Video Games

Low Latency is a weekly comic on CNET's Crave blog written by CNET editor and podcast host Jeff Bakalar and illustrated by Blake Stevenson. Be sure to check Crave every Friday at 8 a.m. PT for new panels! Want more? Here's every Low Latency comic so far.

For the better part of a decade the video game landscape remained mostly unchanged, complacent in a sea of sequels, motion controls, and downloadable content.

It's a generation that has lasted longer than any other before it, albeit for generally good reasons. And perhaps most impressive is that though their PC gaming counterparts have long since passed them by, these aging consoles are still able to render great-looking games.

So while the sun begins to set on what will go down as a pivotal generation for video games, we look ahead to see what owning a console will be … Read more

The wait is over. Microsoft's new console is called the Xbox One, and it will be a machine that will wear many hats. But what did we learn about the games?

First off, Microsoft tells CNET that the Xbox One will not be backward compatible with any previous Xbox game. Xbox One games will also need to be fully installed, and if the install disc is used on another console, there will be a small fee for doing so. We don't have a lot of the details beyond that, but fears of anti-used-game tactics have officially been realized. … Read more

Ah, now we can finally compare the two. Pretty much. With Microsoft's Xbox One cat out of the bag, at last both it and that other yes-it's-been-announced-but-no-we-don't-know-every-detail console, the PlayStation 4, can be put under our powerful, analytical virtual microscopes.

There are still plenty of unanswered questions on both sides, but that won't stop us from diving headfirst into what we actually do know.

Editors' note (May 23, 12:52 a.m. PT): This story has been extensively updated and expanded since its original publication.

Hardware The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 house very similar silicon … Read more

The newly announced Xbox One is getting a new controller to go with it. It looks a lot like the Xbox 360's controller, but with what Microsoft says are 40 "technical and design innovations" on top of its 8-year-old predecessor.

So what's the big new change? Not the action buttons, directional pad, analog sticks, or triggers -- which are all in the same place. Instead, all these things have been refined. The thumbsticks, for instance, now have textured ridges and are now 25 percent easier to move, which Microsoft says will make long play sessions less … Read more

Microsoft is holding its special next-generation Xbox event Tuesday, and you'll be able to get your full dose of the news right here.

The press conference, where Microsoft says it will unveil the next generation of its popular games and entertainment console, kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific on Tuesday, May 21. CNET's Jay Greene, James Martin, and I will be bringing you the news live from Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Wash.

You can tune in to the live blog and pre-show here:

As … Read more

Preorders for Nvidia's Shield will begin today, May 17, at Newegg, GameStop, and Canada Computer. Preorders are also available on Nvidia's Shield site.

Earlier this week, Nvidia announced that preorders for Shield at the aforementioned retailers would begin on Monday, May 20, but now cites "growing buzz" as its reason for making the portable console available sooner.

The Nvidia Shield is an Android-based portable gaming console using the company's Tegra 4 processor. The device is scheduled to ship in June. You can check out my hands-on impressions here.

The bad news keeps stacking up for Nintendo.

The Wii U console was greeted with yawns when it was released in November 2012. Sales numbers for the console look increasingly dire, and support from third-party software publishers seems to be wavering (EA's next-gen Frostbite graphics engine apparently doesn't even work on the Wii U). And now comes word that Nintendo won't have a formal press conference at this year's E3 show.

Is Nintendo's low profile at E3 a retreat, or a change in strategy? Whatever the answer, it seems perfectly indicative of Nintendo's current … Read more

The Nintendo 3DS has already been through a lot. The first-ever glasses-less 3D portable console didn't have the most glamorous of launches when it hit the market more than two years ago. Tainted by an underwhelming batch of debut software, controversial 3D effect, and a disappointing battery life, the 3DS didn't have a whole lot going for it out of the gate.

If that wasn't enough of a burden, the 3DS was also forced to follow up the original DS, a predecessor that is approaching worldwide sales of 154 million units combined. It's the best-selling portable console of all time.

But in the 25 months since its release, the 3DS has made significant strides. A focus on the platform's online store and a hardware refresh with a much bigger screen and better battery have begun to right the ship. Most importantly, a bevy of compelling software has been made available -- though some have criticized the company's continual recycling of classic games. … Read more