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Microsoft and Sony both released details about their forthcoming entertainment consoles yesterday at the opening in Los Angeles of the E3 electronic game expo.
Microsoft said it would launch its new Xbox entertainment console in November for $499 in the US and 499 euros (662 dollars) in European markets, the company announced on Monday.
The device will take on Sony’s Playstation 4, which will cost $399 in the US and 399 euros in European markets, the Japanese electronics company said.
The other mainstream video console, the Wii U, is already on sale at a price of $299 in the US.
Microsoft announced the other major details of the console in a press event last month, showcasing a device that functions as an entertainment hub through which users can play games, surf the web, watch and record satellite or cable TV, make Skype video calls and watch videos and BlueRay discs.
Each device comes with an eight-core processor with 8 gigabytes of working memory and a 500-gigabyte hard drive, and includes a Kinect motion control device as well as the ability to function via voice controls.
Besides announcing the price, which was too high according to many bloggers, Microsoft also unveiled a series of new versions of popular games for the console including Forza MotorSport, Dead Rising 3, Minecraft and Halo.
The new consoles from Microsoft and Sony debut at a time of growing challenge for the makers of video game consoles, which are threatened by the rise of casual gaming on smartphones and tablet computers.
Microsoft has taken flak from gamers for what they see as onerous terms for the Xbox One which will require an internet connection and will put limits on which used games it will be able to run.
Besides coming in at a lower price, Sony also boasted that the PS4 would not burden users with similar restrictions. “PlayStation 4 disc-based games don’t need to be connected online to play or any type of authentication,” said Jack Tretton, the boss of Sony Computer Entertainment America.
“If you enjoy playing single-player games offline, PS4 won’t require to you check in online period and it won’t stop working if you haven’t authenticated in 24 hours.”
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