Kinect for Windows blog the Redmond-based tech giant has cited “unprecedented demand from the developer community for Kinect sensors” as the main reason for the decision.

The Kinect for Windows v2 model has essentially been folded into the existing Xbox One variant.

The cutoff doesn’t affect developers who already own Windows-compatible v2 Kinects. Microsoft has made it clear that “support for the Kinect for Windows v2 sensor [will] remain unchanged, and [owners] can continue to use their sensors.”

Since it was unable to meet soaring demand, Microsoft utilized a brilliant business tactic by simply nixing a product it couldn’t keep supplying and producing an adapter that effectively makes the Xbox One Kinect equal to the second-gen Kinect for Windows model.

The new adapter allows an Xbox One Kinect to be hooked up to any Windows 8.0 PC or tablet.

The Kinect for Windows adapter retails at $49.99 and allows any Xbox One Kinect to be hooked up to a PC or tablet running Windows 8.0 or 8.1. The USB 3.0 adapter basically acts as an intermediary that bridges the compatibility gap between the Xbox One sensor and PC’s.

Both Kinects are “functionally identical” so the Kinect for Windows SDK 2.0 development suite will be exactly the same.

All that’s really changed is that you now have to shell out an extra $49.99 for the adapter, plus $150 for the sensor itself.

This is a smart move considering Microsoft now has a way to move its stock of unsold Xbox One Kinects. Most gamers have been buying the $349 Kinect-less console option, leading to a surge in supply of the peripheral, and this way the company will be able to funnel that supply over to the demand for PC sensors.

In tandem with the Oculus Rift, NASA used the Kinect v2 to control a robot arm, which could revolutionize off-planet exploration.

Although the Kinect sensor is largely seen as a gimmick in the video games industry, the peripheral has been used by researchers to study asteroids and glaciers, collect forensic crime-scene data, and NASA has even used it to control robots with body movement.

The Kinect can also guide your exercise routine by tracking your heart rate, track your burned calories, and so much more. It can even bring physical therapy to patient’s homes and make PT more rewarding and entertaining.

Since the sensor has a huge potential of practical and theoretical uses, scientists and researchers across the globe are interested in trying it out for themselves.

The Kinect v2 for PC isn’t gone, it’s just been consolidated, and developers will still be able to push the boundaries even further with new techniques.

The post Microsoft Will Stop Producing Kinect For Windows appeared first on VR World.

UPDATE: Microsoft has released the second live-action advertisement through the eyes of the Master Chief.

“You’ve completed your mission, Agent Locke. Mine is just beginning.”

If things weren’t any more cryptic or mysterious, it looks like both of the trailers are an endgame scenario that might hint at alternate endings for Halo 5.

Original story is as follows.

In an advertisement during tonight’s episode of The Walking Dead, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has announced the Halo 5 release date for October 27, 2015 exclusively for the Xbox One.

Microsoft will be publishing two different live action trailers, one in the perspective of Agent Locke, and the other through the eyes of Master Chief. The footage is part of Halo 5‘s #HuntTheTruth Twitter campaign and showcases plot points from the game’s storyline.

You have only seen 1 of 2 @Halo 5 ads tonight, stay tuned….

— Aaron Greenberg (@aarongreenberg) March 30, 2015

The first trailer release was from the point of view of Agent Locke, the ONI Spartan operative charged with finding Master Chief. Spartan 117’s trailer will be released later tonight, and we’ll be sure to update the post when it goes live.

Locke’s ad is a rather tantalizing live-action trailer that features the ONI agent menacingly chiding a disheveled Master Chief, who sits broken among disastrous ruins. This isn’t a side of the Chief we’ve ever seen before, and it’s strange to see him sit and accept his fate like this.

Locke appears to be sentencing Spartan 117 as a traitor, repeatedly referring to him as a betrayer, revealing key tidbits about the plot to Halo 5: Guardians.

“All hail the conquering hero, the one who was supposed to save us all. But now I must save us, from you.”

The Halo 5 #HuntTheTruth ARG campaign has also received a new update, chronicling another chapter of UNSC war journalist Benjamin Giraud’s investigation into the truth behind the nebulous Master Chief.

It’ll be interesting to see what other details are unearthed in the ARG campaign, and what actually happened to Master Chief’s stalwart resolve.

On a more humorous note, industry veteran Wario64 noticed that 343i actually “revealed” Halo 5‘s launch date during the game’s beta test. The beta was 10.27GB, which matches up with newly revealed release date.

Halo 5 release date was revealed months ago in beta download size. pic.twitter.com/PfdSkpChF7

— Wario64 (@Wario64) March 30, 2015

Halo 5: Guardians is scheduled to release on October 27, 2015 exclusively for the Xbox One.

The post Halo 5 Release Date Is October 27, 2015 on Xbox One appeared first on VR World.

Spoiler Warning: Major plot spoilers for Halo 4 are included below. If you haven’t finished the game yet be sure to turn away!

It looks like Cortana will make an appearance in 343 Industries’ new continuation of the sci-fi franchise, Halo 5: Guardians.

Mike Colter, the actor that portrays one of the game’s principal protagonists Agent Locke, name-dropped the iconic AI in a recent interview with IGN.

Although the interview was primarily focused on Colter’s Spartan hero, he mentioned that Cortana will be “involved” in Halo 5 despite the events that unfolded in Master Chief’s previous adventure:

“When he goes into Halo 5, you’ll see him transition into a Spartan, a super soldier. It’s a prominent role within the game. Obviously Master Chief will be involved, Cortana, but Locke will be one of the playable characters in Halo 5.

Now that’s just a brief tiny snippet with no actual substantial info, just what looks like a confirmation that Cortana’s in the game. We don’t know in what capacity, though, and she could easily appear in a flashback sequence on Master Chief’s side.

What we do know, though, is that gamers will see plenty of Commander James Locke during Halo 5‘s multi-faceted campaign. Colter also affirms Locke is here to stay for the forseeable future, and will return in future Halo games as well.

“He’ll have a prominent role. He’s one of the new additions that will be featured throughout the next couple of video games So you’ll see a lot of Commander James Locke.”

That last bit is kind of tricky. Does this mean Locke will replace Master Chief? Can Spartan 117 ever be replaced? Also will Halo 5 be the first game we don’t play as John 117?

I personally don’t think so, and it just won’t be the same without MC at the helm. Then again the franchise has to move forward and our old luck-infused “demon” can’t live forever…and Locke might be the next to carry the Mantle of Responsibility as Halo‘s new flagship icon.

The Halo 5 multiplayer beta test was a rousing success, generating some impressive stats and arming 343 Industries with valuable data.

In other exciting Halo news, executive producer Josh Holmes revealed that Halo 5 will have dedicated servers for everything from online matchmaking to custom games. Holmes confirmed that 343i plans to do away with the peer-to-peer style networking, eliminating the dreaded “host advantage” scenario.

“We only have dedicated servers for MP in Halo 5: Guardians,” Holmes confirmed in a post on the Beyond Entertainment forums. “That’s true for matchmaking AND customs. There is no P2P.”

No one knows exactly what’s in store for Halo fans when Guardians releases exclusively on Xbox One later this year, but everyone’s excited.

The post Cortana Might Be In Halo 5 After All appeared first on VR World.

A batch of new screenshots for Lara Croft’s next adventure Rise of the Tomb Raider have been released, showcasing a treacherous land of ice and snow.

Crystal Dynamics returns at the helm of the re-imagined iconic heroine, continuing Lara Croft’s journey with gritty realism in a brand new locale.

Originally announced at E3 2014, the game caught criticism when it was revealed that Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) snagged a timed exclusive deal for Xbox consoles.

