Friday 10 October 2014

Xbox One India launch: All you need to know

Microsoft's Xbox One will be arriving in on September 23 exclusively through Amazon India, so we've put together a guide of sorts to help you decide if this is the console for you. This guide will cover everything from reviews of exclusive titles expected at launch, to upcoming games, to Indian pricing for hardware as well as first party accessories.

The hardware
Let's take a look at what's running under the hood of Microsoft's latest console.

Optical drive: Blu-Ray/DVD
Game DVR: Yes, Upload Studio
HDCP encryption: No for games
RAM: 8GB DDR3
Flash memory: 8GB flash memory
CPU: 8-core AMD custom CPU operating at frequency of 1.75GHz
GPU: Durango graphics processor operating at frequency of 853MHz
Storage: 500GB hard drive non-replaceable (external hard drive support available)
Second screen: SmartGlass app on Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Windows 8
Cloud storage: Yes
Mandatory game installs: Yes
Required internet connection: No
Backwards compatibility: None
Cross-game chat: Skype, Party Chat
Motion control: Kinect 2
Voice commands: Yes (through Kinect 2)
Subscription service: Xbox Live required for online play
USB: USB 3.0 x3
Live streaming: Yes, with Twitch.TV
Networking: Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi
A/V hookups: HDMI input and output (4K support)
API: DirectX 11.2
Mouse and keyboard support: Yes





Games out now
A console is only as good as the games available on it, and here's a quick look at some of the exclusive Xbox One games that will be available at launch.

Dead Rising 3 (Now available on PC) Ryse: Son of Rome (Coming soon to PC)



The Fighter Within Forza Motorsport 5



Killer Instinct Kinect Sports Rivals Zoo Tycoon



Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare (Now available on PC and PS4)

Upcoming games
  In the last page, we went through some of the games you'll be able to play on the Xbox One at launch. Here, we'll look at some of the upcoming exclusive games that have piqued our interest.


Forza Horizon 2 (30th September 2014)



Sunset Overdrive (31st October 2014) Halo: The Master Chief Collection (14th November 2014) Quantum Break (2015)


Rise of the Tomb Raider (Timed exclusive)
Halo 5: Guardians (2015) Scalebound (2015)



Ori and the Blind Forest (2015)
Crackdown 3 (2015)

Indian pricing
So you've made up your mind, and you wish to purchase the Xbox One? Here are the Indian prices of everything from hardware to software to first party accessories that are expected at launch.

Hardware

Xbox One Console (with Kinect): Rs 45,990
Bundled games: FIFA 15, Dance Central Spotlight DLC



Xbox One console (without Kinect) - Rs 39,990
Bundled games: FIFA 15

Launch games

Destiny: Rs 4,299
Kinect Sports Rivals: Rs 4,199
Watch Dogs: Rs 3,750
Forza Horizon 2: Rs 4,299 Forza Motorsport 5: Rs 4,199
Dead Rising 3: Rs 4,199
Ryse: Son of Rome: Rs 4,199 Battlefield 4: Rs 2,950 The Crew: Rs 3,499
Assassin's Creed Unity: Rs 3,499
Fighter Within: Rs 1,383
GTA V: Rs 3,499
The Evil Within: Rs 4,299
Just Dance 2015: Rs 2,999
Tom Clancy's The Division: Rs 3,499
Call of Duty: Ghosts: Rs 3,994
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag: Rs 4,524
Far Cry 4 (Limited Edition): Rs 3,499
Forza Motorsport 5 (Limited Edition): Rs 6,328
NBA 2K15: Rs 2,999
PES 2015: Pro Evolution Soccer: Rs 3,499
WWE 2K15: Rs 2,999
Evolve: Rs 3,499
Titanfall - Rs 3,816
FIFA 14: Rs 4,241
Plants Vs Zombies: Garden Warfare: Rs 3,128
Lego Marvel Super Heroes: Rs 3,135
Alien: Isolation: Rs 3,499
Angry Birds: Star Wars: Rs 2,353
Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (Limited Edition): Rs 8,151
Call of Duty: Ghosts Hardened Edition: Rs 5,834
Dying Light: Rs 3,499
Electronic Arts Madden NFL 25: Rs 2,738
Just Dance 2014: Rs 3,999
Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham: Rs 2,499
Lego Movie Video Game: Rs 5,467
Mad Max: Rs 3,499
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes: Rs 3,499
Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor: Rs 3,499
NBA 2K14: Rs 4,000
NBA Live 14: Rs 1,962
Need For Speed Rivals: Rs 3,211
Rayman Legends: Rs 4,187
Shape Up: Rs 2,999
Thief: Rs 3,995
Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition: Rs 4,032
Zoo Tycoon: Rs 3,519
Diablo III: Ultimate Evil Edition: Rs 8,998

