Xbox One

Do you have BT Sport and hate changing the channel? Now you can watch all the balls via your Xbox One in a new dedicated app.

Microsoft's accessibility-friendly Adaptive Controller has been made to work with Nintendo Switch.

Update 26/11 Happy Cyber Monday one and all! There are a couple of last-minute Black Friday deals left over for Xbox One: the cheapest requires you to actually go to a store, with Xbox One S 1TB with 2 Controllers available at Tesco for £159.99 (RIP, Tesco Direct). Amazon has got a couple of new offers for a bit more, with an Xbox One S 1TB with Forza Horizon 4, Red Dead Redemption 2 w/Steelbook for £219.98 or a Xbox One S 1TB with Battlefield V & Red Dead Redemption 2 w/Steelbook for £228.98 if you're not keen on cars. We've updated all the other offers on Xbox One X and Xbox One games and accessories further down the page.

Update 26/11 Happy Cyber Monday one and all! There are a couple of last-minute Black Friday deals for Xbox One: the cheapest requires you to actually go to a store, with Xbox One S 1TB with 2 Controllers available at Tesco for £159.99 (RIP, Tesco Direct). Amazon has got a couple of new offers for a bit more, with an Xbox One S 1TB with Forza Horizon 4, Red Dead Redemption 2 w/Steelbook for £219.98 or a Xbox One S 1TB with Battlefield V & Red Dead Redemption 2 w/Steelbook for £219.98 if you're not keen on cars. We've updated all the other offers on Xbox One X and Xbox One games and accessories further down the page.

Microsoft will roll out Xbox One keyboard and mouse support next week, and world-dominating battle royale game Fortnite will be among the first to include it.

Microsoft will bolster its Xbox Game Pass line-up with PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, which will join the subscription service this Monday, 12th November.

Microsoft will tell you its Xbox One X is hot stuff - but one owner says the world's most powerful console is proving a little too warm for comfort.

After five years, Xbox indie self-publishing programme ID@Xbox has reached its 1000 game milestone. Home to hugely successful titles such as Cuphead, Stardew Valley and Celeste, the service tips over the 1000 game mark this month with the release of Mark of the Ninja: Remastered, Dark Star's Sinner: Sacrifice for Redemption and Guns, Gore and Cannoli 2 by Crazy Monkey Studios. I know, I know - it's not Below.

Xbox One's long-in-development new avatar system is now available to everyone, as part of the console's October update.

Microsoft has announced Project xCloud, a major new game-streaming service designed to bring console-quality gaming to devices such as smartphones.

The idea is similar to other game-streaming ventures - datacentres packed with Xbox hardware which then remotely streams the game to your device.

But of course with such an idea comes the need to solve issues such as latency and visual fidelity - which is where Microsoft's Azure cloud technology comes in.

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The oversized Xbox Duke controller is now available in translucent green - the same colour as the Hulk, for whom the controller would still be too large.

Update 04/09/2018: We've gone ahead and updated our list to the very best deals around right now once more, shortly before Black Friday deals start taking over the internet. You'll find all the latest deals below.

The latest Xbox One system update - rolling out now to alpha testers - has several handy new features for fans of streaming, shopping and avatars.

For the first time, broadcasting via Mixer will let you toggle on the ability to include "everything" you're doing on your console - including on the dashboard.

Until now, Mixer would pause any time you switched games or brought up the Home screen. There are options to hide your email and notifications for your privacy.

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UPDATE 19/7/18: Microsoft has contacted Eurogamer to clarify that the "new hardware" announcement does, indeed, relate only to “new Xbox bundles and accessories”.

Whether you're a fan of the World Cup or Wimbledon, Microsoft wants you to buy a shiny new white-coloured controller, the first of a new Sport range.

The pad is white with mint green and silver, and a rubbery diamond-patterned grip. Just remember to hold it and not kick or throw it at your opponent.

Otherwise, it's your standard recent Xbox One controller, with a 3.5mm headphone jack and Bluetooth for connecting to PCs and tablets.

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It looks like Xbox One is getting voice control support from third-party devices, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

The Xbox Adaptive Controller, which leaked online last week, has now been made official by Microsoft.

Designed in collaboration with gaming charities, Microsoft's new bit of kit is meant to be a sleek, affordable gaming solution for people with limited mobility.

Describing the project as being "years in the making", Xbox boss Phil Spencer has written of how the project came from making something which could cater for the needs of individual gamers:

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All Xbox One games and Microsoft Store PC games are now eligible for digital gifting.

We've just got our best look yet at Microsoft's refreshed Xbox Live avatars via a freshly leaked video.

Announced last year at E3, Microsoft's redesigned Xbox avatars are now finally just a month from launch.

Microsoft has announced its plans for E3 2018 - and it's doing things a little differently this year.

Remember Inside Xbox? In the days of Xbox 360, the console's official video show was a fixture of its dashboard.

There's a new update for Xbox One - rolling out today to those in the Insider program - which adds a form of Remote Play with PCs.

The ability to pass control of your, well, controller to someone else is not a new idea - but it's the first time Microsoft has dabbled with the feature.

It works through Mixer, Xbox's baked in streaming service, and lets you pass control to anyone watching on PC via Mixer.com.

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Microsoft has added another round of games to its Xbox Games Pass subscription service, including Rise of the Tomb Raider, Super Lucky's Tale and Resident Evil Revelations 2.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has delivered an impassioned speech on the need for inclusivity within the games industry and discussed how Microsoft's gaming division has evolved over recent years.

UPDATE 5.30PM: Microsoft has now told Eurogamer that the game has been removed.

Mixer, Microsoft's streaming service Twitch rival, is getting a couple of familiar features in the months ahead.

A new version of Microsoft's expensive Xbox Elite controller appears to have been outed online.

Microsoft is developing a new system to track your overall accomplishments on Xbox, currently dubbed your "career".

Microsoft is adding a 'do not disturb' option to Xbox One.

Xbox One's unloved camera accessory just died another death - the adaptor which let it work with Microsoft's current Xbox One models has now also been discontinued.

You can now join an Xbox party chat using an Android device.

It sounds like Microsoft's new and improved Xbox Avatars won't be out until next year.

The new 2.0 avatars were expected to launch on Windows PCs this autumn and on Xbox One a little later. However, when asked on Twitter if the new Xbox Avatars would still turn up before the year's end, Microsoft's Mike Ybarra confirmed they would "most likely [be] early next year. Working to make them great. Patience will pay off."

Microsoft's new avatars were revealed back in June, and place a particular focus on diversity and inclusivity. They feature a much-expanded range of customisation options, including prosthetic arms and legs, wheelchairs, and non-gender-locked clothing. "For everybody everywhere", is how Microsoft has described them.

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Xbox One X is off to a positive start, with a UK launch week sales total which matched that of Nintendo Switch earlier this year.

Better yet, Microsoft's Xbox One X beat the launch sales tally of its biggest rival, the PlayStation 4 Pro.

More than 80k Xbox One X consoles have now been sold in the UK, according to figures obtained by Eurogamer sister site GamesIndustry.biz.

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Remember last month when Argos promised to deliver Xbox One X at 12.01am? Well, the retailer kept its promise.

Xbox One X is now available in the UK - but many Amazon customers are still to receive theirs.

As the games industry mulls the future of big-budget single-player-only games, Microsoft has suggested one way companies such as itself could fund these types of projects in the future: subscriptions to services such as Xbox Games Pass.

When Microsoft launched Xbox One S in August 2016, it did so with the offer of a free adaptor to use the console with Kinect.

Microsoft's Spotify rival, Groove Music, is shutting down.

Microsoft once had plans to release an Xbox smartwatch, new photos suggest.

Microsoft has improved the resolution of Xbox One's Game DVR feature, used to record your gameplay highlights. It'll now capture at 1080p, instead of the previous 720p.

Microsoft discontinued the original Xbox One after it released the Xbox One S, it has confirmed.

The Xbox One S, which launched in August 2016, effectively replaced the original Xbox One. Any you see available to buy will be from shops clearing stock or second hand.

"As is typical for the console industry, we stopped manufacturing the original Xbox One when we introduced Xbox One S," a Microsoft spokesperson told Eurogamer.

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It's fair to say Microsoft's Gamescom offering left us underwhelmed. For Xbox One X's last big showing before its November launch, we expected announcements and footage to make the console a must-buy. Instead, we got reheated E3 assets and that same old mantra: the most powerful console in the world. Sure, it's accurate, but also accurately followed by 'great, now what are you going to play on it?'

Xbox One X's vertical stand, shown off earlier this week during Microsoft's Gamescom livestream, will be available to buy separately.

An Xbox One system update has added a range of new options to filter your game collection, including one for Xbox One X-enhanced titles.

A "fundamental change" to Xbox achievements is coming, Microsoft has teased.

The Xbox One Insider program is now available to all, with flexible levels of access for those who want fewer system updates.

