Fans cheer the release of Xbox One at a Microsoft launch event early Friday in New York.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Big crowds greet Xbox One's midnight launch
- Microsoft's new console aims to be central entertainment hub
- Launch comes a week after rival Sony's PlayStation 4 release
Both walked away from a
Best Buy in Timonium, Maryland, early Friday with one of the newly
released, next-generation gaming consoles from Microsoft.
The box hit shelves a
week after rival Sony's PlayStation 4, marking the official start of the
latest battle in gaming's console wars.
Miller, 40, who
pre-ordered the Xbox One in June, said he loves everything Microsoft
does. The Sparks, Maryland, resident prepared by playing his Xbox 360
"into the ground" with his 8-year-old daughter, Laci.
"We play co-op all the
time whenever there is a chance," he said. "I'm picking up 'Ryse' for
myself. I'm getting 'Just Dance' for her. I can't wait to try out the
new entertainment set up for it."
Arieo waited outside the
store with his dad, Jose. The 13-year-old missed out on pre-ordering but
didn't want to lose his chance for an Xbox One after making good grades
in school and earning the right to get the console.
"I've only played Xbox
360 and didn't have the Kinect," Arieo said. "This will be my first
time, and I'm really looking forward to using it. Xbox One On!"
The Xbox One, which sells
for $499, continues Microsoft's move toward making the console not just
a gaming device but a central entertainment hub, too. With the Kinect
voice and motion controller, users can call out favorite television
shows or movies, split the TV screen between two different applications,
or even record and share their gameplay with friends.
Marc Whitten, corporate
vice president of Xbox Live, said it's only the beginning of how
Microsoft thinks people will use their consoles as home entertainment
centers.
"One of the things that
has been just so amazing for the Xbox One is the passion of the fans
about play and Xbox Live," Whitten told CNN in a pre-midnight interview.
"Everything we do is really about how we build new experiences for
them. It's awesome."
Whitten said Kinect,
originally promoted as a tool for hands-free gaming, is increasingly
becoming a focal point for the entire Xbox system.
Jason Gelatka of Towson, Maryland, said the device is the biggest draw for him.
"It is more than just
gaming. It is the multimedia experience," he said. "I'm looking forward
to just calling out my movie or pulling up Netflix with my voice. It is a
giant universal remote control."
Gelatka also pre-ordered
his console this summer. He and his friends treated the midnight launch
like opening night of a sports season or Hollywood blockbuster.
"We've been talking with
each other, texting each other since we ordered. It really made the
wait harder," Gelatka said. "Today was the longest day ever."
Crowds rivaling those for last week's PlayStation 4 rollout
lined up for the Xbox launch in 13 countries. In New York's Times
Square, a concert featuring hip-hop artist Macklemore was part of the
launch event.
Early controversies,
including concerns about the ability to resell and share games on the
system, didn't appear to have hurt the turnout.
But Miller said he was a bit bummed about the lack of a selection of games for launch, and Gelatka agreed.
"The Day One lineup of games is not fantastic," Gelatka said. "I'm
confident though. They haven't reached their peak and better games are
out there waiting to be made. Xbox has always listened to what I wanted.
That's why I'm getting the Xbox One." COPY http://edition.cnn.com/
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