Tag: Microsoft - Page 7
Talking Point Why Sony's Right to Retain the Franchises It Funds
Crash course
Insomniac Games announced its soda-based sandbox excursion Sunset Overdrive to an explosion of goodwill this week. The colourful Xbox One exclusive harks back to the Dreamcast era, boasting oversaturated skylines and some decidedly SEGA gameplay mechanics. Sporting a system that sees your firepower increase as you combo tricks, it looks...
News PS4's Power Advantage Over Xbox One Is Irrelevant, Says Pachter
Doesn't influence purchasing decisions
It didn’t take long for the PlayStation 4 to be crowned the king of next-gen consoles. Speculation regarding the power advantages of Sony’s system was rife prior to release, but the story really exploded when it was confirmed that blockbusters such as Assassin’s Creed IV: Black F
News Pachter: Sony Would Probably Like to Get Call of Duty DLC Exclusivity
Switching sides
There are rumblings that changes may be afoot in the Call of Duty content clash. While the series has been historically aligned with the Xbox brand, rumours earlier in the year indicated that Sony may be willing to stump up the cash in order to ensure that the property is associated with the PlayStation 4. And speaking on the latest...
Weirdness We're a Bit Jealous of This Xbox One Indie Game
The only way is 7-Up
Sony may have taken a huge lead in the indie arena, but Microsoft is fighting back with its atrociously named ID@Xbox initiative. As such, it seems that the PlayStation 4 will actually be missing out on one upcoming indie gem: Soda Drinker Pro. The swigging
News Microsoft Ponders PlayStation's Commitment to, Er, Television
TV, TV, TV
Microsoft may be doing its best to refocus the Xbox One’s strategy on games, but it’s still quietly got television on the brain. Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg, entertainment executive Nancy ‘Next Water Cooler Moment’ Tellem questioned Sony’s commitment to original content, boasting that the Redmond-based firm has been...
News UK PS4 Stock Shortages Allow Xbox One to Pull Ahead Over Previous Four Weeks
System wars
While you can find a PlayStation 4 if you look here in the UK, the console is far from being readily available. The system has been sold out at most major online retailers since the start of March, and that’s been reflected in the software sales, which have taken a tumble over the past few weeks. In fact, it seems like the lack of...
News Sony's PS4 Indie Launch Parity Clause Is More Parody
See what you did there
Microsoft’s holding a gun to the heads of indie developers, forcing them to deploy their wares on the Xbox One at the same time as other systems or forget releasing them on the format at all. This means that smaller studios without the bandwidth to produce multiple versions of their titles at once may be forced to launch on...
News Pachter: Titanfall Exclusivity Due to Industry Thinking Xbox One Would Eat PS4's Lunch
Tides are turning
With an Xbox 360 and PC iteration in the pipeline, Titanfall is not quite the bonafide Xbox One exclusive that Microsoft’s hyping it up to be. However, the Redmond-based manufacturer has ensured that the inaugural iteration in Respawn Entertainment’s first-person franchise will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. What does that...
News Xbox One's Heinous Launch Parity Clause Still Causing Problems for PlayStation Devs
Playing dirty
Microsoft may have been quick to react to the negative feedback pointed at most aspects of the Xbox One, but it’s refusing to budge on the launch parity clause that underlines its hastily implemented indie initiative. For those out of the loop, the manufacturer will not allow titles to appear on its system if they’ve already...
Talking Point Should Sony Respond to Microsoft's UK Xbox One Price Cut?
Incredible crisis
You’ve got to hand it to Microsoft, it knows how to react quickly. The Redmond-based manufacturer has been flip-flopping between Xbox One strategies faster than Usain Bolt in sandals, starting all the way back at E3 where the company controversially defended its abhorrent digital rights management policies – only to yank them...
News PS4 Exclusive RIME Almost Ended Up on the Xbox One
Microsoft rejected the release
It may be one of the most anticipated PlayStation 4 titles in production, but things could have been very different for Tequila Works’ stunning ICO-esque excursion RIME. A document uncovered by underground publication VG Leaks indicates that the Spanish developer actually pitched the title to Microsoft first, as an...
News Microsoft Will Pay You to Dump Your PS3 for an Xbox One
We're like so whatever
Remember that old Avril Lavigne video where the “punk princess” tries to get one over on her nerdy double? Well, this brand new Microsoft promotion reminds us of that. Y’see, the Redmond-based manufacturer doesn’t like your old console, and it thinks you need a new one – so much so, that it’s even willing to pay...
