Xbox One Unboxing: Moonlight Swami Gets Microsoft’s New Console Two Weeks Early, First Photos And Impressions

YouTube videogame reviewer Moonlight Swami received an unexpected package, a new Xbox One, from Target, on Nov. 8, two weeks before Microsoft’s new console is set to hit shelves. The lucky gamer posted his experience with his new Xbox One, showing off what’s inside the box and sharing his impressions of the console with the world.

According to Moonlight Swami, he pre-ordered the Xbox One on Nov. 4, but due to a glitch, received the console a mere four days later. And while Moonlight Swami can’t go online with is new console, he can still play games, try out the new dashboard and share his experience with the Xbox One.

The story unfolded on Nov. 8 with the unexpected delivery of the Xbox One. The first game he played was “Call of Duty: Ghosts.” According to Moonlight Swami, the day one update for the Xbox One is 500 MB and he also discussed the install for each game. “NBA 2K14” requires 43 GB of hard drive space while “COD: Ghosts” is a 39 GB install. “Ryse: Son of Rome” requires 34 GB of HD space, “Forza 5” is a 31 GB install and “Zumba Fitness: World Party” is a 24 GB install. The majority of the games hover between a 22-8 GB install. “Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag” is a 22 GB install, “Dead Rising 3” is a 19 GB install and Madden 25” is a 12 GB install.

The Xbox One has a 500 GB internal HD which means space will soon be at a premium, as installing just three games -- for example, “NBA 2K14,” “COD: Ghosts” and “Ryse” -- will use up more than 100 GB of storage space. According to Moonlight Swami, fans can expect a free copy of “Killer Instict” as a Xbox One Marketplace download.

Based on his first impressions, Moonlight Swami said the Kinect was a bit tricky to set up but was an enjoyable and responsive experience, with the camera able to recognize voice commands made from a Skype call. The Xbox One user interface is fast, taking just 17 seconds from power up to the dashboard, and the console itself barely generates any noise. The console features two HDMI ports as well as two rear USB ports.

As for his initial take on “COD: Ghosts” on the Xbox One, compared to the Xbox 360, the game looks smooth with a “solid frame rate.” Moonlight Swami updated his experience on Twitter and uploaded an Xbox One unboxing video on YouTube that was quickly removed by Microsoft for copyright violation. And later his Xbox One console was banned by Microsoft despite it being a legal purchase from Target. Despite his concerns over Microsoft’s response to sharing an unboxing video and using the Xbox One early, Moonlight Swami liked the console and would recommend it to anyone looking to purchase a new system.