Microsoft has revealed the next update to its next-generation console will make the Xbox One a true multimedia device, including allowing the user to stream content through a USB stick.
Microsoft has been busy showcasing its new features at this year’s Gamescom in Germany and has appeared to show a refocusing of strategy, particularly when it comes to video and TV content.
The new media function will come in the form of an app, according to Engadget, that will also give the user the ability to stream his or her video content across a variety of formats, including MPEG2 TS, animated GIF and MKV through both USB and a DLNA network.
When the console was first launched back in November, Microsoft had envisioned the Xbox One as more of a living room entertainment system rather than a dedicated gaming console. However, after lagging behind its largest competitor Sony and its own console, the PS4, Microsoft seemingly restructured itself more towards gaming once again.
However, it seems Microsoft has not completely given up the ghost when it comes to the update, as it will also introduce the ability to not only watch TV straight from turning on the console, but also watch streamed TV content straight onto any device that has the SmartGlass app, even when someone is playing games on the console.
Lara Croft pledges allegiance to Xbox
In other Xbox news, the much-loved Tomb Raider series with its iconic character Lara Croft will only be appearing on Xbox consoles in its next iteration, Rise of the Tomb Raider, after Microsoft and publishers Square Enix reached an agreement.
As for indie titles due to appear on the Xbox One, perhaps the most bizarre will be Goat Simulator, a game which received significant attention as it lets the player take on the role of a goat in a world where physics don’t necessarily go as expected.