No plans have been announced yet for a release on PlayStation consoles, but Microsoft’s own Phil Spencer affirmed that it’s not off the table since their deal is time-sensitive, much like Destiny‘s PlayStation exclusives.

Rise of the Tomb Raider will feature a number of improvements and in-game additions including dynamic weather systems–rising winds, blizzards, storms–along with day-to-night cycles, and interactive wildlife.

A new scavenging system will fuel crafting, and it appears that Lara will be able to swim in the next game.

Enigmatic puzzles, which have also been a big part of the classic Tomb Raider franchise, will be reintroduced in Rise of the Tomb Raider in full force. Fans cited that Lara Croft’s 2013 reboot had many optional side puzzles that gamers could skip altogether, but the new game will remedy this.

Speaking with Game Informer, Crystal Dynamics creative director Noah Hughes iterated that the team has learned from their past mistakes.

“Puzzles are an important part of the Tomb formula, so we’re excited to have more tombs in the game, featuring more puzzles.

“You’ll still see a spectrum of difficulty for puzzles, so some of the secret tombs are larger and in some cases might have more difficult puzzles, but we’re trying to put them in the game in a ramped kind of way.”

I for one am psyched for the new game. After the amazingly well-crafted E3 reveal trailer I’ve been looking forward to any new info on the game, and the screenshots are pretty impressive.

Hopefully we’ll get to see some gameplay footage soon, but these new images will help tide us over for the new adventure.

On a side note, Rhianna Pratchett, who just so happens to be the daughter of renown author Terry Pratchett, is writing the game’s story. She’s worked on a number of games including Mirror’s Edge, Heavenly Sword, and the original Tomb Raider reboot.

Rise of the Tomb Raider is slated to release Holiday 2015 for Xbox One and Xbox 360.

The post Frosty New Rise Of The Tomb Raider Screenshots Emerge appeared first on VR World.

Microsoft’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) own head of Xbox division Phil Spencer recently Tweeted a brief look at what the Xbox One’s screenshot functionality will look like, delivering a quick visual update on the feature’s development.

Nice to finally be doing this on my Xbox One dev kit. pic.twitter.com/AgDDWr3ExJ

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) February 6, 2015

The image is from a dev kit prototype and reveals that the screenshot function will be accessible as part of the quick-snap menu.

The menu itself is brought up by tapping the Xbox home button twice, and is integral for quick video captures or snapping the Game DVR app to an in-game session.

That means you’ll have to go into the overlay sub menu to save screenshots–much the same you do for quick video captures. Let’s hope the feature is as fast and fluid as the quick-save for 30-second clips, and that it’s not laggy.

Additionally we should see the ability to share Xbox One screenshots across social media networks like Twitter, Facebook and One Drive to boot.

Just last month Spencer promised that screenshots were “coming to the Xbox One in “2015”, and it looks like he’s making good on the projection.

According to Spencer, Microsoft has been working on bringing screenshot functionality to the Xbox One as far back as the console’s original release in November 2013, but it turns out that the feature was more “technically challenging” than the company thought.

The oft-requested feature has been noticeably absent for the first year of the console’s life cycle, being surpassed by the PlayStation 4’s easy sharing setup.

Spencer affirms that Microsoft is planning to deliver more updates when the feature becomes more stable, and at this point no firm release date has been set for the Xbox One function.

The post See The Xbox One’s Screenshot Function In Action appeared first on VR World.

It appears that both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One might be getting new models that support 4K video streaming, Forbes reports.

As more and more consumers make the push towards 4K-ready Ultra High Definition (UHD) TV’s, the lack of UHD support on PS4 and Xbox One becomes much more obvious.

Juggernaut streaming service Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) anticipates that Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) will include 4K video playback in the next wave of PS4’s and Xbox Ones.

Netflix is one of the leading 4K content providers out there, but there’s not very much to choose from–a trend that will reverse as the platform is embraced by consumers.

At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2015) Netflix’s Chief Product Officer Neil Hunt told Huffington Post that Sony had “promised” to make an updated 4K-ready PS4 model.

Despite assurances that the PlayStation 4 would support 4K video playback upon release, the console, like its competitor, doesn’t afford the feature.

Both systems have had to play catch-up with the growing technology sector since their release 18 months ago, featuring outdated hardware and limited capabilities across the board.

Although the PS4 has strong console hardware, it’ll need a few buffs to support 4K video playback.

Even armed with beefier RAM and heavily customized APU’s, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 have had to rely on a slew of firmware updates to improve functionality and content–and for a while it’s worked.

But they’re still playing catch-up when it comes to 4K UHD. This is a problem that can’t be solved by software updates, and Microsoft and Sony will have to roll out new revised hardware solutions to meet the requirements of 4K video playback

A “leaked” image for a Slim PS4 model was spotted on the net, but has since been proven as a fake.

Netflix‘s CTO believes that Sony will make the necessary hardware adjustments when the company kicks off the PS4’s next revision model, which is projected to release sometime this fall (October or November).

Past trends indicate that most console makers launch an updated wave of systems two years after the initial release, and November 2015 will mark the second year for both the Xbox One and PS4 systems.

The assumption is that if Sony goes 4K with the PS4, then Microsoft will follow suit, as they’ve had to catch up with the Japanese console maker in many respects, including price. Plus it’s a bit odd that the system, touted as an “all-in-one” entertainment solution, is missing a key modern playback format.

Evidence also suggests that the systems will get the “slim” treatment for their next wave. In October of last year, an AMD employee let slip that the chipmaker had fabricated a smaller 20nm APU for the Xbox One, which paves the way for a smaller console variant.

And since AMD makes chips for both systems, the PS4 could get the same “slim” transformation as well.

The Xbox One has a definitive all-in-one presence, but it still doesn’t have 4K video, which actually goes against its entire status.

If both console-makers are indeed planning on compact revisions for their respective systems, it’d only make sense to embrace 4K playback, considering the market is starting to gravitate towards UHD.

Not everyone is ready for the bandwidth-punishing resolution, but those who have adopted the technology have few very choices. Right now 4K isn’t widely utilized but its presence continues to grow, and Sony and Microsoft could benefit from the catch-up.

The only frustrating aspect would be that current console owners would be left out, as they already are, despite promises and assurances from Sony’s own Shuhei Yoshida that the PS4 would play 4K video.

To mitigate this disappointment they could perhaps launch an accessory for UHD support on current systems, but it probably would depend on how popular the new resolution turns out to be in order to merit the effort.

Remember that 4K gaming most assuredly won’t be coming to this generation of consoles, seeing as only high-grade PC’s are capable of sustaining UHD clarity.

4K video playback is a start, but 4K gaming is currently out of the reach of consoles, and judging from the ever-widening rift between PC and consoles in terms of power, 4K gaming probably won’t be coming to the platform any time soon.

The post Rumor: 4K Ready PS4 and Xbox One Models Incoming appeared first on VR World.

Gaming, sports in particular, is playing well for Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA). Double digits look good on their Wall Street game board. With more than 300 million registered players worldwide, Electronic Arts has its game on scoring a 12.8 surge in share price.

The Sims, Dragon Age, Plants vs. Zombies keep the numbers rising, but Madden NFL is in the spotlight now with the Super Bowl on tap for this weekend. Electronic Arts simulated the game, updating the rosters and showing the Seahawks vs. Patriots on Xbox One. It gives the game to MVP Tom Brady. How can you go against Madden’s impressive predictive record … 8-3 in the last decade, but did the prediction come before or after “deflate-gate”?

EA’s financial picture played out well in fiscal 2014 which pegged net revenue at $3.6 billion for the Redwood City California based gaming company. Quarterly non-GAAP revenues came in at $1,428 million. Mobile gaming scooped up $139 million of revenues overshadowing last year’s figures by 13 percent year over year, pulling in 160 million monthly active users for the quarter.

