NEWS: Xbox One - 2014 Launch for Japan

It's definitely not looking good for Japan in terms of next-gen consoles, what with the PlayStation 4 being pushed back and now we know the Xbox One won't see the light of day until 2014.

Popular japanese gaming magazine Famitsu reported that the Xbox One will be released in 2014, but no specific date or price ranges were stated, just that a release window has been planned.

Back in July of this year Microsoft did say that the Xbox One would be part of the tier-2 release plan in Japan, so we already knew that the console wouldn't be released at the same time as the UK or North America.

However, this still means more waiting for Japan to get it's hands on the next wave of consoles.

FEATURE: Xbox One - Launch Prices and Games

With the release of the Xbox One a few months away, I'd like to give you a guide on the current prices that are available, along with the initial launch games. The console will be released 22nd November 2013 in the UK, perfect timing for Christmas as well as releasing just a few days before the PlayStation 4 - It will certainly be interesting to see sales statistics, but for now let's get into the prices and bundles.

Amazon UK - £429.00
Zavvi - £428.95
Play - TBA
Argos - £429.00 (with FIFA 14 digital download)
Game - £429.99 (with FIFA 14 digital download)
ShopTo - £499.85 (with Forza 5 and 12 month Xbox LIVE subscription)

There are many other bundles on ShopTo and Game, including various games with each console, be sure to check them out ShopTo Various Bundles and Game Various Bundles. Most retailers are accepting pre-orders.

It's safe to say the average price is around £429.00 - practically every bundle will include the Xbox One console, a Kinect sensor kit, a HDMI cable, a 500GB hard drive, a Blu-Ray drive, and an Xbox One controller. I'm sure some sort of Xbox LIVE subscription will be thrown in too, if you are currently a Gold member, your account along with your gamerscore will be carried over to the Xbox One.

Let's get onto the initial launch titles, keep in mind these are based on UK release, so other countries may differ.

Launch Games - Available Day One (Total: 19)

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Battlefield 4

Crimson Dragon

Dead Rising 3

FIFA 14

Fighter Within

Forza Motorsport 5

Just Dance 2014

Killer Instinct

Lego Marvel Super Heroes

LocoCycle

NBA 2K14

NBA Live 14

Peggle 2

Powerstar Golf

Ryse: Son of Rome

Skylanders: Swap Force

Watch Dogs

Zumba Fitness World Party

Personally, I'll be laying off buying the Xbox One upon release due to the lack of games that generally interest me, although Dead Rising 3 and Killer Instinct are definitely games I want to play eventually.

Retail games will cost around £45-50 at most known retailers, whilst I imagine the Xbox Live Arcade games will be around £5-20, depending on the particular game. Feature1

FEATURE: PlayStation 4 - Launch Prices and Games

The 29th of November is still quite a while away, but to give you an idea what's being launched with the PlayStation 4, I'd like to go through the various bundles you can pre-order and the games that will be available from day one. The information is based on the UK release.

In terms of launch prices, everywhere is practically the same, you might save a few pennies depending on where you buy, but nothing substantial. No matter where you decide to buy your PS4, each bundle will typically include the console with a 500GB hard drive, a DualShock 4 wireless controller, a wired headset, a HDMI cable, a power cable, a USB charger, and it has been announced that a 14-day PS+ trial will be thrown in. Here are the launch prices so far.

• Amazon UK - £349.00
• Zavvi - £348.95
• Play - £349.00
• Argos - £349.00
• ShopTo - £348.98
• Game - £349.99

As you can see, there is little difference no matter where you go, however there are two exclusive deals at Game - you can buy the console with the prestige edition of Call of Duty: Ghosts. Here's what you get.

• 1080p HD Tactical Camera
• Season Pass
• Paracord Strap
• Collectible Steel Book
• Player Patch
• Player Card
• Player Background
• Official Soundtrack
• Free Fall Map

The other bundle offer is the console with the games Killzone: Shadow Fall and DriveClub - the price hasn't yet been announced, but from my estimates that should come to around £450-£470.

Let's get onto the launch titles and what you are able to play on day one of the release. 

Launch Games - Physical and Digital Releases (Total: 17)

Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag

Battlefield 4

Call of Duty: Ghosts

DriveClub

FIFA 14

Just Dance 2014

Killzone: Shadow Fall

Knack

Lego Marvel Superheroes

Madden NFL 25

NBA Live

NBA 2K14

Need for Speed: Rivals

Skylanders: Swap Force

Super Motherload

The Playroom (Pre-Installed on the PS4)

Watch Dogs

Launch Games - Digital Release Only (Total: 16)

Basement Crawl

Blacklight

Contrast

DC Universe Online

Doki Doki Universe

Flower

Hokokum

Minecraft

N++

Pinball Arcade

Planetside 2

Pool Nation Extreme

ResoGun

Tiny Brains

Warframe

War Thunder

So there you have it, I can safely say the launch of the PS4 seems much more appealing than the PS3 launch way back in March 2007, sure it had Resistance: Fall of Man and Motorstorm, but the line-up for PS4 seems so much better. 

The physical launch games will retail around £45-£50 - as for the digital-only games, it's difficult to say a price as these sorts of  games more than always vary in price depending on the game, but I'd say they could be as cheap as £5-10 or up to £20-25. Feature1