Tag: Microsoft - Page 7
Reaction Xbox's E3 2015 Attempts to Block PS4 Upgrade Path
Microsoft focuses on the faithful
There were a couple of key themes during Microsoft's big E3 2015 media briefing today: a refocused emphasis on games under the leadership of Phil Spencer; an obsession with this holiday season's exclusives; and, perhaps most importantly, a desire to offer something fresh but familiar for the Xbox faithful. The...
News Even Xbox's Boss Is Impressed by Bloodborne's PS4 Sales
Hunter's dream
In a move that's been no way orchestrated by Microsoft's marketing team, Phil 'One of Us' Spencer has congratulated Sony on the success of Bloodborne, which has already surpassed one million sales globally. To be fair to the Xbox chief, he did at least acknowledge that people would raise eyebrows at the message – so there's that...
News Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo Are Working Together to Stop DDoS Attacks
Console camaraderie
We may all have different gaming preferences, but we can probably all agree that DDoS attacks suck. Whether it's the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live that goes down, seeing services get targeted by code junkies for their own selfish entertainment is never nice; at the end of the day, we all just want to enjoy our games –...
Poll Is It Now Time for Sony to Consider a $349.99 PS4 Price Promotion?
Talking in circles
Stop us if you've heard this one before. Yes, we're back with another familiar article involving PlayStation 4 price points, console sales, and the exact kind of story that's seemingly become our lifeblood over the past few months. Before you dive into the comments to tell us to fix our broken record, though, hear us out: we're at...
News Analysts: Xbox One Will Catch Up to PS4 in 2015
The battle goes on
Michael Pachter put his neck on the line recently, and stated that the PlayStation 4 will maintain control of the console space through 2015 – but this was before Microsoft's big NPD win in November. To his credit, the likeable forecaster is sticking with his reading of the situation, but a predictions post from
News See, the Console Wars Don't Have to Be Mean
Just slimy instead
War never changes – unless, of course, they’re console wars. Ever since Sony dropped its anti-DRM bomb at E3 last year, both the Japanese giant and Microsoft have learned that the best way to ingratiate themselves to potential consumers is to act like their best friend. Every press conference now concludes with a message of...
News Minecraft Will Continue to Exist on PlayStation Platforms Despite Big Microsoft Buyout
Redmond firm confirms $2.5 billion acquisition
The console war is about to get really weird, as Xbox chief Phil Spencer has pledged that Minecraft will continue to exist on PlayStation platforms – despite Microsoft purchasing maker Mojang for $2.5 billion today. “Gaming is the top activity across devices,” he
News Sony: We Know Microsoft's Going to Give Us a Run for Our Money
Console maker ain't getting complacent
Everything’s looking rosy in the PlayStation Nation right now. Sony’s next-gen system is running away with the console crown, already surpassing 10 million units, with many more to come this Christmas, we suspect. Moreover, the lineup looks good, with a strong mix of first-party and third-party titles on...
News PS4 May Not Be At the Foot of the Japanese Hardware Charts for Much Longer
There's a new flop in town
Japan may still be considered something of a gaming mecca among some, but its importance in the console space is slowly declining. With many of the region’s biggest developers struggling to adapt to the PlayStation 3 era, and handhelds currently ruling the roost, it’s not exactly a surprise to see the recently released...
Rumour Minecraft Maker May Be Purchased by Microsoft for $2 Billion
Good job they finished the PS4 version
Minecraft has already proven that it’s a pixelated license to print money, and Microsoft apparently wants the lucrative brand under its umbrella. A report on the Wall Street Journal states that the Redmond-based firm is in talks to purchase Mojang, the organisation behind the bricklaying game. According to...
News Xbox Chief's Uncharted Adoration Motivated Tomb Raider Deal
"We don't have an action adventure game of that quality"
Back when Microsoft ambiguously announced that it had secured Xbox exclusive rights to Rise of the Tomb Raider, we speculated that it may have been looking for a direct competitor to Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. The specifics of the deal are still shaky almost seven days later, but it sounds
Gamescom 2014 Microsoft All But Confirms That Rise of the Tomb Raider Will Release on PS4
Pretty much, anyway
Told you so. In an interview with Eurogamer.net, Xbox chief Phil Spencer has admitted that Rise of the Tomb Raider isn’t actually an Xbox One exclusive at all, and that its deal with Square Enix has a set “duration”. That means that,
News Sony: PS4's Christmas Lineup Compares 'Very, Very Well' to Xbox One
Greatness awaits
As with the PlayStation 3 before it, there’s an accelerating sentiment around the web that the PlayStation 4 lacks games. Despite new releases deploying on a weekly basis, many armchair analysts have opted to criticise the console’s first year – primarily its lack of first-party content. Many argue that Microsoft – with...
News Nintendo Thumps PlayStation in E3 2014 Twitter Head-to-Head
Hashtag haymaker
Sony may be winning the hardware sales war with the PlayStation 4, but it couldn’t overcome Nintendo in the great Twitter battle of E3 2014. According to social media intelligence analytics provider Crimson Hexagon, a whopping 47 per cent of related tweets posted during last week’s convention referenced the Wii U maker, with its...
Talking Point How Did the Three Major Manufacturers Fare at E3 2014?
Compare and contrast
E3 2014 is over, and we’re breaking the fabric of time and space in order to celebrate. In this inaugural cross-platform, cross-network, cross-website extravaganza, the editors of Nintendo Life, Pure Xbox, and, er, Push Square have put aside their boxing gloves, and joined forces to bring you this industry wide look at all...
Talking Point Will Sony Have Enough PS4 Material to Topple Microsoft's Game Heavy Show?
Games, games, games
Microsoft’s heavily hyped E3 media briefing this year was always going to be about redemption for the put upon platform holder. With new gaffer Phil Spencer attempting to turn around the organisation’s image, the press conference was filled with phrases aimed directly at fans. “Thank you” was a statement that seemed...
E3 2014 PlayStation and Xbox Executives Slay the Web with a Simple Embrace
This isn't how it's supposed to be
We thought that this industry was all about a war of words and exclusive games – not hugs and kisses prior to the biggest gaming convention of the year. Alas, it seems that new Xbox boss Phil Spencer and former PlayStation president Jack Tretton are eager to prove that the console war only exists on the Internet,...
News Microsoft: PS4 Is Outperforming Xbox One Because PS3 Didn't Satisfy Consumers
Oh, right
Sony is certainly no stranger to silly statements, with its hubris heading into the previous generation providing plenty of memes which still do the rounds today. However, it would appear that Microsoft learned nothing from the Japanese giant’s biggest blunders, as the firm is still making some wince inducing statements regarding the...
Reaction Xbox One's PS4 Impersonation Improves with Kinect Reversal
Xbox, WTF?
Microsoft successfully completed its transformation of the Xbox One into the PlayStation 4 today, announcing that the system will soon be sold without a Kinect camera included. This likely represents the last reversal in a throng of backtracks, and the decision has presumably been made in response to
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...
