More Xbox One details leak: remote play, Siri-style chat

Microsoft showed off the Xbox One this week, but it kept a couple of the console's skills under wraps. For starters, the Xbox One will let you hand over to a friend via an Internet connection, so they can play through a tricky part of a game, sources claim.

The Kinect motion sensor will also talk to you like Apple's Siri software, asking new people in the room to identify themselves. It's not known whether Microsoft will give the console a personality, like Siri, complete with smart-alecky responses.

Two sources who tested out these features spilled the beans to Polygon.

In a demo of the remote play feature, a player is said to have Skyped someone for help. (Microsoft owns Skype, remember.) A message popped up asking if it was okay to hand over to the person they were Skyping. Then once the Skyper (Skypee?) took over, the original player could watch them to see how they handled the tricky part. Either player could end remote play by pressing a button.

It's not clear how long you'll be able to remote play for, or if both players need to own the game.

The Siri-style talky talky part may not be available at launch, but could come as a patch within the first few months.

Microsoft wouldn't confirm or deny the rumoured features.

Games on the Xbox One are also said to need regular authentication checks, so while your Internet connection might not have to be always-on, as previously rumoured, it'd be wise not to go disconnecting it. At least you won't have to pay to reactivate a used game, according to sources.

Sony's PS4 should land this year in the UK, according to a recent ad, and will also feature remote play for handing over when it gets a bit tricky. Doesn't that miss the point of playing a game?

Which are you most looking forward to? Or will Ouya blow them both out of the water? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.