It’s 
as unavoidable as cat gifs: Put a microphone in front of a large group of people and someone’s going to spew obscenities. Put a camera in front of that group and someone’s gonna strip.
But if you do so on your PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, be ready to face the consequences.
The 
PlayStation 4 isn’t the only new console with some early hardware bugs to work out.
Microsoft has acknowledged that some of the initial Xbox One units have an issue with the Blu-ray drive rendering it unable to read discs.
While 
there’s bound to be plenty of debate about the quality of the Xbox One launch lineup, no one can dispute that the pipeline is jam-packed with exciting games.
Microsoft hasn’t exactly been shy about touting the exclusives that are coming to its new system – and that’s on top of a slew of multi-platform third-party games like Watch Dogs that are looming. The problem, though, is not all of these big titles are imminent. Some won’t be out for a year or so. Others could be even further out. Still, each is worthy of your attention.
There’s 
a whole lot to take in with the Xbox One. The system is rich with features – tied to gaming, movies and TV, and staying in touch with friends. Even the most thorough reviews have to leave a few things out, though.
But some of those little details are pretty fascinating and give insight into what the system can and can’t do. Here are a few things you might not know about Microsoft’s latest console.
Once 
you get your Xbox One – you are getting one, aren’t you?! – it’s time to start loading up on games that will showcase it in the best light.
Just as the PlayStation 4 has games that shine on that system, Microsoft’s new console has some doozies of its own – many of which aren’t available anywhere else. And with Microsoft’s increased focus on a wide audience, there’s something available for just about every gamer.
Microsoft 
won a lot of praise this summer by quickly addressing gamer criticisms of the Xbox One after its June unveiling at the E3 game convention. Unfortunately, as the launch date approaches, it’s clear that the wide scope of the changes announced created a time crunch, leaving little time for the team to polish the console’s features.
The result is a system that often feels half-baked. While it’s easy to see where Microsoft wants the Xbox One to be, it’s not quite there yet.
During 
the months walking up to a console launch, there’s a great unspoken truth the press, publishers and gamers all choose to conveniently ignore: The first batch of games are going to be pretty bad.
Sure, there might be an occasional standout, but the majority of the titles people heap with praise and say they can’t wait to try are titles that will mostly be forgotten before the following holiday. Even installments of well-known franchises are generally just graphically enhanced versions of what we already know.
Let 
the games begin.
The unveiling of Sony’s PlayStation 4 on Nov. 15 and Microsoft’s Xbox One on Nov. 22 doesn’t just mark a new console cycle but is a new start of sorts for the companies: The former is trying to right the ship after years of losses, while the latter is moving to expand its empire beyond the PC desktop.
There 
are two stories to follow this holiday season in the gaming world: Hardware and software.
With the high-profile launch of two new gaming systems and a slew of new games still to come, the video-game industry is hoping Santa brings it a turnaround this year. U.S. consumer spending on video games at brick-and-mortar retail stores has fallen nearly 30 percent in the past three years. In 2010, the industry took in $18.6 billion on sales of hardware, software and accessories, according to the NPD Group. In 2012, that number had slipped to $13.26 billion.
Technically, 
the Xbox One isn’t supposed to go on sale for a week and a half, but a small handful of consumers managed to get their hands on one early.
Microsoft confirmed the online reports over this weekend, saying a shipping error by “a retail partner” resulted in a pleasant surprise for some fans who had pre-ordered the console. Most likely that partner was Target.
Chris Morris: Journalist 