News Whoa, PS4 Software Sales Are Swiftly Outpacing the Xbox One in the UK
Greatness sells
Intense console rivalry may not be healthy or productive, but it sure can be a lot of fun – especially when you're on the winning side. We've known for a while that the PlayStation 4 outsold the Xbox One in the UK, but it's been a week or two since we've had some fancy numbers to gloat about. PlayStation UK boss Fergal Gara is on...
News Microsoft Just Made Sure You Won't Be Playing Gears of War on PS4
Missing the Marcus
You may not have realised it, but up until this morning there was a chance that the next instalment in the Gears of War franchise could appear on the PlayStation 4. Despite the series remaining exclusive to the Xbox 360 across all four of its previous instalments, the property was actually owned by independent outfit and Unreal...
News Blimey, PS4 Sales Are More Than Double the Xbox One in Germany
Wunderbar
The PlayStation 4 has sold an impressive 250,000 units in Germany since its launch on 29th November. In comparison, the Xbox One – which released a week earlier on 22nd November – has moved 100,000 units. The figures come courtesy of Media Control GFK, and track the period up to the end of December. Sony's powerhouse has now sold a...
News Xbox One Isn't the Only Microsoft Machine That PS4 Is Outselling
Jump out
It’s still far too early to come to any conclusions, but Microsoft’s period of domination in the UK may be about to come to an end. Industry magazine MCV reports that the PlayStation 4 not only outsold the Xbox One last year in Britain, but it also pulled ahead of the Xbox 360 – despite only being available for around five or so...
News Microsoft: Sony's Done a Nice Job Defining the PlayStation 4
Tell it like it is
Most gamers may see the relationship between Microsoft and Sony as some sort of bitter rivalry, but recent weeks have proven that the two companies merely view each other as sparring partners. Employees at the Redmond-based manufacturer were quick to applaud the North American launch of the PlayStation 4, while executives at the...
News How Microsoft's Hostile Indie Policies Could Impact PS4
Xbox One manufacturer forcing launch day parity
We’ve been holding off writing about Microsoft’s overdue Xbox One indie policies for a few days now, because this is something that really shouldn’t be particularly relevant on a PlayStation-centric site. There’s always wider competitive overlap that we look to explore, of course, but the...
Rumour PS4 Loses Black Friday Battle Against Xbox One
One console to rule them all
There’s been nothing but good news surrounding the PlayStation 4 of late, but Microsoft may have finally uncovered a chink in the Japanese giant’s armour. According to research firm Infoscout, the Xbox One beat Sony’s new super machine to the top of the Black Friday sales charts last week. The research group...
Rumour Could PS4 Copy Xbox One's Universal Remote Features?
PlayStation, watch TV
Sony has filed a series of patent applications straight out of its office in California. All six of the patents – submitted by Sony Network Entertainment – refer to the topic of using “movements sensed with a motion sensor or camera, pointer movements and clicks, and touches that involve movements and multiple touches”...
Weirdness So, What Happens When You Plug a PS4 into the Xbox One?
Well, the world doesn't end
It’s a mystery more puzzling than the meaning of life: what happens when you plug a PlayStation 4 directly into an Xbox One? Microsoft admitted earlier in the year that its next generation console’s HDMI input could be used to connect a competing console, and now the embargo has lifted on the Redmond-based firm’s...
News Microsoft Pats Sony on the Back for Successful PS4 Launch
Round of applause
As entertaining as the console wars can undeniably be at times, all three major gaming manufacturers rely on each other to succeed. After all, a healthy industry is good for business – and competition is a great thing for consumers. This surprisingly sporting image from Microsoft congratulating Sony on the PlayStation 4 launch...
Weirdness South Park Tackles the PS4 and Xbox One Console War
Stoking the flames
Clearly not content with its own impending South Park: The Stick of Truth, the potty-mouthed animated series has taken it upon itself to tackle the never-ending topic of the console wars. The clip that we've embedded below sees the show's main characters split up after pledging their allegiance to either the PlayStation 4 or Xbox...
Weirdness Microsoft Confirms That You'll Be Able to Play Killzone on Xbox One
In a roundabout way
Microsoft may have shifted the Xbox One’s messaging away from media functionality a touch after the backlash that it received following the format’s unveiling back in May, but that HDMI input still exists on the rear of the device. Mainly designed to allow you to overlay the next generation console’s interface on top of...
News Call of Duty: Ghosts on PS4 Pulls Ahead of Xbox One, Too
The gap's widening
Call of Duty may be considered an Xbox franchise due to Microsoft’s longstanding partnership with Activision, but it seems that the next generation version of the upcoming Call of Duty: Ghosts will look superior on the PlayStation 4. Responding to a slew of previously unsubstantiated online rumours, Infinity Ward’s executive...