Chief Financial Officer Blake Jorgensen said: “Our ongoing digital transformation, including live services like EA SPORTS Ultimate Team, coupled with ongoing cost discipline, enables us to deliver consistent cash flow and earnings growth.”  You can add to their cash flow by buying Madden NFL 15 Xbox One at Target for $39.99 on sale.

EA’s GAAP earnings for fiscal year 2015 are expected to be $2.35 per share. Zack’s says EA’s game portfolio, new consoles and a large mobile segment form the basis of this positive outlook.

The post Electronic Arts Gets Its Game On appeared first on VR World.

During today’s Windows 10 news briefing, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) revealed that Xbox One games can be streamed to PC’s and tablets running the new Windows 10 operating system.

“Wouldn’t it be great if we could play (Xbox One games) anywhere in the house?” Xbox division head Phil Spencer said during the event. “We have to put the gamer at the center of every experience.”

Users simply have to tether their Xbox One to a nearby Windows 10-ready tablet or PC, sync up a controller, and the console will stream gameplay to the linked device. This effectively gives the Xbox One its very own “remote play” functionality.

The cross-platform integration doesn’t end there: Microsoft has plans to let PC and Xbox One gamers interact with one another via multiplayer. At the event the company showcased this feature with Fable Legends, announcing that the game will launch on PC as well.

As for its actual games presence on Windows 10, Microsoft has simply mirrored the Xbox One’s framework over to the new OS.

That means you can interact with your Xbox LIVE friends on any device running Windows 10, as well as post on Activity Feeds, share, create and view videos with the Game DVR and more. All of these functions are even compatible with Steam games, too.

Certain aspects of Windows 10 will also symbiotically harmonize into the Xbox One as well. While details are scarce at how exactly Windows 10 will affect the console, we do know that DirectX 12 will be added to the system sometime in the future.

Windows 10 borrows key features from the Xbox One including the ability to capture, create and share games with Xbox LIVE friends.

According to Spencer, DirectX 12 has “given developers more fine control over CPU and GPU interactions” and allows them to “boost performance by up to 50%.” With the new API, developers will be able to maintain consistent frame-rates even during strenuous and complex environments.

Spencer also revealed that DirectX 12 will help for mobile gaming as well, and has cut power consumption in half, letting more mobile devices run demanding games.

DirectX 12 is already being used in a number of big-name graphics engines including Unity and Unreal Engine 4.

No plans were revealed to include Windows Phone devices as part of the cross-platform action, but we might hear more from Microsoft during this year’s Game Developer’s Conference in March.

For more info be sure to check out Xbox Wire.

The post Windows 10 Lets You Stream Xbox One Games appeared first on VR World.

The long wait for the ability to take screenshots on the Xbox One might be over sooner rather than later.

In a recent update on the Xbox Wire, Xbox division head Phil Spencer says that the long-awaited screenshot function is indeed in the works and should be released “early this year”.

“Screenshots are coming early this year,” Spencer affirmed in the video below. “I know it has been a question for quite a while. We delivered themes, I think that a natural add-on to themes would be screenshots.

Spencer also hinted that gamers will be able to use the screenshots they take as personal backgrounds, much the same way that achievement pictures can set as customizable themes.

“Giving people more ability to share their great gaming moments on the platform, whether it’s just as a screenshot on their background or across many of the different social networks that we allow people to share their content through is a long-term commitment we have.”

Xbox One owners have been waiting quite some time for the ability to take screenshots on the platform, and although it seems like a simple function to add, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has hit some roadblocks along the way.

“It’s a little more technically challenging than I thought,” Phil Spencer told IGN back in October, when the company revealed that screenshots have been delayed.

“Two weeks ago, [Microsoft engineers] think they’ve found a good solution for screenshots. They’re working on it. They know people want it. The team has a path to getting it done, and now it’s just prioritizing.”

In contrast Sony’s (NYSE: SNE) PlayStation 4 has allowed users to take screenshots and share them across Twitter and Facebook since it launched back in 2013. The PS4’s screenshot interface is streamlined and easy-to-use, and remains one of the console’s strong selling points.

Let’s hope that taking screenshots on the Xbox One is just as easy. Most of the Xbox One’s functions like Snap Mode are bulky, cumbersome and confusing rather than quick and easy.

I personally hope screenshots are handled with more finesse, and that Snap Mode has nothing to do with the new feature (although it probably will).

You can still “take” screenshots with the Xbox One, although it involves uploading in-game footage and screen capturing the images via computer software.

Interestingly enough there is a way to take “screenshots” with the Xbox One, but it involves essentially uploading your in-game footage with Upload Studio and digitally “lifting” images with computer software. You can also upload your Xbox One game footage to Microsoft’s cloud-based One Drive and retrieve images that way.

I’ve done it myself–the above image of Master Chief was lifted from the Halo: Master Chief Collection with this method–and it’s a pain, but it’s a viable option.

Spencer didn’t give a concrete timeline on when screenshots will hit on Xbox One, but considering the division has been working on it for half a year, we should expect some definitive news in the coming months.

The post Xbox One To Get Screenshot Functionality “Early This Year” appeared first on VR World.

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has re-instated the Xbox One’s price drop, bringing the all-in-one console back down to an attractive $349 price point.

The news comes straight from a new post on the Xbox Wire that discusses the Xbox One’s sales record for the holidays.

“Building off a record-setting holiday, we are excited to announce a new promotion in which fans in the U.S. can buy an Xbox One at a special price of $349, starting tomorrow, January 16, from their preferred retailer,” said Mike Nichols, Corporate Vice President of Marketing for Xbox. “

Over the holidays all non-Kinect Xbox One consoles were marked down to $349 for a “limited time”, including the Assassin’s Creed and Sunset Overdrive bundles. leading to a surge in console sales over the holiday season.

The price drop led to a surge in Xbox One sales over the holidays, and for the first time the Xbox One out-sold the PS4 in the U.S. for the month of November. It’s also worth noting that the limited nature of the price drop surely motivated sales.

Breaking Sony’s (NYSE: SNE) long-standing reign in sales was a tremendous occasion for the Redmond-based console-maker, and it showed gamers were willing to buy the Xbox One for the right price.

Microsoft has since revealed the Xbox One continued its streak, outselling the PS4 in December as well.

As of January 16 Microsoft has brought back the $349 price to commemorate the two-month record over the PS4, in hopes of moving more units and revitalizing console sales. The new price is part of a “new promotion”, and it appears that details aren’t clear whether or not it’s limited to the United States or will be applied globally.

While any victory is great news, Microsoft still has a long way to go. Sony has shipped more than 10 million PS4 consoles to date, and beat the Xbox One in global sales for December. Overall the PS4 continues to dominate worldwide console sales.

Microsoft hasn’t revealed how long the Xbox One will stay at $349, but we’ll likely find out when the sales charts roll in after a month or so.

The post Xbox One Drops Back Down To $349 appeared first on VR World.

Although the Halo 5: Guardians beta is scheduled to go live tomorrow, Xbox One gamers are already able to start download process in preparation of the big event.

To get your installation underway just fire up the Halo: Master Chief Collection, navigate to the Extras section on the Main Menu, and select the Halo 5 Beta section. Since the beta download clocks in at 10.26 GB of data, it’s a good idea to let your console sit for a bit.

Just don’t get too excited when the download finishes, as 343 isn’t starting up the servers until tomorrow morning.

Remember to watch 343i’s live action Halo: Nightfall series to get in-game extras for the beta, including an exclusive armor set straight from the series.

