Microsoft on Wednesday announced its plans for the first major updates for the Xbox One console. The traditional Xbox Spring Update will be divided into two parts, with releases on February 11th and March 4th, and include new features such as USB keyboard support and a rearranged Dashboard interface.
Fans of the sci-fi shooter Gears of War were disappointed when developer Epic Games decided to move on from the franchise last year. But now Microsoft, seeking to restore the popularity of its Xbox-exclusive title, has purchased the rights to Gears of War, and has new games in the works for the Xbox One.
A key feature of the new SteamOS is home streaming, which lets users render games on powerful PCs and then stream them to low-power devices throughout the home. Now Valve has opened the feature up to outside beta testers for the first time, and initial impressions are positive.
Joining the HD game remake trend, Peter Molyneux’s classic action role-playing game Fable is getting a big graphical update with Fable Anniversary. Developer Lionhead Studios now reports that the game is ready for production, and that fans of the series can expect to find it at retailers on February 4th.
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Sony announced impressive sales numbers for its PlayStation 4 console on Tuesday. The company reports that it sold over 4.2 million units as of the end of 2013, putting it well ahead of its primary rival, the Xbox One. It also sold more than 9.7 million games during the same period, including both retail and download purchases.
China’s State Council on Tuesday temporarily lifted the ban on the sale of foreign game consoles in the country. Preparations for an end to the nearly 14-year-old ban began last January, culminating in September with the creation of the Shanghai special economic zone to allow foreign companies to make and sell consoles in the region.
Microsoft announced Monday that more than 3 million Xbox One consoles had been sold as of the end of 2013, beating the expectations of many industry watchers. While no official data exists yet for rival PS4, analysts believe that Sony’s console still maintains a small lead in overall worldwide sales.
Valve’s upcoming SteamOS will find a home on a new breed of small Linux-based PCs called Steam Machines. We already knew that iBuyPower and Valve itself were designing hardware, but now the full list of third party Steam Machine partners has been unveiled at CES.
Developers have hacked Nintendo’s propriety wireless technology for the Wii U GamePad, allowing the hybrid controller and tablet to be used with other devices, such as PCs. While still in development, the breakthrough may give new life to Nintendo’s struggling console.
OpenEmu, the classic console emulator built from the ground-up for OS X, has finally launched after months of development and beta testing. The free software lets gamers play classic console games with a beautiful interface and powerful library manager.