Anyone signed up to the Insider program will receive system updates early, as well as the chance to test other apps and games. In return, members are encouraged to give feedback on their experience via the Insider app.

The Insider program has four levels of access, which unlock depending on how long you have been in the program and how much feedback you have given. (Giving feedback gets you Insider app XP, which then ranks you up levels.)

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UPDATE 8/8/17 3.35pm: Spotify for Xbox will launch today, Xbox exec Aaron Greenberg has just confirmed.

Microsoft's unveiled three new Xbox One controllers: Green/Grey, Patrol Tech Special Edition and Volcano Shadow Special Edition.

Xbox One users have reported seeing a bizarre error message which talks about My Little Pony.

Microsoft plans to add game gifting to the Xbox One store soon.

The man with the world's highest Xbox Gamerscore has, after 11 years, finally been overtaken.

Dead Island: Definitive Edition, Resident Evil 6 and The Flame in the Flood headline Microsoft's first round of additions to its Xbox Game Pass subscription.

A Microsoft survey for Xbox Live Reward members has mentioned Nintendo's unannounced SNES Classic Edition microconsole.

Microsoft's streaming service Beam has been re-named - it's now called Mixer.

UPDATE 3.30pm: Microsoft has now confirmed the 1st June launch date for Xbox Games Pass - and that Xbox Live Gold subscribers can start their 14-day free trial today, before the programme's official start date.

The full Xbox Game pass games list is also now available: it includes Halo 5, Gears of War, Sunset Overdrive, Resident Evil 0, the full BioShock trilogy, plus indie games Spelunky, Terraria, Brothers and Stacking.

ORIGINAL STORY 2.50am:

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Xbox One's new system update includes very handy new Party chat overlay, which will show who is currently speaking among your friends.

Microsoft has launched an enormous Xbox One sale on backwards compatible Xbox 360 games, with more than 275 prices chopped down in size.

Microsoft at one point planned to launch a beefed up Xbox console in 2016, but ended up scrapping the project.

Development resources were later folded into Project Scorpio, Xbox boss Phil Spencer told Gamasutra.

The canned console project sounds like it would have increased the power of the standard Xbox One - something last year's Xbox One S did not do in any meaningful way.

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The final design of Xbox One Scorpio has yet to be unveiled, but we've now got our first look at the console's dev kit.

Xbox has launched an enormous spring sale, with some eye-catching offers and more than 350 game prices slashed.

Xbox One's next system update adds support for the console's new ESL-backed tournaments feature, named Arena.

World of Tanks is the first game supported by Arena. You can use it to join ranked matches, be notified of tournament progression and to see and share results.

Arena was announced a while back, along with Xbox's partnership with ESL, the world's largest esports company. Expect support for more games in the near future.

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Xbox is getting an EA Access-style subscription service that lets you play a rotating catalogue of games for a set fee per month.

More than 100 Xbox One and Xbox 360 titles will be unlocked to download if you purchase a £7.99/$9.99 Xbox Game Pass.

Essentially, it's EA Access but for Xbox exclusives and games from third-parties.

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Microsoft will hold its annual E3 press conference a little earlier this year - on the Sunday before the show starts.

ITV's catchup service has at last arrived on Xbox One. It only took three years.

Microsoft has revealed another eye-catching line-up for its Xbox Live Games with Gold promotion, this time headlined by LucasArts classics Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Monkey Island 2.

January in the UK means cold weather, dark mornings and Brexit.

Down under in Australia, however, it's summer - so here's an official inflatable Xbox One controller.

This creation comes from the same Aussie brains that cooked up last year's snuggly Xbox One onesie (and was confusingly announced during our summer). That was so popular you can now get a free version for your Xbox avatar.

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The Xbox One's Guide feature is about to get a spruce-up, care of an incoming console update.

Microsoft is about to add a couple of new controller colours to its official Xbox One range: the unimaginatively titled "red" and "green/yellow".

In other video game audio news, Microsoft's said Dolby Atmos sound is coming to Xbox One and Windows 10 in 2017. Xbox will be the first game console to feature Dolby Atmos.

Xbox One will get a refreshed Guide menu and completely revamped Snap feature over the coming months.

Xbox One's backwards compatibility programme is one of the best features of the console.

Following on from September's aggressive original PlayStation 4 bundle sale in UK shops, Microsoft's now selling original 500GB Xbox One bundles for as little as £180 - and in most cases you get a free copy of the superb Forza Horizon 3.

Microsoft has made its Xbox Preview Program open to all - and renamed it Xbox Insider Program.

Previously, you needed an invite to get early access to games and apps coming to Xbox One. Now, you just need to opt-in to get access.

It's worth noting, however, that Xbox system updates will be limited to those already testing them, and so will not be open to new members. Microsoft said this is because it still has a huge number of volunteers already testing and providing feedback on system updates.

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Back in the summer, Microsoft launched a limited run of Xbox One onesies for you to buy and wear.

Hard-to-win Xbox achievements will now sound a little different.

An N64 emulator app for Xbox One was released and then quickly removed from the console's marketplace.

Albert Penello leads planning for Xbox, which means he's heavily involved when Microsoft works out what it's going to do next in video game land. It also means he keeps a keen eye on the competition - and right now that competition is Sony's recently-announced PS4 Pro and slim.

Last night Sony announced the PS4 slim and the PS4 Pro. The slim is pretty much the same as the original PS4, except it's smaller, and the Pro is more powerful than the original. There's a lot more detail in Digital Foundry's in-depth report on the PS4 Pro.

Some of the biggest internet providers in the UK have ganged up to try and force through better internet in Britain - and it's calling on gamers to have their say.

First there was Xbox One. Now, there's Xbox Onesie.

Sure, you can play games on your Xbox One. But does it have pockets? Does it have a hood? Can it keep you warm? (Actually, yes my Xbox can get pretty warm but you'd have to hug it and it has kind of sharp corners so this probably isn't a great idea).

Enter the Xbox Onesie.

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UPDATE 8/8/16 5.40pm: Microsoft will not refill stock of the white 2TB Xbox One S, the company confirmed to Eurogamer at gamescom today.

It looks like people are waiting for the Xbox One S and Project Scorpio before buying an Xbox One.

Microsoft reported its financials for the fourth quarter of its 2016 financial year, so for the three-month period ending June 2016, and said gaming revenue decreased $152m, or nine per cent, primarily due to lower Xbox hardware revenue.

Now, Microsoft doesn't reveal sales for the Xbox One or the Xbox 360, but considering it's discontinued the decade-old Xbox 360, we can assume the bulk of its Xbox hardware revenue comes from the Xbox One.

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Xbox One will finally get the ability to play background music next month as part of a fresh console update, but it sounds like streaming service Spotify won't be included.

Microsoft will not hold a press conference at this year's Gamescom.

Xbox Avatars will soon be able to use wheelchairs, Microsoft has revealed.

Two-and-a-half years after launch, Xbox One will finally get background music support on 2nd August, Microsoft has announced.

The ability to play games and listen to your own music in the background has been one of the most-requested features from Xbox One owners.

Now, Microsoft has stealthily confirmed it will arrive on 2nd August as part of the console's Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

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Microsoft's made its one millionth Xbox One Elite controller.

Microsoft's E3 media briefing was strong, I thought, although its impact was dulled by a pretty spectacular set of leaks that not only revealed the existence of the Xbox One S and Scorpio ahead of time, but the running order of the show.

Xbox One games will look "identical" on Xbox One S, Microsoft has said, despite the newer console's slight boost in processing power.

Clubs are coming to Xbox Live on all platforms this autumn, allowing you to connect with others with the same interests - be that Minecraft creators or fellow Forza drivers.

Microsoft's next major Xbox One update further blurs the lines between the console and Windows 10, and revamps the platform's store with Top Free and Top Paid categories.

This summer will see the first Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps arrive on Xbox One and use the same code for both systems. UWP apps already work on Xbox One - the first to do so is the Xbox Avatar app - but the real changes will come when third-parties get involved.

During a tour of the new dashboard provided by Microsoft, we spotted Windows 10 and mobile platform style Top Free and Top Paid categories have been introduced, underneath the main New Games section.

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Two new Xbox One consoles are planned for release over the next two years, according to a new report.

Xbox One has long been known as the home of top games such as Halo, Forza and Gears.

Xbox 360 games released on multiple discs can now be made available via the Xbox One's back compatibility service.

Microsoft's rarer, white-coloured Xbox One has won praise for its looks - at least compared to its standard black monolith of a counterpart.

We're less than three years into the life of Xbox One and PlayStation 4, yet reports abound about new versions of each.

10 years and five months after its original launch, Microsoft has discontinued production of the Xbox 360.

It's been a month since Microsoft dropped the bombshell it would support cross-network play between Xbox One and other consoles - including, in theory, PlayStation 4. The past few weeks have also seen the console giant finally make good on its suggestion that all retail Xbox One consoles will be able to be used as developer kits

More than 5.1m PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles have now been sold in the UK, according to new figures released by retailer GAME.