If the episodes don’t grab your fancy, you can always fast-forward through and collect your unlockables. But you should watch them, and also check out the second stories, which add some very real depth to the franchise and give you key insights on Agent Locke’s character.

If you can’t watch Nightfall be sure to redeem the code included in the Master Chief Collection. If you’re digital, try backing out of the game a few times, resetting your console, or checking your e-mail inbox; chances are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) e-mailed you a code.

Some gamers are also reporting that they’ve had to “force quit” out of the Master Chief Collection in order for the beta pane to pop up. Basically you’ll want to hit the Xbox button to return to the main console screen, hit the Guide button, and select quit.

A bit ago, Halo 5‘s Studio Head Josh Holmes informed eager Spartans that they’d be able to pre-download the beta to ensure smooth entry when the servers went live around 9AM PST on December 29.

If you weren’t able to get into the limited preview alpha reserved for Xbox Preview members, there are a few things you can do to prep for the beta. Be sure to become familiar with Halo 5‘s new Spartan abilities, and check out some gameplay footage to get the flow of battle.

Overall the beta looks like it incorporates a new arena-based style for competitive multiplayer, and coupled with the new abilities like Smart Scope, Sprint and Thrust, combat should be quite dynamic and interesting.

For in-depth discussions and questions, drop by the Halo Reddit, as you’ll likely meet a bunch of new like-minded players who are just as excited as you are to play the beta.

The Halo 5: Guardians beta kicks off tomorrow, Dec. 29 at 9AM PST and will last until Jan. 18, 2015.

The post Here's How To Download the Halo 5 Beta Right Now appeared first on VR World.

Halo: Combat Evolved has been added to The Master Chief Collection‘s multiplayer lineup, 343 Industries has announced.

In a new post on Halo Waypoint, 343i reveals that the dedicated Halo: CE playlist has arrived on MCC‘s matchmaking lists.

The new mode includes a mix of slayer and objective gametypes, and contains almost every multiplayer map included in the original, with the exception of the excellent CTF map Blood Gulch.

Oddly enough the studio says the Halo: CE playlist is optimized for 2v2 action.

“We have updated the Matchmaking playlist lineup to include Halo: CE. The playlist is now available. As we mentioned before launch, the Halo: CE playlist will be premiering at 2v2 based on community feedback.”

The new playlist includes eight multiplayer maps from Halo: CE (sans Blood Gulch) and includes CTF, Oddball and Slayer gametypes.

But the in-game multiplayer pane for the new playlist says otherwise, listing the max player count at 8 with gametypes including Slayer, Capture The Flag, and Oddball.

Below we have a breakdown:

Halo: Combat Evolved Matchmaking Playlist

• Max Players: 8

• Minimum Player Count: 6

• Max Party Size: 4

• Max Local Players: 4

• Team Size: 4

343i originally held the playlist back until the Master Chief Collection could be amended with various updates. Since the game has been patched with a smattering of updates rolled out by the studio, 343i deemed it the right time to bring the classic fragfest action back into play.

The most recent content update was released just two days ago and in the patch notes the studio notes that hit-registration has been tweaked for Halo: Combat Evolved multiplayer.

Many gamers have noticed the awful hit-reg in the game, making it near-unplayable for some, so hopefully this new update rolled out some fixes to ensure the playlist is actually…you know, fun.

Other improvements include tidying up party management and joining (a considerably annoying roadblock that’s kept friends from playing together in both campaign and multiplayer), stability tweaks for campaign playlists, and an array of matchmaking changes.

Below we have a copy of the full patch notes for Tuesday’s Master Chief Collection update:

MATCHMAKING

• Made improvements to the reliability of Matchmaking parties.
• Local split-screen players will now always be on the same team in Halo 2 Matchmaking.
• Made an update to allow players to use Voice Chat during loading screens in Matchmaking.
• Made an update to ensure that players are not forced into an incorrect party after encountering an issue in Matchmaking.
• Resolved an issue where the “Winning Team Won” text was shown in the Carnage Report.

ROSTER

• Made fixes to reduce the amount of time it takes to update the Roster:
  • Players will now be discovered sooner after starting the game.
  • Changes to the roster will be more immediate to better reflect friend activity.

PARTIES

• Made several improvements to party joining and management.
• Resolved an issue where players that were in a party could not join another party from the Roster.
• Made changes to ensure that parties cannot exceed the maximum party size of a playlist.
• Made an update to ensure that Party Leaders can assign a new Party Leader or Kick a player from their party.

CUSTOM GAMES

• Made a change to ensure that teams selections are correctly carried over in Custom Games.
• Made an update to ensure that player settings do not revert to a previous state after completing a Halo 2 Anniversary Multiplayer match.
• Made an update to ensure that players do not disconnect  after completing a Custom Game.
• Resolved an issue in Custom Games where parties would disband if some players were playing in Split-Screen.
• Made a change to ensure that Halo 3 Custom Game variants display correct author information.

HALO: CE

• Made various changes and improvements to Halo: CE multiplayer hit registration.

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Made an update to ensure that the “Legend Slayer” achievement unlocks when prerequisites are met.
• The “Pacifist” Achievement will no longer be awarded for resuming “Assault on the Control Room”.

STABILITY IMPROVEMENTS

• Made a variety of stability improvements across the following areas:
  • Matchmaking
  • Custom Games
  • Campaign Playlists
  • Main Menu

CONTROL SCHEMES

• Updated the Halo 2 “Green Fingers” Button Layout.
• Updated the Halo 2 Anniversary Multiplayer Recon Button Layout.

MISC.

• Made improvements to stat-tracking.
• Improved language support for Norweigan, Spanish, German and Japanese.

*Note: The team is aware that “Legacy” controls are incorrectly functioning as “Default” in Halo 2: Anniversary and Halo 4, and are working to resolve this issue in an upcoming update. We will continue to work on additional content updates to further improve the game.

The post Halo CE Playlist Added To Master Chief Collection appeared first on VR World.

Halo is more than just a game. Microsoft’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) flagship IP has spun an entire universe that’s resonant with sci-fi magic that’s also imbued with deep, sprawling lore. Bungie’s magnum opus birthed the era of first-person shooters on home consoles and gave rise to one of the most iconic heroes in existence, all while delivering unparalleled interstellar action.

Today Halo has expanded far past the medium of video games; there’s a veritable galaxy of books, comics, and even live-action series’ like Nightfall and Forward Unto Dawn–all of which tie together in a vast webwork of lore and events.

But 343 Industries wants to go far beyond the rim of the stars: they want to solidify a 30-year legacy for the indomitable shooter.

“It was crazy. It was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done,” 343 Industries studio head Bonnie Ross said in regards to taking over Bungie’s landmark shooter.

New Beginnings

In a recent interview with Bloomberg, 343 Industries head Bonnie Ross recounted her experiences building up the brand. In 2012, the Mantle of Responsibility of Halo was handed down from the precursors at Bungie to Microsoft’s newly-formed studio, 343 Industries.

Ross was at the helm from the start, and she wanted to do something new with Halo, to take it in a new direction.

343i’s new studio head wanted to make Halo more accessible and enjoyable for a widespread constituency, rather than cater to the traditional hyper-violent space-marine machismo fantasy.

“Our goal was to create a universe, a game, an environment that is appealing to a diverse audience,” she said during the interview. “[We want to make] characters that people can identify with, heroic males and heroic females.”

And this diversity wasn’t just in-game; it was in-house, too. Ross affirmed that women had a place in the franchise and at 343i.

“It’s really important for us to get young female talent, because they are the future,”  she said. “It’s important to have leadership roles across the industry that people can aspire to.”