Accessories

Xbox One Wireless Controller: Rs 3,999
Xbox One Play And Charge Kit: Rs 1,899
Xbox One Media Remote: Rs 1,899
Xbox One Chat Headset: Rs 3,013
Xbox One Stereo Headset: Rs 5,999
Xbox Live 3 Month Gold Card: Rs 867
Xbox Live 1 Month Gold Card: Rs 360

FAQ with Anshu Mor, Xbox India head
IGN India had the chance to catch up with Anshu Mor, head of Xbox in India to fire off some quick pre-launch questions. Feel free to share your doubts or questions in the comments below and we'll try and get them answered and added to this FAQ.

What apps will be available in the Indian marketplace at launch?
Initially, fans will get access to Skype, YouTube, Internet Explorer, OneDrive, Media Player preview, SmartGlass, GameDVR, Upload and Upload Studio. Twitch, Machinima, IGN, and a number of other apps will also be available at launch. We'll have a more complete list to share in the coming months including some very exciting local entertainment content based around movies and music.

Which apps will work without Kinect?
Xbox One with Kinect delivers the full all-in-one games and entertainment experience. As Kinect enables voice and gesture controls, some of these premium features on Xbox One are impacted with Kinect:

System Navigation: Kinect enables voice and gesture controls for navigating the menu. Without Kinect, users must take extra steps to launch and/or Snap apps. Games must be launched manually via pins or from the Games and Apps area. Biometric sign-in is disabled as well.

Games: Certain games that have optional Kinect features, such as head tracking in Forza Motorsport 5, will obviously be disabled without Kinect.

App functionality: Many apps are streamlined with Kinect. Twitch, Game DVR and Upload benefit from simple voice commands for broadcasting and recording gameplay and Natural Voice (where available) search is enabled through Bing. Without Kinect, users must take extra steps to access certain functions. Other features are disabled without Kinect, including video calls on Skype.

TV integration: Kinect enables users to control their TVs and set-top boxes via voice and HDMI-In. Without Kinect, users cannot turn paired TVs on and off via voice or change the volume.

Any plans to partner up with local providers?
We have no announcements to make right now on any local partnership. The HDMI Pass Thru for Set Top Box's would be available from Day 1 across all providers.

What kind of after sales service can Indian gamers expect from MS regarding the Xbox One? Are you offering international warranty for the Xbox One?
Gamers would be delighted to get the same after sales service for which we are well known. Our customer support process remains the same.

India will not offer international warranty, so any Xbox One console bought from outside India would not carry warranty in India. Since Xbox One is exclusively available on Amazon in India, it makes it simple for our consumers to buy from there and be assured of Warranty Support.

Now that the Xbox One is launching soon, any plans for a price drop on the Xbox 360?
There are no announcements on make right now on any price drop for Xbox 360.

Why distribute only through Amazon? Does this also mean no physical demo units of Xbox One will be available throughout the country?
Amazon is our partner of choice to drive a delightful buying experience on the Xbox Platform for our fans. Amazon India offers Indian gamers a single destination that provides access to the complete portfolio of games and accessories along with an extremely easy purchase mechanism thanks to Amazon's experienced and reliable delivery service.

That being said, you will see Xbox One demo units across the country. In fact we are committed to expand our experiential strategy to places that are frequented by our target audience.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Disqus Shortname

Comments system