This compares to 3.5m PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles at the equivalent point in the last console generation.

The UK's current PS3/Xbox 360 userbase stands at 14.5m consoles sold, meaning that PS4/Xbox one is now a third of the way to beating it in just over two years.

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Microsoft wants to know if you'd sell your Xbox digital games for 10 per cent of the purchase price.

Last week, Microsoft dropped the bombshell that it would open up Xbox Live to allow cross-network play between Xbox One and other platforms - including other console platforms such as PlayStation 4.

Microsoft has a flurry of new Xbox One features on the way in its next console update, headlined by an increase in Party Chat size from 12 up to 16.

This larger number will apply to Parties either on Xbox One or on Windows 10 via the Xbox app. You'll also be able to include your Party chat with your Twitch broadcasts.

Backwards-compatible Xbox 360 games will now be listed on the Xbox One store, and achievements will now appear in your feed.

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Xbox boss Phil Spencer has hinted that the Xbox One will receive hardware upgrades.

Microsoft doesn't report Xbox One sales any more, but we have a decent idea of how it's doing - thanks to EA.

We're less than 20 days into the new year and Microsoft has already detailed 2016's first Xbox One system update.

The Xbox One February update arrives today for Preview members and in a couple of weeks for everyone else.

There are no headline-grabbing additions, but plenty of asked-for tweaks which will please regular Xbox One users.

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Microsoft's Xbox One wireless controller adaptor accessory no longer requires Windows 10 to function - you can now use a PC with either Windows 7 or 8.1 installed.

UK sales of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were almost neck-and-neck over Black Friday week, retailers report.

Kinect exec Kudo Tsunoda has moved to a new role outside of Microsoft's Xbox team.

UPDATE 9.15am Now Tom's had his morning cup of coffee, it turns out that the new reward is an avatar item of a ninja cat playing Xbox with you - and not a box of virtual confetti (that was another reward gifted by Microsoft).

Apologies fur any confusion.

ORIGINAL STORY 9.00am: Xbox Preview Programme members have, overnight, each been gifted a box of virtual confetti. (UPDATE: No Tom, they haven't).

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Backwards compatibility is now live on Xbox One. But how does it work?

Today sees the global launch of a redesigned Xbox One user experience and the highly-anticipated addition of Xbox 360 backwards compatibility.

Microsoft has just released the new Xbox One dashboard, which is rolling out now to users worldwide.

Microsoft has unveiled its initial list of Xbox 360 games which will be backwards compatible on Xbox One.

UPDATE 8/12/15 13.20am Sky is finally available on Xbox One today (thanks, Xbox One UK).

Microsoft has shown off a video tour of the new Xbox One dashboard, which launches worldwide on 12th November.

Microsoft has named its November line-up of free games headed to the Games with Gold.

Xbox One is selling and Microsoft has regained some of the momentum it lost back at the console's disasturous launch. But will it ever recover to the point where it beats sales of Sony's PlayStation 4?

All Xbox One pads will soon feature remappable controls, Microsoft has said.

Changes to the Consumer Rights Act come into effect today - and give gamers better protection when it comes to faulty goods.

Xbox One and the Xbox App on Windows 10 have been updated to add 12-person party chat.

Microsoft has announced a new Xbox One bundle that includes a 1TB solid state hybrid drive.

Microsoft will boost the quality of its Xbox One to Windows 10 streaming by providing support for up to 1080p60fps.

The addition comes as part of the August update for Windows 10's Xbox app.

You could previously unlock the setting via a sneaky workaround, although Digital Foundry reported mixed performance results.

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Meet the Ouye, an upcoming console that looks like a PlayStation 4 with an Xbox One controller.

What a difference one man and 18 months can make. Before Phil Spencer took over at Xbox, the brand was in troubled waters. Questionable policy decisions had shook Xbox and mired the early days of its new console in acrimony, and even though Microsoft wisely chose to listen to concerned consumers it's been working hard to regain the momentum lost ever since. As it heads into a vital fourth quarter of 2015, the momentum has definitely returned: the broadening of the Xbox brand to PC was helped by the relatively smooth roll-out of Windows 10, the Xbox division just turned a neat profit and, while it still falls short in sales to Sony's PlayStation 4, its line-up for the remainder of the year looks significantly stronger than its opposition's.

UPDATE 12/8/15 4.30PM: Amazon's offer of a (nearly) half-price Xbox One Elite Controller was sadly too good to be true.

How's your Gamescore getting along? Nearly 10 years on from the launch of Xbox 360, Microsoft's gaming awards system has now passed the 100,000 available achievements mark.

Xbox One will support mouse controls in the near future, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has said.

Microsoft reported its results for the fourth quarter of its 2015 financial year, and while the company made a gargantuan loss, Xbox and the division it sits in made a tidy profit.

UPDATE 10th July 2015: Notorious hacker group Lizard Squad has attacked Daybreak games including Planetside 2 in an apparent retaliation against boss John Smedley.

After a week, more than a million votes for Xbox 360 back compatible games have been cast via Microsoft's official Xbox Feedback site.

Microsoft will launch a limited edition 1TB Forza Motorsport 6 Xbox One console this September.

The Xbox One's backwards compatibility tech will fully support Xbox 360 DLC as well as games, Microsoft has confirmed.

Microsoft managed to sell just 100 Xbox One consoles in Japan between 8th and 14th June.

That figure is an all-time low for the console, which has struggled to find any foothold in the country since it launched there in September 2014.

Home console sales are down across the board in Japan this generation, but Xbox has suffered far, far worse than its competitors.

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Microsoft's most eye-catching E3 2015 announcement was the addition of backwards compatibility to the Xbox One. It means some Xbox 360 games will be playable on the console.

Microsoft's standard Xbox One controller is one of the most comfortable around, so it was something of a surprise when the company announced that it had a new version of its pad in development.

UPDATE 16/6/15 07.40am: Xbox boss Phil Spencer has confirmed to Eurogamer that online multiplayer in Xbox 360 games will still work on Xbox One.

UPDATE 2: Microsoft has since confirmed to Polygon that the new Xbox One controller adapter will only support PCs that are running Windows 10.

Amazon is listing a new 1TB Xbox One bundle that includes the system's newly-tweaked controller and a copy of Halo: The Master Chief Collection.

Microsoft will launch the full version of Windows 10 on 29th July 2015.

As previously announced, all Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users will be able to upgrade for free.

Owners of the above operating systems will soon see a small Windows icon in their taskbar. Clicking it will allow you to "reserve" your upgrade.

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UPDATE 29/5/15 2.10pm: Austrian retailer Libro has leaked the first images of Microsoft's tweaked Xbox One controller.

The upcoming pad will sport a new 3.5mm headphone jack, as we reported yesterday. There appears to be no further changes to the design, now shown off in box art posted to the retailer's site (thanks, Lifelower).

Microsoft's redesigned controller appears to have a release date set for 8th June - before E3. We expect to hear something from the company sooner rather than later making the controller update official.

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Microsoft has detailed new features headed to the Windows 10 Xbox app in June, including game hubs, improved avatar support and more.

But there's little new for Xbox One next month - at least, that we know of so far. Microsoft had decided to save the announcement of some "exciting" new features for its E3 press conference next month.

If you have Windows 10 already you will soon be able to access game hubs for each title you play, similar to Xbox One, where leaderboard and achievement information plus community updates and DLC details are all collated.

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Xbox One owners should check their emails: Microsoft has sent out an offer of 12 months free EA Access if you refer a friend to buy a console.

Microsoft will hold its E3 press briefing on Monday, 15th June at 5.30pm UK time.

Announcing the event, Microsoft described the titles it would show as "the greatest games line-up in Xbox history".

We're likely to see more of already-announced titles such as Halo 5: Guardians, Rise of the Tomb Raider, Forza 6 and Fable Legends.

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Xbox account credit received during the Microsoft Points switchover expires at the end of the month, Microsoft has warned.

Microsoft has shown off its new-fangled HoloLens headset working with Windows 10 and revealed that universal Windows apps can support the technology.

Microsoft has today begun advertising a new, lower price point for Xbox One in the UK - £299.99.

Disney will launch a six-film bundle of Star Wars films this Friday, 10th April, which will be downloadable via Xbox Video.

Its price? £69.99.

Amazon, iTunes, Google Play and Disney Movies will also sell the collection, although buying them through Xbox Video unlocks several special bonuses.

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Microsoft considered the idea of providing the original Xbox console for free.

Microsoft has detailed further Xbox One enhancements due as part of the system's April firmware update, including voice messages.

Available to dashboard preview testers this week and all Xbox One owners soon after, voice messaging will allow you to leave voicemail-style audio clips in your friends' inboxes.

A popular feature on Xbox 360, voice messages have been one of the most-requested Xbox One features among fans.

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UPDATE 06/04/2015: The first part of the Xbox One's April update is out now. It includes the features we detailed below along with some other ones we previewed later in March.