As part of 343i’s new emphasis on diversity, women will play pivotal roles in the Halo universe going forward in order to make it more accessible.

This new plan–coupled with the rigors of taking over one of the most prominent and successful brand in the industry–wasn’t without it’s hardships.

“It was crazy,” Bonnie affirmed, “it was the most challenging thing I’ve ever done.”

Halo 4 was the fruit of 343i’s labor, and represented the new path the series would take. It featured lead female roles like Spartan Sarah Palmer, Dr. Catherine Halsey, the Forerunner Librarian and of course Cortana, who’s riveting performance sent eerie chills down my spine.

But they’re not done yet. Two years ago when they inherited the mantle of the rings, the studio exec wanted to take it far past the planned Reclaimer Trilogy: “I wanted to make sure we were able to go another three decades,” Ross said.

Halo 5: Guardians represents the latest chapter in 343i’s revitalized Reclaimer Saga, bringing a wealth of new multiplayer innovations while furthering the canon.

The Great Journey

Halo 5; Guardians marks the beginning of this 30 year journey, kicking off the Reclaimer Saga. 343i originally planned for a Reclaimer Trilogy penned for Halo 4-6, but now they’ve expanded and made plans for a sci-fi epic.

Halo 5 will feature a wealth of innovative features that pave the way for Halo‘s future. Although Master Chief and the mysterious ONI operative Agent Locke will be main characters, we’ll likely see strong female roles in the mix as well.

Multiplayer looks absolutely fantastic, introducing seven new player accessible Spartan abilities to freshen things up along with a slew of new maps and weapons. We’ll get our first taste of Halo 5‘s multiplayer when the beta launches on Dec. 29 to Jan. 18, 2015.

Bonnie Ross knows that Halo is more than a game, and the series will continue to thrive in all mediums: graphic novels, comics, television series, movies, etc. This is the key to Halo‘s longevity, and this is how it’ll last for 30 years more.

To further weave the story, 343i will bridge the gap between Halo 4 and its successor in inventive ways. The live-action Halo Nightfall series introduces and chronicles the exploits of Agent Locke, and the Halo: Escalation comic will help solidify the events between the two games.

Steven Spielberg’s 2015 Xbox-exclusive Halo television series will explore these avenues further, joining with all of the previous ties while introducing some new leads of its own.

Ross also wants to move past sequels and into intimate spin-off type stories and games. Bungie did the very same with Halo 3: ODST, expanding the canon while delivering engaging FPS combat in a shadowy neo-noir flavor.

Thanks to ODST we know this method works, and any Halo fan will tell you there are so many stories to tell; maybe we’ll get to play as a lone Grunt during the Unggoy Rebellion on High Charity, or see through the eyes of a Forerunner for the first time? So  many possibilities…

The Master Chief Collection was supposed to celebrate Halo. Instead it was a disaster and resembled the chaos that ensues when the Array ignites.

An Important Lesson

Despite all of these prestigious plans, the studio has suffered a pretty substantial hiccup. The Halo: Master Chief Collection launched on Xbox One last month to abysmal matchmaking bugs, glitch-riddled gameplay, and barely-working mechanics that put a serious dent on 343i’s progress.

In the wake of the troublesome launch, Bonnie Ross delivered a personal apology on behalf of 343i and declared the studio’s commitment to the brand. The broken game serves as a glaring reminder of what could have been, and it certainly has gamers thinking twice about going further into the Halo universee.

Over a month after it’s release, the Xbox One exclusive is just now starting to find its footing.

Gamers are able to find matches and try their hand at the classic FPS that built them all, but there are still major flaws and issues ranging from hit-detection, lag issues, uneven teams, no veto options, mic-chatting problems and many more. Campaign is even suffering, with poorly designed scoring systems, awkward vehicle changes, weapon adjustments, etc.

In its current state the game is fractured. The Master Chief Collection isn’t a worthy encyclopedia of Spartan-117’s glorious exploits; it’s a vague shadowy form that lacks definition.

Hopefully it’ll be fixed, but considering the Halo 5 beta is on its way–along with the actual game itself–we might only see a portion of its flaws fixed.

To infinity…

Forward Unto The Stars

It’ll be interesting to see what 343 Industries has in store for us over the next three decades of Halo, but the Master Chief Collection taught us an important lesson to tamper our expectations.

With just two years with Halo, 343 still has some pretty big shoes to fill, as evidenced by the sorely-lacking MCC.

But their hearts appear to be in the right place. Many gamers are distrusting and see the studio’s actions as meddling, and in some cases the new changes actually devolve the franchise. Even still 343 is in it for the long haul and they hold the keys to the future of the brand we know and love.

Ross has her eyes set in the stars–the very heart of Halo itself–and with more time and much more effort, we’ll be privy to a new age of sci-fi wonder the likes of which we’ve never seen.

Thanks, GameSpot.

The post Halo Will Be Around For The Next 30 Years, Says Microsoft appeared first on VR World.

Microsoft’s (NASDAQ: MSFT) Xbox One console has broken the PlayStation 4’s standing sales streak.

According to Mike Nichols, Corporate Vice President for Xbox’s Marketing division, the Xbox One surpassed the PlayStation 4 in sales in the United States and the U.K. for the month of November.

This marks one of the first times that the all-in-one console interrupted the PS4’s impressive record, and might hint at a comeback for Microsoft.

“November set a new record for sales of Xbox One,” Nichols said in a statement to IGN, “and Xbox One was the best-selling console in the US and UK.” The Xbox exec didn’t provide any concrete sales figures, however.

Although this is a win for Microsoft, it took reducing the Xbox One’s price by $50 in order to move more units. The console’s new $349 price tag is much more attractive to buyers, especially since the system is now bundled with two hit AAA Assassin’s Creed games.

All Xbox One models, including game bundles, were discounted by Microsoft in an effort to bolster sales.

Thanksgiving sales vastly contributed to this milestone, as Black Friday sales saw even more pronounced markdowns from vendors like GameStop who sold the console for as low as $329–and, in some cases, as low as $312. Since the Xbox One will stay at $349 until early January 2015, Microsoft will no-doubt accrue more sales during the main holiday season.

Before the Black Friday rush the Xbox One had seen lackluster sales compared to Sony’s (NYSE: SNE) PlayStation 4, which remains a popular choice across the globe.

Despite growing sales, November’s total game and console sales have slowed down.

The industry analyst firm NPD Group reports that hardware and software sales for November  2014 have dropped by 11 percent as compared to last year’s sales. “Hardware declines totaled $294 million while software declined $17 million or 2 percent,” NPD Group analyst Liam Callahan wrote in the new report (via Joystiq).

Despite its abysmal campaign, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare dominates November game sales and takes the top spot.

Compared to November 2013, eighth-generation consoles made up 38% of declines for November 2014, but this isn’t so surprising given last year’s respective launches of the Xbox One and PS4.

On the software front Activision’s Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare hit the number one spot, followed up with Rockstar’s new-gen port of Grand Theft Auto V.

1. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
2. Grand Theft Auto V
3. Super Smash Bros.
4. Madden NFL 15
5. Pokemon Alpha Sapphire
6. Far Cry 4
7. Pokemon Omega Ruby
8. NBA 2K15
9. Assassin’s Creed: Unity
10. Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Nintendo’s popular brawler Super Smash Bros. took third place and has fueled growth in Wii U sales, racking up over 700,000 units sold for the platform.

The 3DS port of Super Smash Bros. has overshadowed the Wii U flavor with an estimated 3.67 million global units, cushioning Nintendo amid its financial woes while revitalizing the brand and the Wii U platform. The duo of new Pokemon games has also boosted 3DS handheld sales and has been a tremendous success for the ailing Japanese games maker.

