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Xbox One could allow remote play over Skype, Siri-like voice conversations with Kinect

Xbox One could allow remote play over Skype, Siri-like voice conversations with Kinect

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Xbox One
Xbox One

With the first phase of Microsoft's Xbox One reveal complete, the company now looks ahead to E3 where it plans to give gamers a more thorough look at the upcoming console. Polygon is today reporting that there are two major features of Xbox One that weren't shown off in Redmond this week: Skype-based remote play and the new Kinect's ability to initiate two-way conversations with users. According to the report, the Siri-like feature will enable Xbox One players to carry on back-and-forth dialogues with Kinect. The console will speak up when it notices an unfamiliar player in the room, for example, requesting a new user's name before automatically setting up their local profile. We've previously reported on Xbox One's vastly improved voice recognition, and while Polygon says this feature may not be ready at launch, it would at worst arrive in an early software update.

Remote play over Skype will allow a friend (from his or her own Xbox One) to essentially take over your current gaming session and help you get past a boss battle or other challenging sequence. The console will request permission before temporarily handing off your game to a friend. But other specifics remain unclear, including the maximum length of remote play assistance and whether both players must own the game being played — a likely scenario. Sony's PlayStation 4 will also include its own Gaikai-powered take on remote play when the console launches later this year.