 "Next-gen Xbox launch titles reportedly include Ryse and Forza")
With the next-gen Xbox event just over the horizon, there are reports about the launch titles for the console. According to Polygon, Microsoft’s next-gen console is set to launch with a new Forza game and a new IP – Ryse.
While the Forza game is to be expected, as it is one of the flagship exclusives for the console, the inclusion of Ryse in the next-gen launch line-up is a puzzling one. The game has been in development for quite some time now and was originally revealed as Codename: Kingdoms back in 2010. The game is being co-developed by Microsoft Studios and Crytek, and is a first-person hack-and-slash game set during the days of the Roman empire.
Alongside Ryse and a new Forza, the next-gen Xbox is set to launch with a game a featuring zombies and a family-oriented casual game set on an island. The console will also be moving away from using Microsoft Points and instead will charge regular money for buying things on the online store.
Forza will be one of the Durango’s launch titles
It was recently revealed that Microsoft will be integrating cable with the next-gen Xbox. According to the report, Microsoft might bake in a feature in its next-generation console that would take over a TV and set-top box to overlay a Microsoft-developed UI on top of the existing service provider’s interface.
The next Xbox’s always-on connection will be used for streaming content and access to TV signals. Microsoft has implemented functionality where a cable box signal is passed to the Xbox over HDMI. This will allow the company to overlay a UI and Xbox-specific features on top of an existing TV channel or set-top box.
The next-generation Xbox will supposedly go a step further than Google TV thanks to exclusive tie-ups with major content providers. However, the Xbox’s TV features will be basic at launch and more advanced features will come as part of later updates.
Besides this TV functionality, the console will come with a next-generation Kinect sensor that is said to detect multiple people simultaneously and even detect eye movement to pause content when viewers turns their head away from the screen a la the Samsung Galaxy S4.
The console is said to be instantly ready for users to play and will always maintain a network connection so that console software and games are always up-to-date. The new Kinect is expected to have a wider field of view, better tracking and no motors. Thanks to the Blu-ray drive, games will have to be installed on the HDD and the console will not be able to stream data from the optical disc. It will have a system that will allow gamers to begin playing while the game is being installed to the HDD rather than having to wait till the installation is complete.
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