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Microsoft’s Xbox One is already available in 13 countries, and it looks like the Redmond-based tech giant is looking to expand its market share. The Xbox One will be available in 26 new countries, and we’ve got the full list after the jump. The new regions that will be getting Xbox One love are: •Argentina•Belgium•Chile•Colombia•Czech Republic•Denmark•Finland•Greece•Hungary•India•Israel•Japan•Korea•Netherlands•Norway•Poland•Portugal•Russia•Saudi Arabia•Singapore•Slovakia•South Africa•Sweden•Switzerland•Turkey•United Arab Emirates Anyone whose country was added to this list excited to get their hands on an Xbox One? Source

Security problems are usually discovered by geeks and people with a lot of time on their hands, but this is not always the case. In fact a flaw in the security of Xbox One was recently discovered by a five year old boy! While using his father's console,Kristoffer Von Hassel was able to log into his dad's account without having to enter the password used to protect it. The boy was understandably excited at the prospect of gaining unfettered access to the account: "I was, like, "yeah!" " he said. The hack was incredibly simple. After having been presented with the password screen and entering an incorrect password, Kristoffer found out that just by filling up the password field with spaces he was able to log in. The flaw was then reported by Kristoffer's father. Microsoft has already fixed the problem and by way of thanks has given Kristoffer a life-time subscription to Xbox Live, $50 and four games. He also appears in the list of"Security Researchers" for March on TechNet. The company issued a statement saying "We're always listening to our customers and thank them for bringing issues to our attention. We take security seriously at Xbox and fixed the issue as soon as we learned about it." Source

Both Microsoft and Sony have revealed their sales figures for their respective consoles since they launched and things are looking better for the PlayStation camp. According to Microsoft’s figures, the Xbox One sold 5 million units since launch whereas Sony claims to have sold 7 million PlayStation 4 consoles. The disparity in the figures could be attributed to a lot of things, including the PS4′s slightly early launch and availability in more markets, not to mention the lower price compared to the Xbox One that ships with the Kinect. Still, fact remains that at the end of the day, Sony is moving more units, and not even Titanfall, which was the number one selling game in March, could help Microsoft close the gap. Another thing to note is that the figure quoted by Microsoft is for units sold to retailers, whereas Sony’s figure reflects actual units purchased by the consumers. It’s not hard to find the PS4 often being out of stock at several retailers whereas the Xbox One is more readily available. We are still in the very early stage of the current generation of console wars and it seems for now Sony is leading. It’s still too early to decide the fate of the two consoles based on these figures, however. Source

Several months after the launch on the last generation consoles, Rockstar is releasing the game on the PC, PS4 and Xbox One. As you can expect, the game now runs at a higher resolution, with improved detail, greater draw distance and denser traffic. Despite the thoroughly outdated hardware of the last gen console, Rockstar managed to make the game look good so you can image how good it would look on the current gen and PC. Actually, you don’t have to imagine. There is a video for you to watch after the break. This version of the game will include all the additional content that was releasing since the game came out last year. On the PC, you will also get a video editor for making movies. Best of all, you can transfer your current online character progress over to these new platforms. GTA V for PC, PS4 and Xbox One will be out in Fall 2014. Source

Microsoft and BesTV today confirmed that the Xbox One console will launch in China on September 23rd. The companies also announced that Xbox One will be priced starting at ¥3,699 RMB ($600). The Xbox One will be the first gaming console to be launched in China in last 12 years. The local authority recently lifted a ban on gaming consoles, which they earlier thought had an adverse effect on mental health. Yusuf Mehdi, head of marketing and strategy for Microsoft’s Xbox group, announced the official pricing of the console. The Xbox One without the Kinect will cost 3,699 RMB ($600) whereas the bundle including the motion detection system (Kinect) will be made available for 4,299 RMB ($700). The Xbox launch has been approved by China’s government, said senior vice president at Shanghai Media Group, Zhang Dazhong. Microsoft is expected to launch the device despite the ongoing anti-monopoly investigations. Microsoft also announced the exclusive day one launch titles for the Xbox One. The company will launch Forza Motorsport 5 Racing Game of the Year – the highest-rated racing franchise of this console generation, Kinect Sports Rivals, Powerstar Golf, Zoo Tycoon, and Max: The Curse of Brotherhood, among others. Furthermore, game developers Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and 2K are working to bring several titles to China. In addition, thirteen of China’s best game developers will also bring some titles, including Neverwinter Online. Several more games are under development right now. That’s not all. BesTV has promised to bring hundreds of thousands of hours of HD movies, sports, and documentaries to the console. Gamers in China will get access to the said content on top of their two free movies per month quota. BesTV has also said that it will bring English Premiere League (EPL) for free for the first year. In addition, all gamers will get Xbox Live Gold subscription for free through March 2015. Both the companies have committed on providing two-year warranty on the console. There will also be localized apps and ways to complete the transactions. Source

