gaming

Microsoft refutes reports about Xbox One used game sales

Ever since the Xbox One unveiling Tuesday, gamers have wondered how Microsoft will handle the resale of used games for the system.

In the absence of a clear answer, speculation and rumors have flooded the Web.

Microsoft is now telling gamers that the speculation and rumors aren't true. But it's not saying what the new policy will be.

"The ability to trade in and resell games is important to gamers and to Xbox," Larry Hryb, director of Xbox Programming (better known by his gamer handle Major Nelson), wrote on his blog Friday. "Xbox One is … Read more

Xbox One uncertainty, earnings drag down GameStop

GameStop is having a pretty rough week.

First Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One but didn't provide much clarity into how used games will work with its new console. Then the video game company reported its fiscal first-quarter profit dropped by a quarter as its revenue fell 6.8 percent.

Neither of those factors is pleasing investors, who had sent shares soaring more than 100 percent over the past 12 months through last Friday. GameStop's shares tumbled 11 percent Friday to $32.10, putting the week's drop at 19 percent.

Particularly worrisome is what GameStop's business will … Read more

Apple's iOS could get a makeover

CNET Update isn't ready for change:

In this episode of Update:

- Say goodbye to shiny icons when iOS 7 gets a major redesign.

- Find a phone bargain this Memorial Day weekend at retailers like Best Buy.

- Gripe about the latest report over Xbox One restrictions for used games.

- Prepare for an extra charge on your monthly AT&T wireless bill.

- Give your RSS feeds a new home next month when Digg Reader launches.

CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under three minutes. Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for a breakdown … Read more

How Xbox One opens the door for the next Apple TV

Imagine this.

It's 2014. Apple has gathered everyone together for a special event. As Tim Cook presents, he says, "Today we're introducing three revolutionary new products. The first one is a cable box. The second one is a revolutionary streaming-media device. The third is a new way to play games on your TV. So, three things: a cable box, a streaming box, and a game console. Are you getting it? These are not three separate devices. This is one device. And we're calling it iTV."

The next Apple TV, that long-fabled product, doesn't exist … Read more

Microsoft reportedly to take cut on used Xbox One game sales

Microsoft's policy concerning used Xbox One games has proven a bit confusing, but a new report may have spilled more concrete details.

Citing information from "retail sources," gaming news site MCV claims that Microsoft and gaming publishers will take a bite out of the sale of each used Xbox One game. In the process of selling a used game, original owners would also see the game wiped from their online accounts so they no longer can play it.

Microsoft has already confirmed that Xbox One users who install a game on the console's hard drive will no longer need the disc … Read more

Review: Times Tables Game offers a colorful if limited multiplication learning tool

Times Tables Game does a good job of tapping into many of the things that make a good educational app for the iPad, but it is missing some very important components. Due to a limited trial, sometimes messy interface, and convoluted menu system, it works best when a parent directly oversees play by the child.

Times Tables Game is designed to help children learn their times tables in a colorful, easy-to-use interface. With animals, lots of bright colors, and flowers onscreen, combined with light animations, the app is pleasant to look at, though it can get busy and the directions … Read more

Game over for used games: How Xbox One and PS4 could gut gamers' wallets

In case you missed it, Microsoft unveiled a new game console the other day, the Xbox One. We now know a lot about it, but as with most game console launches, we were left with a few unanswered questions that my colleague Dan Ackerman summed up nicely in his "Unanswered questions about the Xbox One" piece.

It's the last one that seems to be generating the most controversy: "Will used games work on the Xbox One?"

Simple question, complicated answer You'd think the answer would be a simple yes or no, but alas, it'… Read more

Review: Play miniature golf in your free time with Mini Golf Games 3D

While it attempts to deliver a high-quality golf simulation, Mini Golf Games 3D lacks the complete package to enable the user to fully enjoy it.

Even at a whopping 11MB, Mini Golf Games 3D loads fairly quickly. It is recommended that your device is connected to Wi-Fi in an effort to save data usage. The game's user interface is very intuitive. It includes a basic main menu that enables the user to pick a hole they wish to play. Eighteen holes are included in the game. The graphics include brilliant colors and 3D effects, but the animations seem choppy … Read more

How Sony and Nintendo can battle the Xbox One

Microsoft's Xbox One is out of the bag, and the next-gen console war's in full swing. So what happens next? Truthfully, the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Wii U are still big boxes of mystery -- even though one's already been out in stores for months.

So, how will this new gaming landscape shake out? Sony and Nintendo, the also-rans to the current success story of Microsoft and the Xbox 360, will have options. But they're not always pretty.

Sony

Differentiate or die Under the hood, the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One are more similar than … Read more

Xbox Live Arcade games won't work on Xbox One

Gamers hoping to bring their library of Xbox Live Arcade games with them to the Xbox One are out of luck. Microsoft has confirmed that these games will not carry over to the next-generation platform.

"Those games will continue to run on your Xbox 360 for as long as your Xbox 360 runs," Microsoft Game Studios VP Phil Spencer told GameSpot. "The box is not backward compatible and we think for somebody who invests in a large digital library that you want to keep your [Xbox 360]. Keep that as a vibrant part of the ecosystem." … Read more