Strangely enough Dragon Age: Inquisition isn’t on the map even though it launched in November. The stunning open-world RPG won Game of the Year at this year’s inaugural The Game Awards 2014, and has been a fan favorite since it was released.

Microsoft has been vague about Xbox One’s total sales, but VG Chartz pinpoints the PS4 has sold over 15 million units globally.

Coming back to the eighth-gen console wars, Microsoft is having a good start, but when the Xbox One goes back up to $399 we’ll likely see sales taper off. The platform doesn’t have very many exclusives and is seriously lacking on the supplemental indie front, which Sony  is dominating with its PlayStation Plus subscription model.

The Halo: Master Chief Collection was supposed to augment the smallish selection of games, but thanks to a tremendously broken launch incurred by the thrown-together nature of the game, this attempt failed.

Also the recent PlayStation Experience reminded gamers why they should pick up a PS4, showcasing a huge number of exclusives and upcoming games along with a variety of trailers and on-site panels with developers.

Despite being the second choice, the Xbox One is amazing for media playback and has a number of features not included with the PS4–and Microsoft is committed to add new capabilities via updates.

Hell even the Xbox One’s own one-year birthday party was severely eclipsed by Sony’s own 20th anniversary celebration, which kicked off a new special edition 20th Anniversary PlayStation 4.

To celebrate one year of its all-in-one console Microsoft offered a few paltry extras to Xbox LIVE members, which were nothing more than token “thank yous” for sticking with the brand. You got to try out Sunset Overdrive for 24 hours (the best part) along with two limited movie rentals, a gamer picture, and, if you were an early adopter who paid full price for your Xbox One, you got a special background image.

This was a genuine opportunity for Microsoft to actually make its mark, but instead they dropped the ball and ultimately were overshadowed once again by Sony.

In any case, in order to solidify long-lasting competition Microsoft will need to further its games campaign to once again catch up with Sony.

The Redmond-based tech giant might have caught up with the Japanese console maker in terms of one-month sales, but the gap is still very pronounced, and the company still has a lot of work ahead if it wants to turn the tables.

The post Xbox One Outsells PS4 In November appeared first on VR World.

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) now supports Bitcoin as a payment option for its digital store, allowing users to fund their accounts with the cryptocurrency.

In a surprising move, the Redmond-based tech giant Microsoft has become the first major console maker to embrace the virtual currency known as Bitcoin, letting users add money to their Microsoft accounts via the virtual currency. Ouya, the failed Android console, added Bitcoin support some time ago.

But how does it work? Essentially the Bitcoins are “cashed in” from the user’s digital wallet and then converted into money, which is then added to the user’s balance.

The news was originally spotted on Reddit, and it appears that the funds are limited to Xbox credit. That means you can buy “apps, games, and other digital content from Windows, Windows Phone, Xbox Games, Xbox Music, or Xbox Video stores”.

Microsoft has added a detailed how-to section that has more information on the stipulations and process of the new payment feature.

According to the article, users can only use their Bitcoin funds to buy “digital goods at select Microsoft online stores”, and that you can’t use Bitcoin to “purchase Microsoft products and services directly at this time”.

So far only users in the United States can take advantage of this payment option, but we’ll likely see Microsoft add more territories as well as full Bitcoin support across all stores.

It’ll be interesting to see if Sony (NYSE: SNE) or Nintendo (TYO: 7974) adopt Bitcoin for their respective online marketplaces, and as the digital currency continues to grow in popularity and value, we’ll likely see more major retailers honor the cryptocurrency same as cash.

Thanks, Eurogamer.

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UPDATE: Microsoft has officially revealed the pricing and selection of Xbox One games that are discounted on the Microsoft Store.

The deals include Wolfenstein, Watch Dogs, The Evil Within, Metro Redux and Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag for $25, with Shadow of Mordor and Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition priced at $40.

Starting Nov. 27, the following games will be available at a reduced cost.

• Call of Duty: Ghosts – $14.99
• Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition – $19.99
• Thief – $19.99
• Lego Movie: The Video Game – $19.99
• Lego: Marvel Super Heroes – $19.99
• Sniper Elite III – $19.99
• Watch Dogs – $24.99
• Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – $24.99
• The Evil Within – $24.99
• Wolfenstein: The New Order – $24.99
• Metro Redux – $24.99
• Murdered: Soul Suspect – $24.99
• Duck Dynasty – $24.99
• Ryse: Son of Rome – $29.99
• Dead Rising 3 – $29.99
• Kinect Sports Rivals – $29.99
• Forza Horizon 2 – $29.99
• Sunset Overdrive – $39.99
• Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition – $39.99
• Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor – $39.99

Original story is as follows.

In order to prepare gamers for the busy Black Friday holiday season, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has put together a handy list of all of the Black Friday deals on everything Xbox, including console bundles, games, accessories and LIVE memberships.

Below we have a full breakdown on the online and in-store deals that will be available on the Microsoft Store as well as retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Toys R’ Us and more.

Xbox One Console Deals

• $329 Xbox One Bundle with an extra Free Game (Titanfall, Forza Motorsport 5 or Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare) – Microsoft Store (Nov. 27 –  29)

• Xbox One Assassin’s Creed Unity Bundle for $329 – Walmart, Best Buy, Toys R’ Us, GameStop, Amazon (Nov. 27 – 29)

• Xbox One Assassin’s Creed: Unity Bundle for $329 + $50 Gift Card – Target (Nov. 27 –  29)

• Xbox One Halo: The Master Chief Collection Bundle (Halo: MCC + 12 Months Xbox LIVE + Xbox One + free game of your choice) for $379 – Walmart exclusive, online only (Nov. 27 only)

• Xbox One Assassin’s Creed: Unity Kinect Bundle for $429 – GameStop, Amazon, Target, Toys R’ Us, Walmart (Nov. 27 –  29)

• Xbox One Assassin’s Creed: Unity Kinect Bundle + Free Controller for $429 – Best Buy exclusive (Nov. 27 – 29)

• Xbox One Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare 1TB Bundle for $429 – GameStop, Amazon, Toys R’ Us, Walmart

Xbox One Game Deals

Microsoft has released the games that will be available on the Microsoft Store, and for a complete listing, be sure to check above.

• Save $20 – $40 on select Xbox One Games – Best Buy, GameStop, Target (Nov. 27 – Dec. 1)
• Buy one Xbox One Game get the other -40% off – Toys R’ Us exclusive (Nov. 27 – Dec. 1)
• $15 Gift Card when purchasing the Halo: The Master Chief Collection – Target exclusive (Nov. 27 – 29)
• Forza: Game of the Year Edition for $25 – Target (Nov. 27 – 29),Walmart (Nov. 27 only)
• Dead Rising 3 for $25 – Target exclusive (Nov. 27 – 29)
• Madden NFL 15 for $35 – Walmart (Nov. 27 – 29)
• FIFA 15 for $35 – Walmart (Nov. 27 only)

Xbox Store Digital Deals are available from Nov. 25 – Dec. 1 and include discounts on the following games:

• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 -  $24.99 (-60% off)
• Angry Birds: Star Wars - $12.49 (-75% off)
• Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – $34.99 (-30% off)
• Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition - $34.99 (-40% off)
• Forza Motorsport 5 Car Pass - $29.99 (-25% off)
• Forza Motorsport 5: Game of the Year Edition – $29.99 (-40% off)
• Killer Instinct Ultra Edition Season 1 – $19.99 (-50% off)
• Rayman Legends – $19.99 (-50% off)
• Sniper Elite III – $29.99 (-4o% off)
• UFC - $13.20 (-67% off)
• Valiant Hearts - $7.49 (-50% off)
• Warframe: 75 Platinum – $3.49 (-33% off)
• Warframe: 170 Platinum – $6.49 (-33% off)
• Warframe: 370 Platinum – $13.49 (-33% off)
• Warframe: 1000 Platinum+Mods – $33.49 (-33% off)
• Warframe: 2100 Platinum + Mods – $66.99 (-33% off)
• Warframe: 3210 Platinum + Mods – $99.99 (-33% off)

