Keanu Reeves sends fans wild at Xbox event revealing details on next-generation console
Keanu Reeves has sent gamers into a spin at an Xbox where new details about its next-generation console were revealed for the first time.
A-grade celeb Keanu Reeves stole the show as Microsoft gave the world a first glimpse of it’s powerful next-generation Xbox gaming console.
Xbox head Phil Spencer pulled back the curtain on “Project Scarlett”, at a gala event ahead of the opening of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) video game industry gathering.
But it was The Matrix star who sent fans into a spin as he revealed his role in the highly-anticipated video game Cyberpunk 2077, arguably more so than the successor to the Xbox One that will give game makers “the power they need to bring their creative visions to life.”
The crowd went wild as Reeves took to the stage, in an entrance complete with light show and smoke machines.
He will voice a character named Mr Fusion in Cyberpunk 2077, a dystopian role-playing video game set for release in April next year.
“Let me tell you, of being there, of walking the streets in the future, is really going to be breathtaking,” Reeves said of the upcoming game.
An excited fan drew a chucked from the surprise guest when he yelled “you’re breathtaking”, with Reeves repaying the compliment.
But it wasn’t just those in attendance that were delighted at his appearance. He sent social media into a spin, too
The new Xbox was promised to be released in time for the Christmas holiday shopping season in 2020, but no pricing plans were revealed.
Halo Infinite has been confirmed as the upcoming console’s launch title, and previous generations of Xbox games will be playable through backwards compatibility.
“For us, the console is vital and central to our experience,” Spencer said during a media event that showcased 60 new games for Xbox.
Xbox battles in the console gaming arena with Sony, which is working on a new generation PlayStation.
The commitment to consoles by longtime contenders in the market comes with the rise of video games hosted as subscription services streamed Netflix-style from data centres in the internet cloud.
Xbox also announced at the E3 event that it is adding the ability for players to stream games in their libraries for play on mobile devices with Game Pass subscriptions.
“We will bring Xbox to the cloud with Project and console streaming,” Spencer said.
“Where you play is entirely your choice, you decide.”
The new service will be previewed later this year, according to Microsoft.
The E3 opens with gamers gradually moving away from traditional console play and Google seeking to capitalise on that trend with a new Stadia service allowing people to play cloud-powered games on any connected device.
Adapting to the new trends will be critical for players in the massive video game industry, which last year generated more than $135 billion ($A193 billion) globally, and $43.4 billion ($A62 billion) in the United States.
Originally published as Keanu Reeves sends fans wild at Xbox event revealing details on next-generation console
How to get new Xbox, games for free
The race is on to secure one of 10 new Xbox Series X consoles which Telstra is giving away in an online scavenger hunt. Here’s where some have been found.
When you can get new Xbox consoles
Xbox has revealed it will release not one but two next-gen consoles and we now know how much both consoles will cost at launch.