Microsoft’s takeover of Nokia was finalized last week, and most of the news over the weekend has been related to the big transition. The newly-bolstered software maker is very keen to get back to business as usual, however, and on Monday, made a noteworthy tweak to the pricing of the app of its previous major acquisition – Skype. The change sees group calling go free on Windows, OS X and Xbox One, and you can catch the important details after the fold. Microsoft paid a huge bunch of cash to acquire Skype, and even though the company has been making a concerted effort to expand and improve the service over the past couple of years, there’s still much work to be done. Now fully integrated into the Dashboard of the Xbox One, those wishing to partake in group video chat on the console, or Windows (desktop) / Mac can do so free of charge, and according to one of Skype’s marketing managers, other major platforms will be added in the foreseeable future. No ETA has been attached to the arrival of free group video calling on Windows (touch-based devices), Windows Phone, iOS and Android will arrive, but at the same time, we’d fully expect the Microsoft platforms to get first dibs when the roll-out does eventually begin. Even though the Skype infrastructure is robust, it’s still very much a work in progress, and so while the number of devices that can be supported by group video chat is expansive, there remain some reasonable limits. On Windows desktop PC and Mac OS X, this limit is set at ten machines, while the Xbox One supports up to four interconnected devices. Still, it’s good to see that users are able to converse and communicate without incurring a fee, and Skypers on mobile will no doubt be anxious for Microsoft to add the update to Windows Phone, iOS and Android. Just as soon as it does, we’ll have all of the info right here, as well as the download links, so stay tuned to our coverage here at Redmond Pie. For those on Windows, Mac or Xbox One, there’s no actual update to download – simply start a group video chat and away you go! Source

Microsoft's Xbox One console allows owners to edit and upload gameplay videos to their SkyDrive account. Now it looks like some users of Upload Studio have had their access to the app banned temporarily due to what Microsoft calls violations of the Xbox Live Code of Conduct. Polygon reports that some Xbox One owners posted up their ban reports on Microsoft's Xbox forums. The gameplay videos they created contained some swearing. Their suspensions appear to be temporary but show that Microsoft is somehow monitoring the content that Xbox One owners are creating with Upload Studio. In a statement, Microsoft said: It's unclear exactly how Microsoft checks on the content on videos made via Upload Studio. We have emailed the company to get more information on this subject. One Twitter user even claims he has been banned from using Skype on Xbox One due to the use of bad words on a private Skype call. However, Microsoft claims its Xbox Live enforcement team " ... does not monitor direct peer-to-peer communications like Skype chats and calls." Source

Microsoft has announced that more than one million Xbox One consoles have been sold in 24 hours, making it the biggest launch in Xbox history. While the company has only sold three consoles in the Xbox history, regardless of that fact, the Xbox One holds the crown for the most successful launch for the company. This is obviously a tremendous achievement for the company on two fronts, one being that there was considerable demand for the console upfront despite some initial negative feedback and two, that they were able to produce one million units for the launch of the device. Microsoft said that the Xbox One is sold out at most retailers and that they are working quickly to replenish stock. Naturally, no other information was given about when next shipments would go out, so if you are hoping to get your hands on a console before the holidays arrives, it's likely best to check with your local retailer. “We are humbled and grateful for the excitement of Xbox fans around the world,” said Yusuf Mehdi, Corporate Vice President of Marketing and Strategy, Xbox. “Seeing thousands of excited fans lined up to get their Xbox One and their love for gaming was truly a special moment for everyone on the Xbox team. We are working hard to create more Xbox One consoles and look forward to fulfilling holiday gift wishes this season.” - Microsoft To put all that gaming into perspective, Microsoft tossed out a few facts about several of that launch titles that consumers have been playing: Over 60 million zombies have been killed in “Dead Rising 3” Over 3.6 million miles driven in “Forza Motorsport 5" Over 7.1 million combos in “Killer Instinct” Over 8.5 million enemies defeated in “Ryse: Son of Rome” Sony, who launched its console last week, also stated that they sold over 1 million consoles in North America in the first 24 hours. While Microsoft did not break down its sales figures to specifically say North America, it looks like both companies had a fantastic first day of sales. So there you have it, the Xbox One sold more than one million consoles on the day it was released (this includes pre-orders) and this is only the beginning for the next generation console from the folks in Redmond. With the holiday shopping season kicking off next week, it looks like Microsoft should be able to add to that one million number rather quickly as consumers look to put an Xbox One under the Christmas tree. Source