(Photo via: Sharq Controllers)

Xbox One Controller Deals

• Save $10 on any wireless Xbox One controller – Microsoft Store (Nov. 27 – Dec. 3)

• Save $15 on any wireless Xbox One controller – GameStop (Nov. 27 – Dec.1 )

• Xbox One Wireless Controller for $39 – Walmart (Nov. 27 – Dec. 1), Best Buy, Target (Nov. 27 – 29)

Xbox 360 Console Deals

• Xbox 360 console for $129 + Forza Horizon 2 or Titanfall for free – Microsoft Store (Nov. 27 – 29)

• Xbox 360 4GB with Kinect Bundle for $179.99 – Target (Nov. 27 – 29)

• Xbox 360 500GB Call of Duty Bundle for $199 (Call of Duty: Ghosts & Black Ops II) – GameStop (Nov. 27 – 29)

• Xbox 360 4GB console for $99 – Walmart (Nov. 27 only)

Xbox 360 Game Deals

The following Xbox 360 games are discounted on the Xbox Games Store until further notice:

• Max Payne 3 – $4.99
• Max Payne 3 Rockstar Pass – $3.74
• Soul Calibur V – $3.74
• Borderlands – $4.99
• Borderlands 2 – $4.99
• Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition – $19.99
• L.A. Noire – $7.49
• Red Dead Redemption – $7.49
• Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag – $19.99
• Titanfall Season Pass – $6.24
• Brothers – $4.94
• Gears of War 3 – $4.99
• Gears of War 2 – $4.99
• Battleblock Theater – $7.49
• State of Decay – $6.59
• Batman Arkham City – $4.99
• Injustice: Gods Among Us – $4.99
• Skyrim – $9.99
• Sniper Elite 3 – $23.99
• Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning – $2.99
• Hitman: Absolution – $4.99
• Mirror’s Edge – $2.99
• Crysis – $2.99
• Ultra Street Fighter IV – $9.99
• DBZ: Battle of Z – $15.99
• Valiant Hearts – $7.49
• Trials Fusion – $9.99
• P4A – $14.99
• Magic 2015 – $4.99
• Gears of War – $4.94
• Gears of War 3: RAAm’s Shadow: Pack 2 – $4.99
• Gears of War 3: Season Pass – $7.49
• Gears of War 3: Lancer Complete Launch Collection Skin – $4.99
• Gears of War 3: Weapon Skin Collection – $9.98
• Prototype 2 – $9.99
• The Amazing Spider-Man 2 – $14.99
• Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad – $3.29
• Bullestorm – $2.99
• Burnout Paradise – $2.99
• Fight Night Champion – $2.99
• Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit – $2.99
• Skate. – $2.99
• Skate 2 – $2.99
• Skate 3 – $3.99
• Hitman HD Pack – $4.99
• Just Cause 2 – $4.94
• Bully Scholarship Edition – $3.74
• Midnight Club: LA – $3.74

Gold Membership Deals

• 12 Months Gold for $49.99, 3 Months of Gold for $14.99* – Microsoft Store (Nov. 27 – Dec. 1), *Best Buy (Nov. 27 – 29)

• Save $10 on 12-Month Xbox LIVE Gold membership – GameStop (Nov. 27 – 29)

• Save 50% on 3-Month Xbox LIVE Gold (digital code) – Walmart, Target (Nov. 27 – Dec. 1)

The post Black Friday 2014: Xbox Deals, Sales And Discounts appeared first on VR World.

Sony (NYSE: SNE) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) have a very big problem with digital downloading on their next-gen consoles.

Both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One suffer from some of the most ill-designed handling of digital content in any generation of gaming, making what was once a convenient feature into a troublesome waiting game.

Instead of being straightforward and streamlined, downloading a full game on next-gen systems is awkward, clunky and utilizes some very nasty underhanded tactics. Often gamers are surprised mid-game by having their session interrupted because their download hasn’t finished, or spend hours upon hours staring at a barely moving progress bar on a home screen.

First let’s take a look at how the PlayStation 4 handles digital downloads.

Play as you download: Crutch or convenience?

Usually PS4 games will be bigger than Xbox One games — Dragon Age: Inquisition clocks in at 44.28 GB on PS4 and 41GB on Xbox One — and as we all know, a bigger game means more waiting. The sheer size of next-gen games like Wolfenstein: The New Order‘s 51GB’s is the main reason to stay away from digital, as you’ll be spending a lot of time waiting for the downloads to complete.

There’s nothing more frustrating than spending the same amount of money and then having to wait half a day to play your game.

It’s also important to remember that having an ultra-fast internet connection doesn’t always translate to super-fast downloads.

Digital games are hosted on Sony’s PlayStation Network servers, which control the maximum bandwidth — that is the transfer rates of the downloads themselves — capping your download speeds by default. So in essence your speed does come into play, but it can’t top the designated cap set by Sony’s servers.

In my experience the PlayStation Network is quite bad. The downloads have taken needlessly long -- Wolfenstein, for example, took most of a day and a night to complete — and it’s something that will vary from person-to-person, but all-in-all Sony doesn’t have a very optimized network environment.

The main problem with the PS4’s digital downloads isn’t the speeds, however: it’s the play-as-you-download feature.

Play-as-you-download was meant to be a huge innovation for digital gamers. But as we’ve seen in the past, Sony’s big ideas are often handled badly in terms of actual execution, and this is certain the case here. The big frustration is that the PS4 only shows you the minimum required download to play as soon as possible–in other words, it shows you how little you need to download in order to jump right in the game.

But it doesn’t tell you the actual full download size.

Instead of being upfront and just informing gamers that there’s about 40GB left to go, it lets you jump right in and start playing. Little do you know that you only have about 10% or so of the game on your console; it tricks you into thinking the full game is ready to go.

Shortly enough you’ll be met with an error prompt that interrupts your game by informing you that the game isn’t done downloading. Huh. So you check the Notifications–> Downloads section, but there’s nothing there.

This is where things get really underhanded. You actually have to navigate to the main PS4 menu and check Settings –> Application Saved Data Management –> and then check the game in the listing. Only then will you see what you’ve actually downloaded.

So not only does the PS4 make you believe you’ve got the full game by letting you play, but it doesn’t even tell you how much you’ve downloaded. You have to prod through menus and search in tedious trial-and-error methods just to get the information you want.

Why can’t the PS4 just tell you both the play-as-you-download install as well as the full game install? Why do gamers have to jump through hoops? Oddly enough the new system update patches haven’t addressed this at all, and it still is a sort of “hidden” feature that irks gamers.

The physical install speeds are incredibly fast. You only need to stick the disc in and you’ll be playing in no less than 3 minutes or so — sometimes it takes as little as one minute — with the full game zipped right onto your hard-drive. No hassle, no mess, just gaming.

The post The Problem With Digital Downloads on the Xbox One And PS4 appeared first on VR World.

UPDATE: As part of the console’s first-year anniversary, Microsoft is letting Xbox LIVE Gold users on Xbox One try out the exclusive Sunset Overdrive for free for 24 hours starting Saturday, Nov. 22. The game itself is one of the most fun-filled excursions I’ve played in recent years and is a reminder that wacky chaos still has a big place in video games.

