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[Updated] Xbox One Facts: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly, And The Unconfirmed

With the dust settling from Microsoft's lackluster Xbox One reveal earlier this week, we now have a relatively clear picture about what the company has in place for their next generation console. With that said, there are still plenty of important questions that remain unanswered. Below we have separated all that we know about the Xbox One into four categories; The Good (or at least, The Not Horrible), The Bad, The Ugly, and The Unconfirmed.

The Bad

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  • 500 GB hard drive is “non-user-serviceable” and not replaceable
  • Xbox One is not compatible with the Xbox 360 controllers or other peripherals
  • Xbox 360 Avatars will not be transferred to Xbox One
  • Xbox One will not function with Kinect unplugged
  • The chassis can only be laid in horizontal position
  • TV features will only be available in the U.S. at launch
  • Xbox Live features still locked behind Gold paywall
  • No included headset (can be purchased separately), Kinect used for voice over IP
  • Only connects to TVs via HDMI
  • [Update] The Xbox One has been confirmed to be region locked.

The Ugly

  • As presented by Microsoft up to this point, Xbox One does not appear to have video games as its main focus – TV, movies, and sports have clearly taken center stage
  • No backwards compatibility with Xbox 360 retail games and XBLA games
  • All software (games) must be installed to the hard drive, will not run off the disc
  • Games discs are tied to your specific profile – a friend playing off an install from you disc can only do so if you are logged in on his console
  • Xbox One does not require a constant internet connection, however, it will not function unless it is connected to the internet on some unconfirmed periodic schedule (possibly daily)
  • Periodic connection to internet required for updates and software license checks
  • Kinect can never be fully “turned-off”, at its minimum setting it is “listening” for voice commands – [Update] Microsoft has stated that Kinect can be completely powered down when the console is turned completely off.
  • Indie developers can not self-publish Xbox One games, they must sign a publishing deal

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