Indeed, Microsoft's new console got many of the expected new features. The updated Kinect is in appearance as many expected. The connection between Xbox and Windows, the built-in camera, the updated controller, the advanced specifications, and even the Blu-ray drive that many thought would show up indeed has shown up. No doubt many were saddened to hear about the loss of backward compatibility, a blow for all of those hoping to save a few bucks on the new model by trading in the old one. It can still be done, of course, but it will cost access to all the old games. Microsoft will still be supporting the Xbox 360, a smart move given the number of games that are already out there and have been purchased since.
The system is set to arrive later this year, for an as yet undetermined price--I suppose Microsoft had to hold something back for E3--and will throw in some unexpected twists as well. While indeed, there's a level of multitasking here that shows off Microsoft's continued efforts to take over the entire living room, the addition of a voice recognition system for the console is something of a surprise. Where before, the Xbox could use voice recognition with the Kinect--I still remember how humbling it was to see "Xbox / Bing / X-Men" at E3--now the whole thing is voice active. Simply saying "Xbox On" in its direction will power the unit up, and that's something of a treat.
Microsoft also put a lot of punch in Xbox Live, which is going to provide a lot of the new entertainment infrastructure, including some big surprises like a Halo television series.
The big issue on a lot of gamers' minds was used games, which got something of a shaky nod here. While games would have to be installed on the system, reports insisted that Microsoft would "support secondhand games." The question of "how" wasn't readily answered, especially since an installed game is difficult to sell or share. But Microsoft spokesmen did confirm when talking to CNET that used games would receive specific accommodation. Some reports suggest that there would be a fee to install a game on a second drive, which would be a serious hurt to the used industry, which would either have to update its own pricing to reflect the change or else require gamers to pay the fees themselves, which would likely reduce the amount of used games purchased. After all, if the cost of a new game is only slightly more than that of a used game plus the fees required to activate it, what sense is there in buying used?
Still, the future is looking at least reasonably bright for gamers. The new line of consoles, with the obvious exception of the Wii U, look powerful and eager to provide hours of entertainment to their owners. With a set of new games likely to follow, as well as new visual content, Microsoft's got a nice healthy lineup ready for us. But both Sony and Microsoft still have a lot they haven't yet shown off, so it's going to be a while before we get the fullest picture of just what the next generation of gaming is going to look like. Based on the early reports, though, the picture is looking quite sound, if still a bit hazy in spots.
