Microsoft’s Xbox One went on sale Friday, kicking off what could be the last major upgrade cycle for the living-room video game console. Microsoft’s (MSFT) third-generation game machine comes eight years after the release of its previous console, the Xbox 360. It joins two other next-generation game consoles already on the market. On Nov. 15, Sony (SNE) launched its rival PlayStation 4 game console, which came seven years after its last console,
Microsoft kicked off the retail debut of its Xbox One video game console Friday with glitzy launch events worldwide. The events were orchestrated to build excitement for the new living-room entertainment device and to make people forget about Sony ‘s (SNE) rival PlayStation 4, which came out just last week. Microsoft’s Xbox One is available now in 13 markets: the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Ireland and Austria. Sony’s PS4 launched in the U.S. and Canada on Nov. 15, and will expand to Europe and Latin America on Nov. 29. Microsoft (MSFT) drew thousands of gamers to celebrity-studded events Thursday night in London, New York City and Los Angeles to count down the launch of the Xbox One. It’s pitching the console as more than just a video game machine. Microsoft describes the Xbox One as an all-in-one entertainment center, with movies, TV …
Microsoft’s Xbox One video game console will take the media spotlight on Friday when it launches in retail stores. But a new poll shows it trailing Sony’s (SNE) week-old PlayStation 4 among likely buyers this holiday shopping season. A survey of U.S. consumers by Parks Associates found that 36% of likely game console buyers plan to purchase Sony’s PS4, compared with 27% for Microsoft ‘s (MSFT) Xbox One. The next-generation game consoles will compete for consumer spending with new tablets from Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN) and others, Parks Associates said Tuesday . However, roughly 15% of all U.S. broadband Internet households plan to buy both a tablet and a game console this holiday season, the research firm said. Parks Associates surveyed 2,500 U.S. consumers nationwide for its report on holiday consumer electronics purchase intentions. Its findings on game console purchase intent match other recent surveys. A Reuters/Ipsos survey in September …