The Xbox One will be released on the Xbox One on Nov. 22, and fans of the console are eagerly awaiting the console and its variety of games. Microsoft has revealed several details about the console in preparation for the Xbox One's launch, and Marc Whitten, the Chief Platform Architect for the Xbox One has answered fan submitted questions on IGN considering the next-gen console.
One big fan question was if the Xbox One and its games will have region locking in place. Whitten revealed that neither the Xbox One nor the software coming to the console will have any sort of region locks. Another big feature discussed involves one of the Xbox One's biggest features: the Kinect. Whitten explained that the Kinect will have the ability to read scan in codes for certain items for the console, allowing gamers to use this Kinect to scan codes for Xbox live subscriptions, avatar bonus items and even pre-order bonuses from games. Whitten also said that there will be even more scan in codes that will work on the Kinect, and that more details will be announced when the Xbox One is launched.
Another Xbox One tidbit Whitten discussed was that the console will not support HD DVDs, though considering that medium has been dead for quite some time, that information won't likely shock too many people. Whitten also addressed a question about the possibility of Microsoft releasing old, inactive Gamertags for new use. The exec did not commit to a new wave of older Gamertags becoming available to users, but he did not refute the notion, either.
Whitten also addressed the possibility of Skype appearing on the Xbox 360. He stated that the primary focus is to bring Skype to the Xbox One, rather than bringing the video calling program to the company's older console:
"For now, our focus is on making Skype on Xbox One a premiere experience. The Kinect sensor on Xbox One is great for capturing voice and video with very high quality. With the system architecture of Xbox One, it's easy to instantly move between experiences - including Skype - and to allow you to get Skype calls and have a Skype conversation regardless of what else you are doing on the console."
Look out for more Xbox One news right here as the console's release date draws closer.