There's now a Party Chat troubleshooter, links to Game Hubs from Achievements, Achievement descriptions in the notifications, and an updated "What's On" feature allowing you to keep up with trending content that may be to your liking.

Here's a video detailing the new features:

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Gamer Network, the lovely company which also operates this website, has begun selling tickets for EGX 2015.

Overdog is a new third-party matchmaking service for Xbox One that incorporates Facebook-style profile information to find you multiplayer buddies that share your interests.

Sign up for the free service and you can fill in details on your favourite movies, TV shows, music and sports teams.

You can then search for people who want to play the same games as you - to finish a raid in Destiny, for example - and receive matches that also share similar hobbies.

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Games console subscriptions such as Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus will now be included in the UK government's consumer price index, a ranking of commonly-used goods and services collated to determine the impact of inflation.

Microsoft's Xbox One parity clause has caused a lot of confusion - both among the developers it relates to and gamers trying to work out if a title they like will be released on their console.

Nyko has just released its $25 Intercooler for Xbox One, a console clip-on that improves the ambient temperature of the system.

Xbox 360 owners can now grab the free Xbox One titles given away each month as part of Games with Gold directly from the last-gen console.

Microsoft is selling off its white Xbox One and Sunset Overdrive console bundle for just £279.99 a pop.

The top reason for buying a PlayStation 4 over its competitors this generation is the console's perceived "better resolution", a new US survey reports.

UPDATE 10/3/15 8.10am Xbox One's March update is now available to everyone, Microsoft has announced. This is the one that - finally! - adds the ability to snap screenshots, among other things.

Microsoft runs through all the new features in the video below, but here's a quick roundup: a suggested friends feature for finding other users, variable tile transparency on the dashboard, a report button for spam messages, further party chat improvements and the ability to set screenshots as your background.

Here's a look at the lot in action:

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New details on the Xbox One's upcoming universal apps have revealed that the Windows 10-based programs will be able to run in the background.

Microsoft has released a new update for Upload Studio, the Xbox One's video editing app.

The major update now allows users to mix up to 15 clips together into a single video, with a total running time of up to 30 minutes.

Other new features include the ability to add new transitions, title cards and effects to your videos, even using your Kinect to place you in front of different green-screen style backgrounds.

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Digital assistant Cortana will soon be available within Microsoft Office on mobile and desktop platforms.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has teased the upcoming Xbox One screenshot feature, which should become available for public use soon.

Microsoft is currently testing a new Xbox One controller update that will halve the time it takes for your pad to connect to the console.

Xbox One controllers currently take between four and five seconds to sync with the console, but the new update takes that time down to around two. Handy!

Unspecified "stability improvements" are also included in the firmware update's change list.

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Microsoft announced last night that Xbox One games will be streamable to Windows 10 PCs and tablet devices over a local Wi-Fi network.

Microsoft has revealed a new augmented reality headset, Microsoft HoloLens.

An 18-year-old UK man has been arrested as part of an investigation into the recent DDOS attacks that crippled PlayStation and Xbox services over Christmas. (UPDATE: A day later, he was released on bail.)

Microsoft has clarified its rules for streamers using Xbox game content on services such as YouTube and Twitch.

Xbox One rounded off 2014 by shifting more US consoles during December than PlayStation 4, a feat it has now managed for two months in a row.

The PlayBox is a 22" laptop that combines a PlayStation 4 and Xbox One into a single machine.

UPDATE 6/2/15 10.10am: Microsoft has begun rolling out the Xbox One February system update to all console owners.

Included in this month's firmware refresh are several sets of changes received by dashboard beta testers over the past 30 days, including tile transparency on the console's home screen, further improvements to party chat and the introduction of dedicated hub pages for your favourite games.

The download also includes the controller connection time update, which cuts the time required to sync your pad with your console.

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Xbox One has won an Emmy Award, Microsoft has announced.

Xbox One games will remain available to play and re-download even if they are delisted from the Xbox Games Store, Microsoft has reassured.

Microsoft plans to update its ageing Xbox avatars with "gorgeous" new graphics and a number of new features.

A new report has claimed Microsoft is working on a game streaming technology of its own and it's codenamed Arcadia.

You can now add funds to your Microsoft account using Bitcoin, but only if you live in the US.

BBC iPlayer is finally available to download on Xbox One today, the corporation has confirmed to Eurogamer.

Takashi Sensui, the boss of Xbox in Japan, has resigned his post.

Sensui will stay with Microsoft, but work at the company's US headquarters instead.

The move comes amid terrible sales of the Xbox One in the country, where the console has performed far worse than predecessor Xbox 360 or the original Xbox.

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UPDATE 8.50am 28/11/2014: GAME also has a PlayStation 4 deal. It's selling a PS4 with Evolution's racing game DriveClub and Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Remastered for £299.99.

Microsoft will give away a selection of freebies to anyone who bought an Xbox One during its first year on sale.

Domino's has launched a takeaway app for Xbox One in the UK.

The Xbook Duo is an Xbox One and Xbox 360 combined into a laptop, allowing you to play both consoles from within one slim machine.

UPDATE 27/10/14 11.50am: Microsoft's Christmas Xbox One price cut will remain a US-only promotion for now, Microsoft has told Eurogamer.

"Decisions about promotional and pricing strategies are made at a local level and based on market context," a Microsoft spokesperson said. "We have nothing more to announce at this time."

It's worth nothing that Microsoft's original statement on the matter states that "regional availability and timing outside the US will vary", suggesting that the offer may be announced elsewhere in due course.

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Microsoft will withdraw its free Xbox Music streaming service on 1st December, the company has announced.

Microsoft has announced a $49 (£31) adapter for its Xbox One Kinect sensor so the gadget can be used with Windows 8 PCs.

In a new blog post, the company also announced a fresh update for its Windows Kinect software development kit.

With the launch of the software update and the new adapter, both the Xbox One Kinect and the previously launched Kinect for Windows v2 can now be used identically.

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Microsoft's Digital TV Tuner for Xbox One launches today in the UK, priced £24.99.

UPDATE 10/11/14 8.20am: Microsoft has now begun rolling out November's Xbox One firmware update to everyone with the console, following its usual limited beta test.

The update brings with it custom backgrounds, expanded profiles, Twitter integration and more - full details lie below.

November's update will be the last this year, Microsoft has said, while the company focuses on maintaining Xbox Live over the typically busy holiday period. Monthly updates will then resume at some point early in the new year.

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October's Xbox One system update is now available to download, Microsoft has announced.

Previously available only to beta testers, the new firmware refresh brings with it a redesigned Snap Centre with quick access to revamped Friends, Achievements, Party, Messages and Game DVR apps.

There's also a new quick-launch menu, so you can jump between your last played game and last used app, plus snap and unsnap apps and record your last 30 seconds of gameplay.

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Microsoft's indie game parity clause remains in place so that Xbox One owners feel "first class", Xbox boss Phil Spencer has stated.

Customisable backgrounds, desktop themes and a screenshot feature are all coming to Xbox One, Microsoft has announced.

Remember IllumiRoom, Microsoft's Kinect plus projector tech it said probably won't release in consumer form on Xbox One?

Microsoft has said it is not satisfied by the Xbox One's slow start in Japan.

The console has sold 30,003 units in the country after around three weeks on sale - less than half what the Xbox 360 managed in its opening weekend.

"It's not as though we're satisfied with the current sales state," Xbox Japan boss Takashi Sensui told Famitsu (thanks, Kotaku).

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UPDATE 23/9/14 4.45pm Microsoft has officially confirmed its new Xbox One price to Eurogamer and said that, at the moment, it was a UK-only move.

After a short delay, Xbox One will now launch in China on 29th September, Microsoft has announced.

Microsoft has given no reason for the hold-up (the console was originally set to launch today, 23rd September) but noted that it had now received approval from the Chinese government for the console's initial line-up of 10 games.

Chinese Xbox One owners will be able to pick from Forza Motorsport 5, Kinect Sports Rivals, Powerstar Golf, Zoo Tycoon, Max: The Curse of Brotherhood, Dance Central Spotlight, Neverwinter Online, Rayman Legends, Trials Fusion, and the Chinese-developed Naughty Kitties.

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Microsoft has unveiled a wired Xbox One controller for use with WIndows PC.

The aptly-named Xbox One Controller + Cable for Windows launches in November 2014 and works with Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Microsoft called it the best PC controller it's ever made, the "culmination of over 200 prototypes".

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The Xbook One is an Xbox One laptop, and it can be yours for $1500.

Xbox One sales rose during August in the US and nearly doubled the number of consoles sold over July, Microsoft has said.

This was in part due to the launch of a Madden NFL 15 Xbox One console bundle, but also likely helped by Microsoft's generous new 'Buy a Console Get a Game Free' promotion (thanks, VentureBeat).

But the latest figures from US numbers company NPD show that PlayStation 4 is still outselling the Xbox One by some margin.