Talking Point How Much Do Format Face-Offs Really Matter?
Counting pixels
If there’s one thing that we’ve learned from the abundance of animated Ron Paul images being posted around the web today, it’s that it’s most definitely happening. The expiration of Battlefield 4’s next generation review embargo inevitably brought with it more drama than a daytime soap opera overnight, with epic
News Battlefield 4 Commands Next-Gen Advantage on PS4
World War III
Forget the conflict at the heart of Battlefield 4 – and the fact that the first-person shooter is almost certain to sell more copies on current generation formats – because it’s the comparisons between the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of DICE’s latest deployment that are destined to flare up tempers throughout the rest...
News Yoshida: Microsoft Has Very Smart People, We Don't Take Them Lightly
Executive recognises Xbox One threat
By all accounts, the PlayStation 4 may be the system to beat this Christmas – but that’s not stopped Sony Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida from recognising the lingering threat of Microsoft and the Xbox One. Speaking with our friends over at Games Industry.biz, the humble executive complimented
News North American Consumers Pick PS4 As Their Christmas Console
Jingle bells
While the PlayStation 3 has never really been a slouch in North America, it’s been consistently outsold by both the Xbox 360 and, for much of the generation, the Nintendo Wii. The tables could be about to turn in Microsoft’s strongest territory, though, as the upcoming PlayStation 4 is currently tracking above the Xbox One in North...
Reaction Microsoft Gatecrashes Sony's Global PS4 Release Party
A November to remember
It’s taken what feels like an eternity, but Microsoft has finally attached a release date to its next generation console. The under fire Xbox One will deploy on 22nd November in 13 nations around the world, slap bang in the middle of the PlayStation 4’s global rollout. Speaking during its
News David Cage: Microsoft Didn't Understand Our Goals with Heavy Rain
Quantic Dream pitched the title to Xbox maker
Heavy Rain could very well have soaked the Xbox 360 to its circuits, but Microsoft decided to pass on the project due to its child abduction plotline. Speaking as part of a BAFTA event in London overnight, Quantic Dream’s founder David Cage explained that the French studio actually pitched the project...
Weirdness Sony's Latest Xbox One Dig Is Actually Really Rather Amusing
Lighthearted banter
Remember at E3 when Microsoft executive Phil Spencer kept switching his shirts? He started the company’s press conference donning a State of Decay tee, but went through more costume changes than Lady GaGa during the firm’s hour-long keynote in Los Angeles. Never one to miss an opportunity to turn the knife, Sony’s own
News Skype Eager to Arrange a Video Conference with PS4
Microsoft committed to cross-platform
Skype may be one of the Xbox One’s most prominent features, but that’s not stopping Microsoft from considering a PlayStation 4 version of the popular application. Chatting with the BBC as part of the video conferencing tool’s tenth anniversary, corporate vice president Mark Gillett explained that the...
Reaction Xbox One's FIFA 14 Giveaway Is Smart, But Sony Should Stick to Its Game Plan
Swapping sides?
In an announcement that’s been compared to the introduction of Lionel Messi in the dying minutes of a cup final, Microsoft has revealed that all Xbox One pre-orders will ship with a copy of FIFA 14 in Europe. It’s a game changer for some, as it effectively reduces the p
Reaction Xbox One Delay Leaves the Door Ajar for PS4
Windows of opportunity
There will have been one of two reactions to Microsoft’s sizeable Xbox One delay within Sony’s colossal European headquarters today: cheers or mopped brows. At almost every turn, the North American company has been playing into the PlayStation maker’s hands, and this latest setback is just another example of that. It’s...
FAQ What Are the Differences Between the PS4 and Xbox One?
For and against
Console clashes don’t get much more competitive than the upcoming conflict between the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Not since the days of derogatory SEGA commercials has a system showdown promised so much drama. But with two formats vying for your finances this fall, which device is the best choice for you? The following text...
News Sony's Loaning PS4 Development Kits to Indie Studios for Free
Keeping costs down
Microsoft’s latest Xbox One-Eighty has changed the conversation yet again. Overnight, the firm confirmed that it will allow self-publishing on its next generation platform within the system’s first year on the market. That puts the console in line with the PlayStation 4, but the Redmond-based organisation’s trump card is...