Microsoft affirms that all achievements can be unlocked and kept, and your progress will carry over to the full game should you decided to pick it up in the future. Be sure to give it a shot if you can, I highly recommend it.

Original story is as follows.

The Xbox One is about to turn a year old, and to celebrate Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is hosting a sort of reverse-birthday ceremony where it’ll hand out some free gifts to gamers.

“It’s been an unbelievable year, but we never would have gotten to this point without our incredible fans,” Xbox spokesman Larry Hyrb aka Major Nelson said in a recent blog post.

“We want to thank you for being a part of an amazing 12 months by celebrating with you all weekend long.”

The goodies include a special Year One gamer picture and console background to mark the occasion, and a free (but limited) rental of the acclaimed live-action 2012 mini-series Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn.

North American users will also get a free rental of the newest Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods movie along with a “sampler pack” of episodes from the Dragon Ball Z TV series.

But there’s some strings attached: to be eligible for the gifts you’ll need to have picked up an Xbox One between the original launch on Nov. 22, 2013 and Nov. 11, 2014, and you need to have at least 10 hours of playtime logged on the system.

Microsoft is also taking the festivities up a notch by handing out some great presents to random Xbox One users, ranging from an Xbox One Sunset Overdrive bundle to some GTA V swag and a full year of Xbox LIVE Gold.

Below is a full list of the extras that you could win:

• Xbox One Limited Edition Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Bundle

• Xbox One Special Edition Sunset Overdrive Bundle

• One month membership for Xbox One-exclusive EA Access service

• Xbox Live Gold 12-month membership digital code

• Tiger Shark cash card for Grand Theft Auto V, worth $200,000 in-game GTA Online dollars

• Forza gift pack with Forza RallyCross hat, Lamborghini Huracán 1/24 scale replica, and Xbox One Controller (launch team edition) signed by Tanner Foust, host of Top Gear America, Global RallyCross champion and professional stunt driver

• Forza Horizon 2 Limited Edition Casio G-Shock Men’s Black Multi-Function Digital Sports Watch

• Grand Theft Auto V gift pack with the Los Santos Sheriff Trucker cap, Michael, Franklin and Trevor Posters, and a Grand Theft Auto V sticker pack

• Killer Instinct Season 1 Combo Breaker Pack, the retail version of Killer Instinct Xbox One’s first season and includes all eight season one characters: Jago, Sabrewulf, Glacius, Thunder, Sadira, Orchid, and Spinal. Also includes Fulgore DLC character.

• Special limited edition Nissan 370Z, featuring a custom Casio livery for Forza Horizon 2

• Air Vehicle shortcut for Battlefield 4 for immediate access to all available unlocks for helicopters and jets available in the main Battlefield 4 game

• Arno’s French Rapier for Assassin’s Creed Unity to improve your combat skills

• 75 Platinum in Warframe

• Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare Costume Pack for Peggle 2

• Epic Quest Table in Pinball FX2

• Dance Central Spotlight (full game token)

• Project Spark Premium – 15 days: Grants 2x gain of Spark XP, credits, and champion XP, as well as the ability to purchase new token-only content for earned in-game credits

The default gifts aren’t anything really substantial, but Microsoft’s sentiments are in the right spot.

Battle of the Gods isn’t really anything to get excited about, and we’ve all pretty much seen Forward Unto Dawn already, but the DBZ sample pack should give you a nice refresher in the subtle art of kamehamehas.

Major Nelson confirms that the gifts will be sent out via email codes, so be sure to check your inboxes over the weekend. Once you see them you’ll want to redeem them right away, as it’s likely the codes you receive will expire soon.

As a reminder, Microsoft has cut the Xbox One’s price tag down to $349 for the holidays, including a discount on all special edition bundles including the Assassin’s Creed: Unity bundle.

The post Xbox One Celebrates First Birthday With Gifts For Gamers appeared first on VR World.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Rockstar Games has re-released the infamous gangland-style crime parody on the Xbox 360.

San Andreas can be picked up on the Xbox Games Store for the steal-able sum of $3.74.

That’s right. You can get one of the most acclaimed and entertaining Grand Theft Auto games in history for less than five bucks.

When it was released on the PS2 and Xbox, San Andreas won over the gaming community with its surprisingly in-depth RPG mechanics, unforgettable cast of characters, and an amazing amount of side-missions.

It was also hilarious and quite vulgar–so much that the game was censored thanks to the infamous “Hot Coffee” minigame.

The Xbox 360 version boosts San Andreas‘ resolution to 720p and includes other visual upgrades like enhanced draw distances and improved graphics. Achievements have also been added, with 11 secret unlockables thrown in to boot.

Rockstar has also added in a slew of San Andreas-themed “throwback” jobs in GTA Online in celebration of the game’s anniversary, including the deathmatch mode Grove Street Brawlers, the Bloodring Bangers race and many more.

Below you can find the full list of achievements for the Xbox 360 version:

Getting Started: Meet up with the crew and escape the Ballas.

The End of the Line: Beat the game.

Represent: Purchase a Grove Street tattoo

Hustle some: Win a game of pool

A Legitimate Business: Export all three car lists

The American Dream: Purchase your first house

Get a Pump: Workout your arms or chest.

Pay ‘n’ Spray: Handle the heat with a new paint job

Bike or Biker: Complete BMX or NRG challenge

Beat the Cock: Win the Beat the Cock marathon

Metrosexual: Spend $6,969 on clothes, hair, and tattoos.

School’s Out: Fully complete a vehicle school

Serial Offender: Get arrested 50 times.

Freight Date: Take the train between cities

Horror of the Santa Maria: Drown

Assert Yourself Next Time: Fail a mission

What the City Needs: Master Vigilante Mode

Savior: Master Paramedic Mode

Rescue a Kitten Too?: Master Firefighter Mode

Yes I Speak English: Master Taxi Mode

Trickster: Master Pimping Game

Time to Kill: Watch Credits to the end

Be sure to drop by the Xbox Games Store and pick up your copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas while it’s still discounted. You owe it yourself to relive those glory days of Grove Street hood life.

The post GTA: San Andreas Launches on Xbox 360 For Less Than $5 appeared first on VR World.

For the holiday season, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) is pulling out the big guns by offering various Xbox One bundles for just $349.

Starting on November 2, every Xbox One console in the United States will be slashed by $50–including the Sunset Overdrive, Assassin’s Creed Unity and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare special edition bundles. This marks the second time Microsoft has discounted the price of their all-in-one entertainment system since it offered the $399 Kinect-less option.

The consoles will be available at the lowered holiday price across major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, GameStop and more. Below we have a breakdown of the contents and availability of the special edition bundles.

Sunset Overdrive Xbox One Bundle

Release Date: Available Now

Price: $349 (originally $399)

Contents:

• Cirrus White Console and Controller
• Full game download and Day One Edition in-game items
• Day One Edition downloadable content includes:
  • Nothin’ but the Hits gun
  • Fizzie outfit
  • Hardcore! Hammer

Assassin’s Creed: Unity Xbox One Bundle

Release Date: November 2

Price: $349 (originally $399)

Contents:

• Xbox One Console
• Assassins’ Creed Unity Download Token
• Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag Download Token
• Wireless Controller
• Chat Headset
• HDMI cable
• Power Supply

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Xbox One Bundle

Release Date: November 3

Price: $449 (originally $499)

Contents:

• Custom Xbox One Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare console with 1 terabyte hard drive and sound effects
• Custom Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Wireless Controller
• Full game download of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
• In game bonus content:
  • Unique exoskeleton
  • Advanced Arsenal which features an EM1 Quantum directed-energy weapon and a bullet brass exoskeleton
  • Digital Personalization Pack
• One chat headset, HDMI cable, and power supply
• Limited Edition Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare packaging

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