It seems Microsoft is taking leaves out of its biggest rival Apple’s book. The old ‘restrict features then give features later and enjoy the applause’ trick seems to be in use for Microsoft and the Xbox One, or at least that’s how it’s beginning to seem.
After the company’s epic u-turn on both pre-owned games and online connectivity policies, Microsoft has now decided that it will bundle a gaming headset with the console.
Shortly after the reveal of the Xbox One we learnt that a headset would not come in the box, although rumours and reports suggested that the old Xbox 360 headsets would be compatible. Some pretty solid affirmation of the headset’s inclusion has surfaced today, with Gem – Microsoft Studios and Xbox’s official UK distributor – revealing a new console specification.
Electronic Theatre picked up on the new ‘in the box’ run-down, which includes a wired Chat Headset. Other contents include the 500GB Xbox One, a single controller, Kinect 2.0, HDMI cable and power cables.
Microsoft’s rival Sony confirmed from the off that a wired stereo headset would come bundled with the PlayStation 4. We’ve even caught a glimpse of the little blue headphone in a recent Sony promo video, but we have to say that the Xbox offering above looks a little nicer!
The headset is again a mono speaker and microphone on a boom arm, with a connection docking it into the bottom of the new controller. It’s all black with a flash of the Xbox’s new green colour, which we think looks pretty slick.