Arieo Gonzalez had been waiting for an Xbox One since 1 p.m. Thursday . Brian Miller , in his own way , had been waiting since June . Both walked away from a Best Buy in Timonium , Maryland , early Friday with one of the newly released , next-generation gaming consoles from Microsoft . The box hit shelves a week after rival Sony 's PlayStation 4 , marking the official start of the latest battle in gaming 's console wars . Console smackdown ! PlayStation 4 vs. Xbox One . Miller , 40 , who pre-ordered the Xbox One in June , said he loves everything Microsoft does . The Sparks , Maryland , resident prepared by playing his Xbox 360 `` into the ground '' with his 8-year-old daughter , Laci . `` We play co-op all the time whenever there is a chance , '' he said . `` I 'm picking up 'Ryse ' for myself . I 'm getting 'Just Dance ' for her . I ca n't wait to try out the new entertainment set up for it . '' Arieo waited outside the store with his dad , Jose . The 13-year-old missed out on pre-ordering but did n't want to lose his chance for an Xbox One after making good grades in school and earning the right to get the console . `` I 've only played Xbox 360 and did n't have the Kinect , '' Arieo said . `` This will be my first time , and I 'm really looking forward to using it . Xbox One On ! '' The Xbox One , which sells for $ 499 , continues Microsoft 's move toward making the console not just a gaming device but a central entertainment hub , too . With the Kinect voice and motion controller , users can call out favorite television shows or movies , split the TV screen between two different applications , or even record and share their gameplay with friends . Marc Whitten , corporate vice president of Xbox Live , said it 's only the beginning of how Microsoft thinks people will use their consoles as home entertainment centers . `` One of the things that has been just so amazing for the Xbox One is the passion of the fans about play and Xbox Live , '' Whitten told CNN in a pre-midnight interview . `` Everything we do is really about how we build new experiences for them . It 's awesome . '' Whitten said Kinect , originally promoted as a tool for hands-free gaming , is increasingly becoming a focal point for the entire Xbox system . Jason Gelatka of Towson , Maryland , said the device is the biggest draw for him . `` It is more than just gaming . It is the multimedia experience , '' he said . `` I 'm looking forward to just calling out my movie or pulling up Netflix with my voice . It is a giant universal remote control . '' Gelatka also pre-ordered his console this summer . He and his friends treated the midnight launch like opening night of a sports season or Hollywood blockbuster . `` We 've been talking with each other , texting each other since we ordered . It really made the wait harder , '' Gelatka said . `` Today was the longest day ever . '' Crowds rivaling those for last week 's PlayStation 4 rollout lined up for the Xbox launch in 13 countries . In New York 's Times Square , a concert featuring hip-hop artist Macklemore was part of the launch event . Early controversies , including concerns about the ability to resell and share games on the system , did n't appear to have hurt the turnout . But Miller said he was a bit bummed about the lack of a selection of games for launch , and Gelatka agreed . `` The Day One lineup of games is not fantastic , '' Gelatka said . `` I 'm confident though . They have n't reached their peak and better games are out there waiting to be made . Xbox has always listened to what I wanted . That 's why I 'm getting the Xbox One . ''
Big crowds greet Xbox One 's midnight launch . Microsoft 's new console aims to be central entertainment hub . Launch comes a week after rival Sony 's PlayStation 4 release .