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Microsoft has said it will replace any Xbox One console affected by a recently-discovered noise issue after a spate of complaints surfaced online.

Xbox One sold 23,562 units during its Japanese launch week, less than half the amount sold by Xbox 360.

Microsoft's new machine had four days to reach that total, Famitsu reported. Xbox 360 managed 62,135 units in half the time back in 2005.

The Xbox One's launch was the lowest for any home console in recent years - well below the Wii U (308k in two days), the PlayStation 4 (322k in two days) and any other machine from the last few console generations.

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Microsoft's October Xbox One update restores some of the functionality found in the Xbox 360 Guide button by adding new options to the console's Snap Centre.

Double-tap the console's menu button and you'll now get a fresh menu to easily load your most recent game, view Achievements or head to the full Snap Centre.

Inside the Snap Centre there are now links to major console apps, meaning you no longer need to head out to the dashboard to see your Friends, Party, Messages or Game DVR apps, or your system clock and battery indicator.

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PlayStation Network has returned online following a massive DDOS attack that also disrupted Xbox Live and Battle.net.

UPDATE 22/8/14 9.30am Microsoft has claimed that its listing of a new 24-hour free game unlock program was an "error".

Xbox One's new Reddit app, ReddX, includes a set of Achievements starring Microsoft community manager Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has accepted his nomination to take part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and, accordingly, has been covered in freezing water.

The limited edition Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare 1TB Xbox One pack will be exclusive to GAME in the UK, the retailer has confirmed.

Priced at £429.99, the bundle will be available from 4th November.

It is currently the only way you can get a 1TB-sized version of the console (and one coloured by custom COD decals, too).

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Microsoft is in talks to sell its Xbox Entertainment Studios division to Warner Bros., a new report suggests.

PlayStation 4 has celebrated a seventh straight month atop the US home console chart, numbers company NPD has reported.

Sony's console wasn't only the best-selling machine in July, it was also the home to the best-selling game - The Last of Us.

PlayStation 4 has now sold 10m consoles worldwide, Sony announced this week. Recent numbers for Microsoft's Xbox One are more illusive.

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UPDATE 29/8/14 8.10am: Microsoft's latest round of Xbox One updates are now rolling out to everyone, the company has said.

This September update (released a couple of days early) includes the new media player app for playing image and video files from a USB, another set of Party improvements (more details below), a handy console bandwidth usage display and other tweaks.

Watch Microsoft's Major Nelson demo the full list of changes in the video below.

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Microsoft has announced an Xbox One Digital TV Tuner that will cost £24.99 or €29.99, and will be available in late October. That's in UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain.

Microsoft is offering Xbox Live Rewards members a special gift on their birthday - a PDF of a paper cake.

Microsoft will officially launch Xbox One in China on 23rd September, the company has announced.

The basic console bundle will be priced at ¥3,699 (around £350) - the same price that Xbox One costs in the UK now without Kinect.

This version does not include Kinect, but instead comes with Powerstar Golf and Neverwinter Online, a free Xbox Live Gold subscription until March 2015, two year's warranty plus content from Chinese TV service BesTV.

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Now TV today launches on Xbox One.

FOVE, a head-mounted visor that tracks the movement of your eyes, has gained the attention of Microsoft.

UPDATE 29/7/14 10:30AM Sony has now released PlayStation 4 firmware update 1.75, users report, bringing with it 3D Blu-Ray support and a few other features.

UPDATE 18/8/14 8.25PM August's Xbox One firmware update is now being made available for everyone to download, Microsoft has confirmed.

Previously only available to those in the Xbox One dashboard beta, the update includes 3D Blu-Ray support and the ability to purchase content while away from the console and have it automatically download.

The console's Activity Feed has also been spruced up - the new version includes the ability to post status updates, plus Like and comment on the posts of your friends.

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PlayStation 4 was the best-selling console in the US in June, Sony has announced, a title that the console has now held for six months running.

Microsoft's decision to begin selling the Xbox One without Kinect (and at a cheaper price) helped double the console's sales month-on-month. But it is telling that, even then, the console still could not beat Sony's machine.

Nintendo saw a 233 per cent increase in Wii U sales over June 2013, largely thanks to the May launch of Mario Kart 8.

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Microsoft has announced plans to cut 18,000 jobs over the course of the next year - its biggest round of layoffs ever.

CEO Satya Nadella published his letter to all employees today, detailing the plan to "realign" Microsoft's gargantuan workforce. As of 5th June 2014 Microsoft had a global staff of 127,104.

Its Nokia Devices and Services division is hardest hit, with about 12,500 of the job cuts. Microsoft bought Nokia's handset business for £4.6bn in September 2013. Approximately 32,000 people transfered to Microsoft from the Finnish company.

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Look on the Xbox One store and you still won't find many game demos. It's something users have asked Microsoft to encourage, and it sounds like Microsoft is listening.

Microsoft has remained evasive on details of its pledge that all Xbox One consoles will be able to become developer kits.

Yesterday, a senior engineer at Microsoft's Xbox Advanced Technology Group said that the company now had "no plans" to implement the feature.

But Microsoft later told Eurogamer that the comments had been "inaccurate", and that the company was still "committed to ensuring the best possible solution".

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Microsoft boss Satya Nadella has committed to Xbox and pledged to grow the gaming brand's fan base.

UPDATE 9/7/14 8pm: Microsoft has issued Eurogamer a statement on today's comments by Xbox's Martin Fuller, which the company now says were "inaccurate".

Sony re-wrote portions of its E3 2013 presentation - when the company fully unveiled the PlayStation 4 - after seeing Microsoft's unpopular announcements detailing the Xbox One's initial policies regarding used games and DRM.

UPDATE 4.05am: Microsoft has confirmed that this offer extends to the UK and Canada in addition to the US. It appears that the first posted pics of the promo just happened to be tailored to the American market.

Kinect 2 for PC costs £159 / $199, Microsoft has revealed.

Microsoft has doubled the amount of OneDrive cloud storage available to all users - it's now 15GB, up from 7GB.

Microsoft has unveiled its line-up of Xbox One software for the console's Japanese launch on 9th September.

The 29 titles on offer include the vast majority of 2014's biggest titles, along with those available back at the console's initial launch last November in North America and parts of Europe.

Titanfall, Call of Duty: Ghosts and Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes top the bill, although the latter will only be available as a download title in Japan, Famitsu reported (thanks, Kotaku).

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Microsoft has moved to clarify the impact of its decision to unlock the power of the Xbox One's graphics processing unit previously reserved for Kinect.

Microsoft's E3 2014 press conference was notable for its focus on games, but one Xbox One feature, touted when the console was revealed last year as one of its unique selling points, was conspicuous by its absence.

Microsoft has launched Xbox Feedback, a site where Xbox One owners can suggest future features for its console.

Users can vote on popular ideas so they get noticed by Microsoft and - hopefully - be added to the Xbox One itself.

Top among the current crop of suggestions are a better "low battery" notification for controllers, the ability to preload games, background music support and voice messages.

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Xbox One will get a new Achievements-tracking app "later this summer", Microsoft has announced.

Microsoft has named another slew of entertainment apps on the way for Xbox 360 and Xbox One, including Now TV and Sky News in the UK.

Microsoft has created a new app it hopes will get people watching the World Cup on their Xbox Ones.

Second-hand games retailer CEX has begun taking Kinect sensors out of Xbox One boxes to shift the console at a cheaper price.

Satya Nadella, the boss of Microsoft, has countered the suggestion from investors and analysts that its Xbox division should be sold.

Sony has announced plans to release PlayStation 4 in China, just weeks after Microsoft revealed a similar move was imminent for Xbox One.

Like Microsoft, Sony will partner with a local company to launch the console - the catchily-named Shanghai Oriental Pearl Culture Development (OPCD), Engadget reports.

Interestingly, both the OPCD and Microsoft's own partner BesTV are owned by the same parent company, the huge Shanghai Media Group conglomerate.

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Xbox One launches in Japan on 4th September at exactly the same price as the PlayStation 4 launched there in February.

Microsoft will add external storage support to Xbox One via June's firmware update, but external devices will need to support USB 3.0 and have at least 256GB of free space.

Xbox One owners can now Snap their console's Skype app and chat more easily while playing games.

Xbox 360 and Xbox One owners will be able to cancel and get a refund for their remaining Xbox Live Gold subscription when Microsoft lifts its entertainment app paywall.

Microsoft is now in talks with publishers about increasing graphical performance for Xbox One games running on Kinect-less consoles.

UPDATE 30/05/2014: Microsoft has confirmed the dates for the impending Xbox 360 Games with Gold offerings, with Dark Souls being available between 1-15th June, while Charlie Murder and bonus game, Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition, will follow from 16-30th June.

Microsoft's decision to sell a version of Xbox One without divisive motion sensor Kinect from this June levels the playing field with Sony and its runaway PlayStation 4, analysts have told Eurogamer.