It’s been largely good news for Microsoft on the Xbox One front since its release not very long ago, what with the Redmond firm announcing that it sold a million units within the first 24 hours of the console’s lifecycle. Still, as with most big new hardware releases these days, it’s not all been rainbows and sunshine in the world of Xbox, especially for some of the platform’s early adopters. Assuming you were lucky enough to get your hands on an Xbox One at launch – and that’s no easy feat – you’ll have no doubt rushed to get the big black chunk of tech plugged in and set up with what can only be described as happy abandon. But what’s this? Hardware faults? A faulty disc drive? Can it really be? Well yes, apparently it can. With more than a few new Xbox Ones apparently shipping with defective hardware we suspect that Microsoft’s customer service peeps have been a little busy over the weekend, which is probably why the company has been giving away free games to those that are having to wait for a new, hopefully fully functioning console to arrive. According to Polygon, they’ve heard that some gamers who have reported faulty consoles to Microsoft have been offered a free game as recompense. The beauty of the whole thing? It’s a digital download game, so that busted disc drive won’t hamper you gaming fun. Clever Microsoft. As the story goes, gamers are able to choose one of four available titles: Dead Rising 3, Forza Motorsport 5, Ryse: Son of Rome or Zoo Tycoon. We’d be opting for Forza 5 if it was us, but considering everyone’s probably already got that, it’s probably down to the other three. Microsoft has confirmed that it is offering free downloads to some customers, saying that it simply wants to make sure that gamers have something to play on their new machines while a new one is being shipped out. Source

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, the prologue to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, will launch on March 18, 2014, across all platforms, Konami announced today. The release date comes by way of a new trailer for Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes, which introduces players to the "Jamais Vu" mission, playable only on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One. In this mission, players are cast as the cyborg ninja Raiden and must take down enemy bioroid "snatchers." Check out the trailer below for more. PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 players will also receive exclusive content in the form of a "Deja Vu" mission, where you'll play as classic Solid Snake. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes will be available to download on the Xbox One or PlayStation 4, or in stores for current-generation consoles, for $30. Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 owners will also be able to download the game for $20. Ground Zeroes runs on the Fox Engine and features a day/night cycle, as well as dynamic weather conditions that affect gameplay. Missions are designed to help players understand the game's new control and gameplay mechanics, Konami said. Concerning story, Ground Zeroes will follow Big Boss as he infiltrates a Cuban prison camp on a rescue mission. Players will encounter "explosive plotlines," as Big Boss finds himself on enemy soil in a heap of trouble Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will follow sometime later, though Konami has not yet announced a release date for the open-world game. Series creator Hideo Kojima recently said that the game has "enormous volume" and will not be finished for some time. Source

Market research firm NPD has now recorded a full month of console sales for the PS4 and Xbox One in the US, and it's revealing today that Microsoft’s latest console topped the sales charts for the month of December. Microsoft has long dominated with the Xbox 360 in the US, and it appears that healthy stocks of the Xbox One have helped the company take the edge during the all important holiday season. Microsoft’s Xbox One sold 908,000 units in December, alongside 643,000 sales of the Xbox 360. Both of Microsoft's consoles topped the charts in the US for each generation. The NPD figures follow announcements earlier this month from Microsoft and Sony over their console sales for 2013. Microsoft revealed it sold more than 3 million Xbox One consoles in 2013, while Sony sold 4.2 million PS4s last year. Sony is currently selling its PS4 console in 52 countries, while Microsoft has not yet expanded its initial 13 launch markets. Sony is blaming stock issues for its PS4 US sales in December. "We sold every PS4 available at retail in the US and were out of stock in December due to overwhelming consumer demand," says Sony's Dan Race. "PlayStation 4 remains the cumulative leader for next-gen console sales in the US since the launch on November 15th." Sony's "cumulative leader" claim could be largely related to the extra week of sales in the US during November, adding to the overall combined total for November and December. Sony launched the PS4 on November 15th in the US, followed a week later by Microsoft's Xbox One. Either way, both consoles are clearly off to a great start, and both will be boosted by more and more titles launching during the course of 2014. Update: article updated to reflect comments from Sony on its US PlayStation 4 sales. Source