Reaction Microsoft's Stopped the Xbox One Rot, But PS4 Is a Step Ahead
Manufacturer is still clutching at straws
Vision is a word that Microsoft likes to use a lot. "Our vision is that every person can be a creator," said corporate vice president Marc Whitten earlier today, following the platform holder’s second massive Xbox One-Eighty in as many months. After a unanimous panning from pretty much the entirety of the...
News Analyst: There'll Be More Xbox Ones Available at Launch Than PS4
Oh, really?
While it’s widely rumoured that Microsoft may be having some manufacturing issues with the Xbox One, Robert W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian stated in a recent investor’s note that he believes that the Redmond-based manufacturer’s system will be readily available this Christmas. In fact, the financial forecaster stressed that the...
News Xbox One Developer Concedes That PS4 Is More Powerful
Specifications show superiority
As part of a question and answer session on Reddit, an Xbox One developer has admitted that the PlayStation 4 is more powerful than Microsoft’s machine. Despite this, the operating system engineer noted that the size of the gulf in performance is still up for debate, and that the games on the Redmond-based...
Reaction Microsoft May Have Reacted, But PS4 Is in Control
Follow the leader
Sony has been heavily criticised for being reactionary throughout the course of this generation. The platform holder that so confidently set the tone of the gaming landscape with the PSone and the PlayStation 2 was caught off guard by the Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii, an oversight that prompted it to play catch-up in almost every...
News Analysts Believe That PS4 Is Still in the Driver's Seat
Microsoft's adapted policies won't change system showdown
The immediate question after Microsoft’s dramatic DRM u-turn last night revolved around what impact the reversal will have on the PlayStation 4. Sony milked its pro-consumer policies during E3 2013 last week, but now that the Redmond-based firm has responded, does that put the Japanese...
News Pre-order Allocations for PS4 Far Outstrip Xbox One
GameStop ceases accepting deposits for Microsoft's machine
Microsoft may have moseyed back into the console battlefield with last night’s announcements, but it could still struggle to satisfy demand at launch. Polygon reports that mega retailer GameStop has already fulfilled its allocation of pre-orders for the Xbox One, and has ceased accepting...
Talking Point What Does Microsoft's Massive Xbox One-Eighty Mean for PS4?
Round like a record
We didn’t expect Microsoft to stick with its digital rights management policies after the mauling that it faced from consumers and the media at E3 2013 last week, but even we’re a little stunned by the swiftness and scale of its turnaround. If you’ve been living under a rock, the Redmond-based firm has just revealed that...
Reaction PS4 Price Advantage Will Prove Pivotal in the Battle Against Xbox One
Every little helps
While much of the next generation narrative has been pointed purposefully at digital rights management and used games, arguably the biggest discussion thus far has been left untouched like the awful pizza at a Chinese buffet. SCEA executive Jack Tretton may have revelled in revealing the PlayStation 4’s pro-consumer plans during...
News You Won't Be Able to Pre-order a PS4 from This Particular Branch of GAME
Only people wearing green may enter
Much like GameStop in North America, GAME is the biggest specialist video game retailer in the UK, stocking a diverse range of software for all of the major consoles. However, you won’t be able to purchase PlayStation content at the giant’s latest branch in Shoreditch, London – because it will only stock...
Reaction There Is One Thing That Sony Could Learn from Microsoft at E3 2013
Taking notes
This year’s E3 was very special for PlayStation. Despite dominating the industry with the PSone and the PlayStation 2, the company has assumed the role of an underdog at times during this generation. While the PlayStation 3 has played host to some phenomenal games – and posted some impressive sales figures in the process –...
Talking Point Has Microsoft's E3 2013 Showing Lessened Your Interest in the PS4?
Xbox One steps out of the shadows
It was imperative that the Xbox One had a strong showing at E3 2013. Last month, the backlash to the platform’s initial unveiling was undeniably negative, with a whopping 84 per cent of you noting that the system had done nothing to quell your anticipation for the PlayStation 4. But today’s press conference was...
News PS4 Pre-Orders Just Behind Xbox One at Amazon UK
The battle begins
It looks like Microsoft’s confusing DRM policies have done nothing to deter the casual consumer, as Amazon.co.uk has confirmed that the Xbox One is currently winning the battle for platform pre-orders – but only just. According to the online retailer, the next generation system has been added to 2.3 per cent more baskets than...
Talking Point Will You Still Buy the PS4 If It Treats Game Ownership Like the Xbox One?
Going through changes
For a company that’s made copious communication blunders over the course of the current generation, Sony’s handled the subject of used games in an unexpectedly cunning manner – primarily by shutting its mouth. While its closest competitor Microsoft has been hung, drawn, and quartered since the Xbox One’s unveiling, the...