Microsoft has announced it will begin selling Xbox One without Kinect from 9th June "in all markets" where the console is currently sold.

UPDATE 13/5/14 16.10pm: Entertainment, sports and gaming apps will no longer live behind the Xbox Live Gold paywall, Microsoft has just confirmed, among other sweeping changes for Xbox One (although the paywall changes apply to Xbox 360 too).

Users in Microsoft's Xbox One preview programme have received a second firmware update in as many weeks, this time focusing on party chat and system update fixes.

Version 1405 changes the console's "Get System Update" button so the option is now greyed-out if there is no system update to download, (thanks, DualShockers). The button will display the text "Update console" if new firmware is available.

Issues where Party Chat would be muted unless the Party app was snapped have also been fixed, as is a bug which saw Game DVR clips recorded without audio.

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Microsoft will hold its annual E3 press conference on Monday, 9th June at 5.30pm UK time.

Microsoft has downplayed comments by founder Bill Gates, who said in a recent interview that he would "absolutely" support CEO Satya Nadella if he wanted to spin-off the company's Xbox division.

Microsoft announced yesterday it would launch Xbox One in China this September and try to crack the market of a country which previously outlawed games consoles altogether.

Microsoft has praised an Xbox One fan's vision for the console's currently functional user interface.

Microsoft will launch Xbox One in China in September, it's announced.

China is one of the world's biggest gaming markets, with more than $13 billion generated in 2013. While most Chinese gamers do so on PC and mobile, Microsoft will be hoping Xbox One carves out a piece of that lucrative pie for itself, although it has yet to announce its business model. Xbox One has shipped five million units to retailers in the markets it's launched in. While it's selling significantly faster than the Xbox 360, it's currently lagging some way behind competitor the PlayStation 4.

The launch is the result of a partnership between Microsoft and home entertainment company BesTV New Media Co., and the emergence of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone expansion in September of last year. Both companies formed E-Home Entertainment to manufacture and sell Xbox One there. It is the first official Xbox launch in China.

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Microsoft will begin releasing its own branded video content this June with the launch of Xbox Originals.

You can now buy an Xbox One console and FIFA 14 for £329 at UK retailer Overclockers - that's £100 cheaper than the console's original £429 launch price.

Xbox One launches in Japan on 4th September, Microsoft has announced.

According to Famitsu (translated by Gematsu), Xbox One games set to launch in Japan include Forza 5, Kinect Sports Rivals, Sunset Overdrive, Halo on Xbox One, Dead Rising 3 and Ryse: Son of Rome.

A raft of Japanese companies are making games for the system, including Arc System Works, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Cave, CyberConnect2, From Software, Konami, Level 5 and Sega.

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GAME Boxpark, the Xbox-only store in London's trendy Shoreditch area, will shut down before the end of this month.

New Xbox boss Phil Spencer has discussed his 26-year career at Microsoft and how he intends to take Xbox One forward in a new video interview with Major Nelson.

Microsoft has revealed a few new features it plans to add to the Xbox One in the next system update.

The first concerns Blu-ray player support. The update will add 50Hz video output for content recorded at 50Hz, and the Blu-ray player app will be updated to reflect the improvements.

The second revolves around firmware updates for the controller and headset adaptor. These will reduce audio static and improve wireless connectivity, Microsoft said.

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Xbox Entertainment Studios is partnering with Channel 4 to develop Humans, a new sci-fi TV show.

Eight hour-long episodes will "share a premiere window" in 2015 on Channel 4 in the UK and on Xbox in North America, Microsoft said. There's no details of whether the series will also be available to watch on Xbox here. We've asked Microsoft for comment.

Humans is set in an alternate present day where people share their homes with robotic servants named Synths. The show will follow an overworked father who buys a refurbished second-hand Synth that houses a secret.

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Microsoft has rewarded a five-year-old boy with free games after he discovered a serious flaw in Xbox Live's password system.

Microsoft will today roll out access to the Xbox One's OneGuide feature for "select" users in Europe and Canada.

Phil Spencer is the new boss of Xbox, Microsoft has announced.

Microsoft has unveiled its Kinect for Windows v2 sensor, which looks almost identical to the Kinect sensor for Xbox One.

Microsoft has gone into detail about the Xbox One's player reputation scoring system, and what might happen if you've been naughty.

Microsoft has announced 25 indie games coming to Xbox One as part of the ID@Xbox self-publishing program.

Games such as Nicalis' 1001 Spikes, Guacamelee Super Turbo Championship Edition by DrinkBox Studios and Super Time Force by Capybara are on the list.

More than 200 developers have now received Xbox One development kits through the program, Microsoft said.

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Microsoft has announced further improvements for the Xbox One.

An April update will add a game save progress bar to the user interface, which shows you the status of your game saves. You'll also be able to tell what games and apps are being updated or have been updated recently.

Elsewhere, the April update makes improvements to the Friends system. Notifications will be added so you can see when friends sign in to Xbox Live. Friends in multiplayer will be identified in the friends list. You'll also be able to view friends' most popular apps.

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Microsoft is working on virtual reality devices for Xbox, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Microsoft has yet to release a PC driver for its Xbox One controller, so one user has cobbled together his own method.

Hardcore Achievement hunter Raymond Cox, aka Stallion83, has become the first person to hit a million Gamerscore - 1,000,000G.

Microsoft's top brass remains firmly behind the Xbox brand despite recent changes in the company's leadership, exec Phil Spencer has said.

Microsoft has pledged to improve its Games with Gold programme and make it "more true" to what people might expect from the service.

The Xbox One controller must be updated as well as the console itself for the stereo headset adapter to work, Microsoft has said.

The Xbox One stereo headset adapter is used to connect chat or stereo headsets, such as the official Xbox One stereo headset, to your controller. But it won't work unless you update the controller, and you can't do this unless you have the latest system update, which contains the newest controller software.

Here's what to do: plus in the stereo headset adaptor into the bottom of your controller, plug in a headset, then plug the big end of the included USB cable into the port on the side of the console. That should make instructions to install the update display on your screen. Follow them. Microsoft said the update can take up to three minutes, so put the kettle on.

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Microsoft is rolling out a major update to the Xbox One that addresses a raft of issued users have had with the console.

It improves matchmaking, party chat and friends features and comes ahead of the launch of the multiplayer shooter Titanfall, set to be the biggest Xbox One title to date.

Other highlights include the addition of 5.1 Dolby Digital through optical out. This means devices such as sound bars and headsets with only optical in can receive 5.1 Dolby Digital from Xbox One over optical. Microsoft is also adding support for Dolby Digital surround sound over HDMI.

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Microsoft has released a video showing off the changes the March update will make to the Xbox One.

The long-awaited Twitch app for Xbox One launches on 11th March, Microsoft has announced.

That's just in time for the release of Titanfall, which Microsoft expects to be the biggest Xbox One game yet. And it's clear why: the recent Titanfall beta peaked at number one on Twitch across all platforms with more than 65,000 concurrent views on 13th February.

The Twitch app supports Kinect functionality, so you can say "Xbox, broadcast" at any point during gameplay to start live streaming. You can use Twitch to watch games, chat with players you follow and join a broadcaster's game (broadcasters can invite friends into a private party from the chat stream, allowing them to voice chat outside of the broadcast). You can view the gamer card of anyone streaming from Xbox One and begin following them.

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Microsoft has insisted it has no intention of selling Xbox One without Kinect.

As expected, Stephen Elop, the former head of Microsoft-owned Nokia, has assumed control over Xbox.

Microsoft has announced the first Xbox One price cut.

From 28th February Xbox One will carry an estimated retail price of £399.99 in the UK. It currently costs £429.99.

Coinciding with the announcement, Microsoft has confirmed the Xbox One Titanfall bundle that leaked online earlier this morning. This Titanfall bundle includes an Xbox One console, the Kinect sensor, a standard Xbox One wireless controller, a standard Xbox One Chat Headset, one month of Xbox Live Gold membership and a digital copy of Titanfall for the same price of £399.99. You can pre-order the bundle from today.

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A select group of Xbox One owners are being offered the chance to beta test the console's March firmware update and provide feedback on its changes.

Microsoft messaged its prospective test group of Xbox One users last night and provided a code to download a registration app.

If selected, users will gain access to the Xbox One's March firmware update ahead of schedule so that they can test its new features and report back on their findings.

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Microsoft has announced the Xbox One Media Remote that leaked earlier this month.

The remote lets you control video playback for Blu-ray movies and streaming video on Xbox One. The motion-activated backlit buttons illuminate as soon as you pick it up "allowing it to be used in the darkest of rooms while playing games, watching TV shows, movies and more", Microsoft said. It's out in early March.

It also includes dedicated Back and OneGuide buttons. The OneGuide button lets you access TV shows and movies through the Xbox program guide.

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Sony has boasted of impressive sales for PlayStation 4 in the US last month, where it outsold Xbox One by nearly two-to-one.

