Xbox One

Rumor: Next Xbox to require Kinect, game installs

Run multiple games and applications at once, claims source.

Following up on last week’s report from Edge development sources claiming the next Xbox would require an internet connection and block used games, Kotaku source “SuperDaE,” the same guy who tried to sell a next generation Xbox developer kit on eBay back in August, has claimed the system will come bundled with the latest iteration of Kinect, which must be plugged in and calibrated, and have mandatory game installations. Take everything below with a grain of salt.

General

The system’s graphical leap is said to be “like going from playing Halo 2 on an original Xbox to playing Crysis on a powerful PC.”

Kinect

A new version of Kinect will ship with every new unit of the next Xbox.

According to the source, this is a mandatory accessory, and the console will not function unless it is plugged in and calibrated.

There are two reasons for this:

Because developers can now program every game with Kinect in mind, being that every console will ship with one.
Kinect will always be watching you (creepy!) and can track up to six individual persons in a room. This would allow it to instantly identify a person, for example, which could become part of the gameplay experience.

New Kinect is also said to be capable of thumb tracking, determining whether your hand is opened or closed, and reading facial expressions. Its improved viewing angle is said to be so wide that it doesn’t even need to nod to find the best angle.

Storage and Installs

The next Xbox will ship with a 500 gigabyte hard-drive.

Each new game you play will require a mandatory installation upon first insertion of the game disc. These installations can be performed while you’re playing the game. Meaning, you can insert the game disc, start playing, and the game will install itself in the background.

Multiple Games at Once

With every game on the hard-drive, the next Xbox is said to be capable of running multiple games or apps at once. Games can be put in “suspend” and “constrained” states, which will allow a user to pause one game and switch to a second game without losing their progress in the first.

Controller

The next Xbox’s controller will be a “natural evolution,” of the Xbox 360 controller, according to the source. It will feature a near-identical layout, however, Xbox 360 controllers will not work with the next Xbox, as Microsoft is utilizing a “new wireless technology.”

Specs

According to the source, these are the final retail specs for the next Xbox: