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EA Sports bringing Madden 25, FIFA 14, NBA Live 14, EA Sports UFC to Xbox One

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EA Sports’ Andrew Wilson has announced that Microsoft and EA Sports have entered into a “broad partnership” to bring their sports simulations to the Xbox One. The first phase of this partnership includes the release of Madden NFL 25, FIFA Soccer 14, NBA Live 14, and EA Sports UFC on the Xbox One. All four will launch in the next 12 months.

To build their next-generation titles, Wilson revealed “EA Sports Ignite,” a brand new game engine that will be used for these four titles. Wilson wants gamers to know that the Ignite engine allows EA to bring “True Player Motion, Human Intelligence,” and “Living Worlds” to EA Sports games.

The Xbox One version of FIFA 14 will receive exclusive FIFA Ultimate Team content and a “daily stream of new content” for the other games will be available through Xbox Live.

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Xbox One has a “Game DVR” and video editing tools

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Marc Whitten, the General Manager of Xbox Live, has announced that Xbox One will take the PS4’s Share button a bit further with the “Game DVR” included with Microsoft’s new console. The “Game DVR” includes a variety of video editing tools and videos can be uploaded and shared thanks to the 300,000 servers Microsoft plans to bring online by the end of the year.

For comparison’s sake, when Xbox Live launched in 2002, it was powered by 500 servers with more 15,000 in use today.

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Xbox One controller includes 40 design improvements

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While it mostly looks the same, the Xbox One controller has undergone a few changes.

Marc Whitten, the General Manager of Xbox Live, revealed that the controller includes improved ergonomics, an integrated battery compartment, “Impulse Triggers to build feedback directly into the controller,” Wi-Fi Direct Radio Stack, and a Precision Directional Pad.

At least it still includes four triggers, four face buttons, two analog sticks, and a D-Pad.

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Xbox One includes 8 GB of RAM, Blu-ray, “next-generation” of Kinect

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Marc Whitten, the General Manager of Xbox Live, has taken the stage to take us under the hood of the Xbox One.

The new console includes 5 billion Transistors and 8 GB of RAM, USB 3.0, 8 CPU Cores, 64-bit architecture, a 500 GB hard drive, a Blu-ray Drive (somewhere, SCEA executives are smiling), 802.11n Wireless with Wi-Fi Direct, and HDMI In/Out. It is also said to operate “silently.” The Xbox One also includes a redesigned Kinect sensor that is said to be much more responsive.

Still waiting on any new game announcements…

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Xbox One’s “Snap Mode” allows app multitasking

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A new feature of the Xbox One is Snap Mode, the ability to jump between apps instantaneously. But it’s also possible to run those apps simultaneously. Say hello to multitasking on a console. Is that something we wanted? The multitasking is operated through a sidebar and an Xbox Glass-like phone app.

Some apps available in Snap Mode include Internet Explorer, Skype, an ESPN Fantasy Sports app, and an ESPN Highlights app.

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Xbox One includes Kinect and takes over your TV

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Microsoft began the process with the Xbox 360, but the Xbox One (man, this is going to be a nightmare when I’ll need to refer back to the company’s first console, the Xbox 1) is really attempting to control your living room. Calling it an “All In One Experience,” the Xbox One features a controller that looks unchanged from the Xbox 360, a new Kinect sensor that is included with the system for gaming and voice recognition, and is it’s “cloud powered,” whatever that means.

I also think it’s interesting that the first thing Microsoft did was show the system, which is the expected plastic black box.

Microsoft’s Yusuf Medhi highlighted the console’s “always on” capabilities by using a voice command to turn the system on and launch directly to the Xbox Live Dashboard (which is very similar to the Xbox 360). The Xbox One will also integrate with your TV to jump back and forth between the system and live TV. Jumping between features like gaming, live TV, a media player, and a web browser is almost instantaneous.

Medhi also hinted at a new Forza game, which he promised we’ll learn more about in the hour.

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It’s Official: Microsoft’s next console is the Xbox One

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The “Next Xbox Reveal” is underway and Microsoft has confirmed that the name of their next console is the Xbox One. The console was revealed by Don Mattrick, President of Microsoft’s Interactive Division, as the “ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system” just a few minutes ago.

More details about the Xbox One will be revealed at this year’s E3 Expo, which begins on Monday, June 10. Interestingly enough, Mattrick confirmed that Microsoft will deliver new Xbox 360 announcements at this year’s show as well.

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Kevin Conroy might have accidentally confirmed another Arkham game

Riddle me this! When is “the next Arkham game” not the one scheduled to be released this October? Answer… When Kevin Conroy is discussing it at the Dallas Comic Con.

During a Q&A event at the convention this past Sunday, Conroy seemingly ended weeks of speculation by announcing that he would be appearing in “the next Arkham game.” Some people were worried that he wasn’t talking about Batman: Arkham Origins, but he reassured everyone by saying, “I can talk about it now […] It’s now been announced.” So that settled it, Conroy was Batman in Arkham Origins.

But yesterday, WB Games Montreal confirmed that Roger Craig Smith would take over the role of the Caped Crusader in Arkham Origins. Fans were understandably confused.

It’s gotten even weirder thanks to a tweet posted by Conroy (since deleted, but archived by Batman News) where he clarifies that he wasn’t referring to Arkham Origins at the Dallas Comic Con, but a different Arkham game that is coming soon.

So is this what Rocksteady’s been up to since completing Arkham City? And why would Conroy say that his Arkham game has been announced when it clearly hasn’t? Someone at WB Games must have given him the go-ahead, right? Where’s The Riddler when you need him?

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