Xbox One's controller input will be tweaked as part of the system's February firmware update.

The "fix" has been added specifically at the request of Titanfall's development team, The Verge reported, in another sign of just how crucial Microsoft is treating the game's launch.

"It's just fixing the controller input, really," Titanfall design lead Justin Hendry explained. "It wasn't really where we felt it should be; it was a little overly twitchy with the current controls. Now it's fixed. We're happy with it."

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UPDATE 09.34am: The Xbox One Media Remote has also now been spotted on Amazon UK, priced £19.99.

Microsoft's Xbox Entertainment Studios is developing Street Dreams, a TV series revolving around the life of rapper Nas.

UPDATE 12/02/14: Microsoft has updated its Xbox One Stereo Headset support page with a list of headsets that won't be supported by the Xbox One Headset Adapter.

Microsoft has given further detail on March's Xbox One system update, which will focus on refining the system's multiplayer and social features.

Party chat audio will now be turned on by default when you enter a party, and Microsoft has restored the ability to chat with friends playing different games (previously only possible via Skype).

Your friends list will be made more accessible, too - it will be moved to the main screen of the Xbox One's Friends app, instead of the social feed currently present.

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Microsoft's upcoming virtual assistant for Windows Phone 8.1 will be built around Foursquare technology, a new report has revealed.

Microsoft has given Satya Nadella, its new CEO, a raise. His basic annual salary is now $1.2m - payable semi-monthly.

Microsoft will allow users to see and manage Xbox One storage space in a new firmware update due next week.

Full details of the 11th February update will be released in due course, but the top changes were teased today in a new blog post by Microsoft exec Marc Whitten.

As well as viewing and manage your hard drive space, similar to Xbox 360, you'll also be able to manage your download queue, which will be split into separate lists for games and apps.

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Microsoft has a new CEO - Satya Nadella - and Phil Spencer, boss of Microsoft Studios, has welcomed the appointment.

The new CEO of Microsoft is Satya Nadella, former chief of the company's cloud and enterprise group.

Microsoft will launch its much-needed Xbox One dashboard update in March, a new report suggests.

The firmware refresh will - as promised - include fixes for the console's much-maligned party chat system and a reorganisation of the platform's social features.

Both issues have been continually criticised by users, who have drawn up a list of fixes and missing features they'd like implemented.

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An updated version of Microsoft's ubiquitous Xbox One advert includes hidden clues to a Titanfall promotion.

Eagle-eyed Reddit users spotted the updated advert on UK TV last night, which includes quick flashes of code hidden within the existing advert.

If you haven't seen the regular version of the advert yet (we don't believe you), it's the one where sad people without Xbox Ones are gestured at by Steven Gerrard, Spock and a Roman soldier to "come on" and buy one.

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Microsoft has said it is looking into more competitive pricing for digital versions of Xbox One games.

Microsoft has posted a healthy financial report for the last quarter, with gains in both its Xbox and struggling Surface divisions.

The company said that it had now shipped 3.9 million Xbox One consoles to retailers worldwide, Seeking Alpha reported.

The last time we heard an actual sales figure was when Microsoft noted that it had hit 3 million by the end of 2013 - making Xbox One's current sales total somewhere between those two figures.

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UPDATE #2: Microsoft has asked Machinima to mark videos made as part of its paid-for Xbox One content deal as advertising, the company has told Eurogamer.

Online retailer Zavvi will currently sell you an Xbox One for £409.99 - that's £20 cheaper than the console's £429.99 RRP.

The Xbox 360 was the UK's best-selling home console in 2013, figures shown to Eurogamer reveal.

Fixing Xbox One's unintuitive social features will be the focus of the console's first major firmware update, Microsoft has said.

Core features such as your Friends list, Parties, Avatars and Achievements are now spread across various layers of the dashboard and separated into individual system apps - it gives the system a cleaner look, but makes previously easy-to-reach features a chore to find and use.

"The feedback we've gotten is pretty valid," Xbox exec Marc Whitten admitted to Engadget. "Some of the social stuff is hidden or harder to use than it was on the Xbox 360. So you're gonna see us come out with an update where, well, we're going to fix those things.

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China has temporarily lifted its ban on the sale of foreign video game consoles, opening the door for the likes of Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony to enter the gargantuan market.

The ban, which had been in place for 14 years, prevented the sale of the PlayStation, Wii and Xbox consoles in the country.

Reuters reported on a statement from China's State Council that suspended the ban, allowing "foreign-invested enterprises" to make consoles within Shanghai's free trade zone and sell them within China - as long as they are approved by the government.

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Xbox will get original TV shows early 2014, according to the person in charge of it.

Xbox One has sold two million units in the 18 days since it launched on 22nd November 2013, Microsoft has announced.

Microsoft launched Xbox One in 13 markets then, including the UK. Xbox's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb confirmed the two million figure represented consoles "sold through" to customers.

Those sales amounted to over 83 million hours in games, TV and apps on Xbox One since launch, 39 million Xbox One achievements unlocked and 595 million total Gamerscore on Xbox One.

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Microsoft's first post-launch patch for Xbox One is available now and includes a set of bug-fixes for the fledgling console.

Anyone hoping for a quick addition of some of the many much-requested Xbox One system features (including those removed from Xbox 360) will be disappointed, however.

"We've got quite a few updates planned for the next year based on the community feedback we've been seeing," Microsoft's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb wrote. "I'll have details on those in the future."

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Modders have managed to unlock mouse and keyboard support on Xbox One - as well as the use of pretty much any other kind of controller.

UPDATE #2: Microsoft has spoken out against the government surveillance of its customers and joined other technology giants such as Google, Yahoo, Facebook and Twitter by signing a jointly-authored document entitled 'Global Government Surveillance Reform'.

Microsoft has warned Xbox One owners about an internet prank that claimed the console could be made to play Xbox 360 games.

Microsoft has pledged to tighten its security policies to combat the "government snooping" uncovered in recent intelligence leaks.

Phone network O2 will give you an Xbox One console if you subscribe to a £52 per month phone contract (and pay a £99 upfront cost).

The boss of the company that owns Grand Theft Auto, Borderlands and BioShock reckons it'll take five years for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to outsell their predecessors.

Switching on your next-gen console you might be surprised to notice it lacks some of the most-used features of its eight-year old predecessor. But that is the case with Xbox One, whose operating system trades many of the Xbox 360's system features for a leaner interface.

UPDATE: Microsoft has ditched its platform exclusivity requirement for Xbox One.

Microsoft will update its Windows platforms in spring 2015, according to a report.

Over on ZDNet, Microsoft expert reporter Mary Jo Foley said her sources told her this wave of updates, which will bring PC, mobile and Xbox closer together, is codenamed Threshold.

"Threshold" is a nod to Xbox exclusive shooter Halo. It was the name of the planet around which the first Halo ring orbited back in 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved.

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UPDATE: An industry source has told Eurogamer that life-to-date Wii U sales in the UK are still around the 150,000 mark after a year on sale.

That's around 100,000 less than PlayStation 4 managed in its opening weekend.

Xbox One sales are now up to the 170,000 mark, Eurogamer was told. It was reported last week that Xbox One had notched up around 150,000 units during its launch weekend, suggesting around 20,000 more have been shifted in the last week.

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It was 9am on a Saturday morning and I was hunting around my flat for a paperclip. I needed a paperclip because that is Microsoft's chosen tool for manually releasing discs from an Xbox One drive. And I needed to do this because, hours after being unwrapped, my Xbox One needed to go back in its box.

In the moments before our interview begins proper, Andrew House tells me 2013 has been his most exciting year since joining Sony. If he's being sincere - and, given what happened at E3 this year, he may well be - 2013 should be honoured. House, the communications expert from Wales who rose through the ranks to become boss of all of Sony Computer Entertainment - was at Sony Corp when PlayStation was a mere skunkworks project 23 years ago.

He's seen it all, then, from the pioneering PSone and WipEout to the glory days of PS2 and Gran Turismo, from the tough early days of the hyper-expensive, difficult-to-develop-for PS3 to the euphoria of PS4's unveiling.

Last night, with over 300 fans waiting patiently outside the Covent Garden shop come stage come gaming arcade Sony had constructed to mark the launch of the PS4, PlayStation was buzzing. People walk briskly with clipboards and mics at the ready, setting things up, making preparations, fixing the stage for rapper Tinie Tempah's 11pm show, testing smoke machines...

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UPDATE: There's a potential workaround for the Xbox One TV integration judder issue.

UPDATE: Xbox One sold around 150,000 in the UK during its launch, according to a report by MCV.

The Xbox 360 sold 70,000 units during its launch eight years ago.

ORIGINAL STORY: The Xbox One outsold the Xbox 360 two-to-one in the UK when you compare both console's launch periods.

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Like PlayStation 4, Xbox One has got off to a great start.

UPDATE: Olatunji's manager has issued a statement on his client's behalf insisting the YouTuber had changed his ways.

