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Good old Microsoft has released an official Live Event app for Windows Phone 8 devices that will allow users to stream tomorrow’s live NEXT Xbox announcement to their devices.

Microsoft has previously has such an app for their Xbox 360 console, allowing users at home to watch on their big’ol TVs but they didn’t have anything available for their Windows Phone lineup. Now, they seemed to have rectified that with the official Live Video Player app.

Microsoft has launched a new Xbox blog for consumers to remain up-to-date with all the latest news and content from the company.Microsoft has been revamping its news sources across the board, but the video game console has been left with no official source for some time, except or Larry Hryb ("Major Nelsen"). 

Microsoft is scheduled to reveal the next Xbox console (codenamed Durango) in two weeks’ time on May 21^st. The announcement of the reveal event marks the first time the console maker has publicly acknowledged the existence of the upcoming system. Still, the gaming industry has known about the next Xbox for quite some time now thanks to the usual steady trickle of leaks and rumors.

One of those rumors that we haven’t addressed here at Windows Phone Central is that the new console would require an internet connection in order to function. We’ll expand on that rumor in just a bit. The new rumor (which I take for truth) is that the next Xbox will not require an always-on internet connection after all. Thank goodness!

Let’s not beat around the bush. When the touch-centric iPhone came out in 2007 it changed mobile gaming – for the better. It helped to push mobile gaming to the masses and cement touch as a viable input option for games. Since then Android and Windows Phone have had their share of awesome games – beautiful and fun games stuff like Tentacles and Contre Jour are examples of games that couldn’t exist without touch. One thing that’s lacked in the tablet and smartphone space is a unified input system. A recent patent filing shows that Microsoft is positioning to change that.

The other day we shared that Chaos Rings from Square Enix was headed to the Windows Phone Store. Well... the Xbox title is now available over at the Windows Phone Store but only for Windows Phone 7 devices.  While a bit of a head scratcher, it is nice to see our older phones getting some exclusivity tossed their way.

Another couple of eye turners with the Chaos Rings release is that the game requires about 1GB of memory and is running $9.99. Due to the size of the game files, Wi-Fi is required for installation and it takes forever to download.  Thankfully, there is a trial to let you try things out before paying the ten bucks.

Gameloft is running an interesting Facebook contest where those who use the social network and own an account can enter by "liking" the Nokia, Gameloft and Xbox pages, as well as answering a simple question. The prizes? Only some Microsoft Points and a Windows Phone 8 device, which looks to be the Lumia 820.

It's a little early but Skulls of the Shogun is now live in the Windows Phone Store.

Due to be released tomorrow, January 30th, the newest Xbox title not only breaks the drought of Xbox game releases but also spans the full gaming spectrum with versions for Windows 8/RT and Xbox Live Arcade as well as for Windows Phone 8 and 7.x.

With the release comes special pricing as well. The Windows Phone version is discounted to $4.99, the Windows 8 version will run your $9.99 and the Xbox Live Arcade version launches at 1200 Microsoft Point (about $15).

Specifications have been leaked for the 360's successor.

With E3 approaching closer as each day passes, there's going to be more and more salt being thrown at consumers from sources who wish to either leak valid details about Microsoft's next generation Xbox console, or stir up false rumour. The latest information comes from VGleaks, who doesn't have a significant track record, but has published detailed articles surrounding the Playstation 4, WiiU and Xbox.

Microsoft has released an update for its Xbox SmartGlass app on the Windows Phone Store. What's new in the latest version? We're not entirely sure, but the app has been bumped to v2.0.0.0368.0 (according to the settings page within Xbox SmartGlass).