Microsoft launches Xbox One

A crowd of video game fans pack the Microsoft’s Xbox One launch event at Yeongdeungpo Times Square, Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of Microsoft

By Lee Min-hyung

Microsoft Korea (MS Korea) unveiled its new gaming console Xbox One Monday at Yeongdeungpo Times Square, Seoul.

“Xbox One boasts the Kinect motion sensor, which can detect not just users’ every move but also even their heart rate. The cutting-edge device is the most outstanding feature of the new console,” said Yoo Woo-jong, a sales director of MS Korea, at a launch event. “It is the first time in the gaming industry such a sophisticated motion-sensing system has been used.”

Hundreds of video game lovers flocked to the event hall to enjoy the computing giant’s new games and its upgraded motion detection system.

“Kinect is not everything. Even though it adds to the fun of playing games, software titles are also as important as other elements,” a college student, surnamed Bae, said. He had been staying in front of the building for nine days to receive a pre-ordered Xbox One for the first time in Korea.

“I look forward to playing popular racing game ‘Forza Horizon 2’ and first-person shooter (FPS) game ‘Halo: The Master Chief Collection,’” he said.

Earlier this month, MS Korea released a list of blockbuster game titles, such as “Assassin’s Creed Unity” and “Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare,” saying it will launch more than 50 game titles by the end of this year.

Microsoft has been competing against its archrival Sony, the maker of the PlayStation series, to capture the lion’s share of the console gaming market. Lack of software titles has long been cited as a root cause for Microsoft’s lag behind its rival in the Korean market.

Xbox One bundled with Kinect is priced at 598,000 won, while Kinect-less Xbox One costs 498,000 won.