The statement, issued to Eurogamer sister site GamesIndustry International, is reproduced in full below:

Shortly after the 2012 Eurogamer video, KSI pro actively removed it from YouTube and made an apology directly to Eurogamer. He wasn't asked to remove the video in question, but on reviewing the content, he felt it contained potential to offend and thus removed it from his YouTube channel.

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Last week Microsoft congratulated Sony on the North American launch of the PlayStation 4. With Xbox One out today, now it's time for Sony to return the favour.

Here's the tweet from the official PlayStation account:

There were virtual high fives earlier today from PlayStation executives to their opposite numbers at Microsoft.

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UPDATE: Microsoft has removed its instructions for updating Xbox One without connecting it to the internet.

The company issued Eurogamer a statement contradicting its earlier claim that the site could be used to manually update an Xbox One's firmware. The files which users could download to do so have also been pulled.

"The site was not an alternative way to take the Day One update and customers still need to connect to Xbox Live for the update," a spokesperson said. "Because of the complexity of this customer support process we've actually removed the page and we will work with customers directly to make sure they have a smooth experience."

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Xbox One launches in the UK at midnight tonight and there are still places to buy one - even if you haven't pre-ordered.

UPDATE: Astro headsets can produce Dolby 7.1 audio even from the Xbox One's stereo-only digital optical output, the company has said.

"Microsoft's decision to drop Dolby encoding on their SPDIF [Sony/Philips Digital Interface Format] output at launch does have ramifications for ASTRO's products," the company told Eurogamer.

"While our products do not process DTS signals, we do have on-board Dolby encoding in both our A50 Wireless Transmitter as well as our Wired MixAmp Pro."

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Like the PS4, the Xbox One includes a 500GB hard drive. Unlike the PS4 - and the Xbox 360 - the Xbox One does not feature an overall storage option to tell you how much space you have left.

Streaming gameplay from Xbox One via the Twitch app has been delayed to 2014, Microsoft has announced.

Xbox One's official companion app is now available to download for Windows Phone owners.

Xbox One will let you upload gameplay clips to SkyDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage application, the company has announced.

The video file will appear in SkyDrive in a special Xbox One gameplay directory which can then be accessed by your smartphone, tablet or PC. From there you can share the 720p MP4 files to any social network or edit them further.

"Xbox One is the only console that allows you to take your clips to any social network, video upload site or professional editing tool," Microsoft boasted in a new Xbox Wire blog post.

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Like PlayStation 4, Xbox One requires a subscription to its premium service to play games online. But what, exactly, do you get with Xbox Live Gold?

Canned concepts for the Xbox One controller included a version that created smells to match on-screen gameplay.

UPDATE: Less than an hour later and Asda has now sold out of its Xbox One Day One Edition stock.

Microsoft has posted a video showing how long it takes for Xbox One to boot up from its "Xbox, on" Kinect-powered voice command.

South Park has taken on the next-gen console war - and won.

The Now TV app for Xbox One won't be out until summer 2014, Sky has said.

Microsoft has released a new Xbox One video that showcases the console's Snap feature.

Cloud-based file hosting service SkyDrive will be available on Xbox One at its 22nd November launch, Microsoft has announced.

Xbox One users with early access to the system have revealed the install sizes for much of the console's launch line-up.

A small number of customers recieved their consoles last week due to a shipping error by US retailer Target. Microsoft has since blocked the consoles from Xbox Live until launch.

Moonlightswami, a user publicly identified by Microsoft as being one of the lucky few, has been posting information and screenshots from the system online (thanks, NeoGAF).

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The BBC has confirmed it is working on an iPlayer app for Xbox One, just days after Microsoft left the service off its list of entertainment apps arriving alongside the system on 22nd November.

Microsoft has released a 12 minute Xbox One video that gives us our best look so far at what it will be like to use the system.

UPDATE: We've known for a while that Microsoft will include Achievements in Xbox One applications, but here's a first look at the awards.

Apps use a new form of Achievements named Challenges which do not offer any Gamerscore. They are however tracked by the Xbox One system - hence the completion percentages shown above.

US app Amazon Instant Video has a Challenge to watch 10 titles before the end of the year, for example.

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Seven months after he spoke out online over the public response to Xbox One's "always online" policy, Adam Orth, then a creative director at Microsoft, has finally adressed the storm of internet rage that followed.

The limited edition white Xbox One auctioned on eBay has sold for £5000.

The money goes to GamesAid, which supports UK charities who help disadvantaged and disabled children and young people.

The console was donated by an anonymous member of the UK Xbox team who wanted to use their launch team commemorative special edition Xbox One to raise money for a good cause. Well done anonymous member of the UK Xbox team!

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This Kinect feature could be one of the sensor's best upgrades for Xbox One: the ability to scan in and redeem a voucher code without having to enter any fiddly information yourself.

An unknown number of Xbox Live subscribers have received an email from Microsoft that offers them a full copy of Xbox One digital launch title Killer Instinct on 22nd November.

UPDATE: Xbox One will not have free, ad-supported Xbox Music streaming after all, the company has now said.

Ahead of the launch of Xbox One and the new and improved Kinect, Microsoft has published its revised Xbox Privacy Statement.

Pre-pay for your next-gen console at GAME and you'll get a fast-track ticket for launch night that will let you skip the standard queue.

Customers who pay off their console before launch day will be allowed to enter a "fast lane" to quickly exchange their ticket for their shiny new game gubbins and avoid a wait in the cold.

GAME has begun emailing customers with details of the offer, as spotted by NeoGAF and XboxOneForums.

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With the next generation of consoles nearly upon us, EA, one of the biggest game publishers in the world, has had its say on what it expects from the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Sony has gone on the record to say it will shift five million PlayStation 4 consoles before the financial year's end - 31st March 2014.

Microsoft has yet to gaze into its own crystal ball and predict Xbox One numbers, but in a financial call overnight, EA executives predicted a similar number for the console.

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UPDATE #2: Blockbuster's official Twitter account has issued the following instructions on how to receive a refund on a pre-ordered PS4 or Xbox One:

Microsoft has hired TV presenter Jonathan Ross to work on Xbox.

With the Xbox One nearing its 22nd November 2013 launch, Microsoft is ramping up its marketing blitz - beginning with an expensive-looking ad featuring a couple of high-profile celebrities.

Good news for people with seven friends - both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 will allow for eight-player chat at launch.

PlayStation party chat will allow PS4 and Vita owners to converse with each other, the US PlayStation blog reported. But not all headsets will support party chat at launch.

Anyone hoping to use their PS3 bluetooth headset will need to wait for a post-launch patch in order to do so, even for Sony's own-brand PULSE headphones.

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Xbox One's Machinima app will let you watch walkthrough videos on your TV as you play, Microsoft revealed in a new video last night.

Dubbed 'Wingman mode', the console's Machinima app can stream videos while snapped to the side of the screen, allowing you to get help and hints without pausing your game.

A full-screen video mode is also available - your gameplay will be paused while watching this. Or alternatively you can watch on a separate SmartGlass-enabled smartphone or tablet.

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Xbox One's redesigned Friends interface has been shown off in a fresh video, highlighting the console's social feed, profile pages and new Follow functionality.

Xbox One won't automatically record footage of you unlocking an Achievement. Rather, it's a feature developers can enable, if they wish.

UPDATE 2: A Microsoft spokesperson issued Eurogamer the following statement, telling gamers: "Will not target ads to you based on any data Kinect collects unless you choose to allow us to do so."

Microsoft has announced a 75-city world tour for Xbox One, with dates planned for London and Dublin in November.

On the third floor of a building that fits snugly into the heart of London's West End is Soho Productions, the self-confessed "biggest Microsoft Studio you never knew existed".

Microsoft has issued a warning to prospective Xbox One owners: don't stand it up vertically!

Xbox One's dashboard interface and game switching features have been shown off in a new video, posted by someone in possession of the unreleased console.

The ability to trade and loan digital games on Xbox One will be implemented at some point, Microsoft hopes, despite the earlier furore surrounding the console's DRM plans.

Stock of Microsoft's Xbox One Day One Edition is now running low in the UK, a survey of UK retailers suggests.

UPDATE: PlayStation 4 will support four controllers, Sony has confirmed, in response to reports that Xbox One supports eight.

Microsoft has rebranded Xbox Live Marketplace ahead of the Xbox One's launch.

Xbox One's Kinect voice controls will be fully available at launch in the UK, but the same cannot be said of all launch countries.

The console will arrive this November in 13 "tier one" territories, but just five will get specific voice commands such as "Xbox On": the UK, US, Canada, France and Germany.

10 countries will get at least some voice features, Microsoft director of product planning Albert Penello explained in a post on NeoGAF, while eight languages and regional variations will initially be supported.

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Sony and Microsoft have both confirmed that their next-gen consoles can automatically download freshly-purchased content while you're away from the machine.