Gamescom 2013

This year's conference has proven to be one of the most important in recent years, with both Microsoft and Sony revealing more information on their impending new consoles, the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4.

The company  revealed  a strong software lineup. Fable Legends, the fifth in the action role-playing series from Lionhead Studios, introduces four-person co-operative play as a franchise first, alongside a companion app for tablets, while Ubisoft's Fighter Within utilises the enhanced Kinect camera to map actions into a fighting game, displaying improved sensitivity for the device and promising a hearty workout.

The real coup for Microsoft, however, was the announcement of a partnership with EA's Fifa franchise, whereby pre-orders of the Xbox One will include Fifa 14 free. As one of the world's biggest sports games, that will be a considerable incentive.

the PlayStation 4 is in fine shape. Going one step further than Microsoft, Sony revealed that its next generation hardware will be released on 29 November in Europe alongside immediate price cuts for its PS Vita.

With Microsoft having addressed its greatest criticisms and Sony reinforcing an already strong debut, both consoles are shaping up to be essential purchases. As the two behemoths square up in the final months before launch, a promising future looms for fans of either format.

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