To win any war, sometimes you have to fight dirty, and while this might be a bit of a loaded term to describe Microsoft's latest marketing ploy, it's fair to say that the proverbial gloves are well and truly off. The Redmond company is trying hard to sell you its new and improved Xbox One, and if you happen to be in ownership of the PlayStation 3, then it is especially interested in your custom. So much so, in fact, that those trading in their PlayStation 3 at any US-based Microsoft Retail Store can save $100 off the purchase of the One, which arrives with the second-gen Kinect as standard.
Now that the hectic release period is over, and the holiday push is just a memory, all attention has now turned to what 2014 may or may not have in store for Microsoft's Xbox One. With gamers already desperate for new titles to play and with some Xbox services still to go live for the new console, every morsel of information is being greeted with both excitement and skepticism in equal measure.
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One may both have sold well in their first couple of months (although some fared notably better than others), but while many gamers like to flock to stores and get their shiny new consoles in early, some wait for special edition models of both console and peripheral. These can take various forms, although tend to be offered as part of a promotion of a big new title , and with Titanfall on the horizon, the game's makers have collaborated with Microsoft to deliver a very nifty looking limited edition controller for the Xbox One.
With the news that digital music sales have fallen for the first time ever recently, music streaming services like Spotify and Rdio are becoming increasingly popular. Microsoft's Xbox Music is a similar proposition to what those aforementioned services offer, with Google also throwing its hat into the music screaming arena via Google Play Music.
Keeping up with the latest game technology sure isn't a cheap proposition. You go out, possibly lining up to get your hands on the latest and greatest gaming machine that money can buy - we'll let you argue over which one that is! - and then you're faced with the question of what software to get for that machine. The problem is that you've spent so much on that shiny new box of tricks that you want to be sure, really sure that you're choosing the right games. Especially when they're as expensive as the current generation of games seem to be.
The official Xbox Video app for Windows Phone has finally been released by Microsoft. Users can now readily download and rent their favorite movies and TV shows right from their smartphones, and with an ever-increasing array of content, it's a must-download for all video lovers. You can find the full app info and download details after the fold.
Waking up on Christmas morning and unwrapping an Xbox One will usually be enough for most of us, but if being the same as everyone else just doesn't cut it for you, then maybe you could ask Kris Kringle for the 24-karat gold plated Xbox One that is currently available at Harrods in London.
Sony and Microsoft have both attempted to continue the console roller-coaster by issuing separate statements about their hardware. The individual statements both take the opportunity to reflect on the sales and successes of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One during the first calendar month of availability. As you might expect, neither company is initially prepared to accept that they are playing catch-up with the other, and as a result have opted to put their own individual slant on November's sales figures with the intention of claiming an early victory.
The renewed console war has officially begun, with both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One having released across several major markets. Having already heard that Sony managed 2.1 million consoles sold in just a couple of weeks from its launch in November to the end of the month, figures shared by Major Nelson suggest that Microsoft is right on its tail.
The Halo franchise has been an integral part of the Xbox's success hitherto, and with the Xbox One having just entered the scene, Larry Hryb, better know as Major Nelson, has just revealed the release date of Halo: Spartan Assault on the console.
