We're also giving away another copy of Overwatch to one lucky commenter! Simply leave a reply and join the discussion for a chance to win.
Every week, I summarize some of the biggest rumors and talking points in one handy post every weekend. You can also rely on this weekly column to catch up with all the latest Xbox One game releases.
Welcome to the latest edition of This Week in Xbox One News.
Xbox Hardware Rumor Roundup
This past week has seen a flurry of excitement over some (suspiciously coordinated) Xbox One hardware leaks. At this point, it's pretty safe to say we'll see some new Xbox One hardware presented at this year's E3, as we've written about previously over here. The latest round of leaks points to both imminent plans, and some further out into the future. It's worth noting that Microsoft is pushing ahead with the universality of their ecosystem efforts. You should expect all future Xbox consoles to be compatible with at least everything you currently own on Xbox One.
- Xbox One 'Slim'
The first round of rumors pertain to a visual design revision for the Xbox One, colloquially dubbed the Xbox One Slim. The Verge has reported that the Xbox One Slim, planned to launch later this year, could be up to 40% smaller than the current box, and include up to 2 TB of storage. While not expected to feature any graphical spec bumps, as seen with Sony's own Playstation 4 Neo, the new Xbox One Slim could have other upgraded hardware components, such as a faster wireless chip, and will support 4K video streaming from services such as Netflix.
- Xbox One 'Scorpio'
Kotaku also reported that Microsoft are working on an all-new Xbox One update, codenamed Scorpio. The new console will have upgraded specs that could feature anywhere up to 6 TFlops of computational power, putting it far ahead of the rumored PS4.5 'Neo.' It will reportedly support 4K gaming natively, as well as VR headsets like the Oculus Rift. Kotaku also claims that Microsoft are working to expand their partnership with Facebook's Oculus Rift, beyond the bundling of Xbox One controllers as we've seen previously.
- Xbox Streaming Devices
Renowned Microsoft blogger Brad Sams launched his new YouTube channel with claims that Xbox will debut new streaming devices at E3, giving us Microsoft's take on the Google Chromecast. Sams said that while he doesn't believe the Xbox streaming device would be capable of running Xbox One games, it might be capable of running smaller UWP titles, typically seen on Windows 10 Mobile, priced at around $150. Our own Richard Devine penned some thoughts on how Microsoft could use a device like the Xbox One streaming dongle to conquer the living room.
- Xbox One VR
First, Ars Technica claimed to have received word from a 'well-known' European studio to state they're working on an Xbox VR game, based on an existing franchise. Later on, E3's official website added a new category for attendees under Virtual Reality, "Xbox", "Xbox One" and "Xbox Live", featuring Immersion Corporation, Bigben Interactive and more (via DualShockers).
It corroborates the idea of a VR-capable Xbox and seems fairly likely, given Phil Spencer's previous comments that Xbox One gamers shouldn't have to wait for the latest technological innovations, hinting at VR.
Will all of the above rumors pan out, though? We've confirmed with our own sources that some new Xbox One hardware will be shown off at E3, but it remains to be seen which of the above turns out to be the real deal. Stay tuned to Windows Central for all the latest information, and we'll be in LA in force to cover the event.
Phil Spencer on Xbox: "doing things we've never done."
Continuing with the theme of E3 hype, Phil Spencer took to Twitter to praise the Xbox team this week, with some bold statements about the company's direction. Spencer said he was 'blown away' by the work of the Xbox team, offering a glimpse at the magnitude of the division's future plans.
@Tyler_Martin1 @Gaming_Forever1 @KenBirge Thanks, big team effort. Blown away by the work of #TEAMXBOX, doing things we've never done.@Tyler_Martin1 @Gaming_Forever1 @KenBirge Thanks, big team effort. Blown away by the work of #TEAMXBOX, doing things we've never done.— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) May 28, 2016May 28, 2016
When Microsoft revealed Xbox One backward compatibility last year, it joined some of the greatest E3 moments of all time as one of the most unexpected, ground-shattering reveals in the show's history. It shouldn't have been possible, but the software wizards at Redmond pulled it off with flying colors, making us wonder just what else the team is capable of. E3 is little over two weeks away, and I think Xbox fans will have a lot to look forward.
Giveaway – Overwatch!
This week, we're giving away another copy of Overwatch to get more of you lovely people into the party! Overwatch is Blizzard Entertainment's take on Team Fortress 2's winning class-based shooter formula. Players must work together, utilizing each character's strengths and weaknesses to achieve victory across a range of objective-based gameplay modes.
Join in with the comments for a chance to win Overwatch!
Please, ensure you have a valid email address attached to your WindowsCentral.com account for us to contact you if you win! The winner will be announced right here tomorrow. Good luck!
ICYMI - Some of Windows Central's biggest Xbox articles of the week
- There's a place in the living room for an Xbox streaming stick, if it's done right
- Xbox app on Windows 10 Mobile hints at console game streaming feature
- Layers of Fear Xbox One review: This isn't painting by numbers
- Fallout 4 mod support officially coming to Xbox One on May 31
- F1 2016 will race in the streets for PC and Xbox One this summer
- Steredenn Xbox One review: A retro take on saving the galaxy from space pirates
- Elite Dangerous: Horizons The Engineers update is now available
- Killer Instinct 3.1.5 adds Gargos and a batch of improvements
- Overwatch review: A consistent, unrivalled multiplayer experience
- Six more Xbox 360 games added to Xbox One backwards compatibility list
- Goat Simulator is among June's free Xbox Games with Gold
New Xbox One game releases for the week ending May 29th, 2016
Tropico 5 - Penultimate Edition - Strategy & Simulation - Haemimont Games
"Return to the remote island nation of Tropico in the next installment of the critically acclaimed and hugely popular 'dictator sim' series."
OlliOlli2: XL Edition - Sports & Recreation - Roll7
"The iconic skater is going all green-screen with a stunning new look, plucking you from the street and dropping you squarely in the middle of the big screen's most bodacious cinematic locations."
Not A Hero: Super Snazzy Edition - Action & Adventure - Roll7
"Join the Campaign trail in this funstoppable 2.25D pixelated political opus from Roll7. Shoot, slide and execute your way through 28 levels of incredibly British action and humor as you persuade the world to 'Vote BunnyLord'."
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan - Action & Adventure - Platinum Games
"Battle alongside your brothers through the sewers, subways and streets of NYC to take down Shredder and Krang's evil organization Foot by Foot."
Overwatch: Origins Edition - Shooter - Blizzard Entertainment
"Clash on the battlefields of tomorrow and choose your hero from a diverse cast of soldiers, scientists, adventurers, and oddities. Bend time, defy physics, and unleash a dizzying array of extraordinary powers and weapons."
And that's a wrap!
This week, I've been alternating between DOOM and Overwatch's PvP gameplay, unsure of where to take my addiction next. I've also been playing HomeFront: The Revolution, which is surprisingly not as bad as the reviews made it out to be so far. Tune into this week's OneCast for some thoughts on Overwatch, Xbox rumors and HomeFront, which should go live early next week.
I'm quite enjoying the way game releases have been spread out this year. Typically developers try to cram everything into the holiday season rush, but it's increasingly feeling as though every month has something new to look forward to. Upcoming titles like Elite Dangerous Horizons and the imminent Blood and Wine expansion for The Witcher 3 look rather excellent.
What do you make of the Xbox One hardware rumors? What games are you looking forward to playing next? Join in the discussion in the comments for a chance to win!
