Xbox - Series S/X: Thread 01

[Cassius_Smoke]

Yeah I don't think you can compare it to the WiiU. That console had its own problems. I don't doubt the Xbox SX will sell. I think it's major problems are exclusives and lack of established franchises to carry over.

Actually thinking about it, there is another problem. The new SX has much more power, but it doesn't really have anything else. Buying a new console as we all know, is about more then just getting something with more power. Each new console so far has carried something exciting. The 360 introduced us to online gaming and a great new controller. The wii had a gimmick. The PS4 has VR and a better controller. They have to essentially be 'toys'. This SX just seems like an upgrade are more of the same. It doesn't excite me. And it should.

[Nico87]

Yeah I don't think you can compare it to the WiiU. That console had its own problems. I don't doubt the Xbox SX will sell. I think it's major problems are exclusives and lack of established franchises to carry over.

Actually thinking about it, there is another problem. The new SX has much more power, but it doesn't really have anything else. Buying a new console as we all know, is about more then just getting something with more power. Each new console so far has carried something exciting. The 360 introduced us to online gaming and a great new controller. The wii had a gimmick. The PS4 has VR and a better controller. They have to essentially be 'toys'. This SX just seems like an upgrade are more of the same. It doesn't excite me. And it should.

Short of implementing their own VR there's very little they can do in my opinion. The world is heading towards 4k at 60fps and that's what the SX will deliver.

They do have one unique feature though - games will supposedly work all the way back with the Xbox One S. So yes, games like Hellblade 2 was announced for the XS and will most likely run at native 4k at 60fps but will also play on the One S at 720-1080p at ~30fps. That's huge in my opinion, and is in line with their ecosystem marketing.

No idea if the above will go for third-party games, but it's a definite for first-party games and that makes sense. This together with the best backwards compatibility is enough in my opinion.

[Team Andromeda]

Short of implementing their own VR there's very little they can do in my opinion. The world is heading towards 4k at 60fps and that's what the SX will deliver.

They do have one unique feature though - games will supposedly work all the way back with the Xbox One S. So yes, games like Hellblade 2 was announced for the XS and will most likely run at native 4k at 60fps but will also play on the One S at 720-1080p at ~30fps. That's huge in my opinion, and is in line with their ecosystem marketing.

No idea if the above will go for third-party games, but it's a definite for first-party games and that makes sense.

On the trailer, only series X is listed. So I have my doubts Hellbade 2 is coming for the older systems.
I think the main sell of BC is hopefully ALL XBox One games and peripherals will work on the Series X.

The trailer looks awesome mind

[Neon Ignition]

The naming is important though as it ties in with the marketing of the system. MS can't just throw XSX out for £500 and have people jump on it because the price tag makes it clear it's the newest machine just as the XBX never became the default choice for most buying an XBO.

Xbox is coming off the back of a really lacklustre generation for them and the brand already carries the baggage that so many countries don't care about MS's efforts. That sense of more of the same in their branding will be a key contributor in making sure the console only does more of the same too.

So far out marketing Xbox would be very easy for Sony


Side note worth remembering too: 4K 60fps will only be for MS first party stuff for the most part which the XBX already delivers.

[Team Andromeda]

The naming is important though as it ties in with the marketing of the system. MS can't just throw XSX out for £500 and have people jump on it because the price tag makes it clear it's the newest machine just as the XBX never became the default choice for most buying an XBO.

I don't know why one bothers since it's so clear for months you've been trolling. But I would put to you no one had issues with the 'Gameboy' being used for Nintendo families of Handheld systems. No one gets issues between a Samsung S10 to a Samsung Galaxy S10+. No one gets mixed up with BluRay or BluRay UHD or Windows XP to Windows Vista

In the digital age, you only have to show a picture of the item you want, to the shop assistant and job done, even 3 years olds now have smartphones and i-pads. You can have a bad name even a bit of a flop and come out with a system that gets shoppers wanting your product to be in gaming or in the high street. Nintendo was able to come good with the Switch after the Wii U Samsung after Note 7, Windows after Vista LOL

In the end, it will be the games that sell a system, not how a system looks or what it called.

[Junko]

And personally Microsoft has a huge job ahead of it to get people onboard after this clusterF of a generation , it’s only redeeming feature being BW compatibility . Halo , Gears and Forza aren’t enough reasons to invest £500

[Team Andromeda]

. Halo , Gears and Forza aren’t enough reasons to invest £500

At a guess, that's why MS has bought 6 studios and also set up a brand new studio (The Initiative) I doubt they're working on Gears, Forza, Halo

[teddymeow]

At a guess, that's why MS has bought 6 studios and also set up a brand new studio (The Initiative) I doubt they're working on Gears, Forza, Halo

If those studios are anywhere near as prolific as Rare have been we're in for about, ooh, 3 games in the new consoles lifespan...

[Cassius_Smoke]

At a guess, that's why MS has bought 6 studios and also set up a brand new studio (The Initiative) I doubt they're working on Gears, Forza, Halo

But then they'll also face the problem of selling an unknown game(s) to an audience that's looking at the PS5 line up of the likes of God of War 2, Spiderman 2, Horizon 2, maybe Astrobot 2 and then ports of ps4 games. These are established games people know vs a punt.

[nonny]

The way you paint it is they can't win either way... You talk of lack of exclusive titles but then argue about them selling new franchises to the audience. At some point in time every platform needs new stuff, you can't trot out a new God of war each generation and rely solely on that.

Sony knows this, Microsoft knows this... And MS had no choice but to invest and wait for returns. The exclusives have been slow these past few years but they're setting themselves up to correct that. Looking at who they've invested in, I'm excited.

Plus other than exclusives Microsoft had a struggle this generation thanks to poor messaging and pricing and we'll, everything else at launch that could go wrong. They expected a media hub and games machine you could talk to that was always online and you could use for digital everything. They had to back track... But look at where we're at these days with smart speakers, smart soundbars, connected homes... Fire sticks, Roku sticks... Etc...

They had some foresight but they should have remained focused on gaming first, everything else second.

I'd argue that from where MS started they have finished this generation in excellent fashion. The Xbox One X is an incredible console. Game Pass is the best subscription service period. Game Pass Ultimate is a bargain must have. Digital gaming is now viable if you want to go discless and game streaming from your console or the cloud is now here to boot.

Plus of course the controller is still great, the backward compatibility is still great and Xbox live is still great. Throw in Windows PC gaming and the whole ecosystem is starting to form a solid foundation for this next "series".

I won't argue the PS4 has been a massive success but then it couldn't really fail after year one. But if anyone thinks the Xbox One was an overall failure I think they are missing the larger picture.

[Brad]

Hope some good new stuff comes out of the new studios. Xbone was pretty crap overall imo. Crackdown didn’t deliver, sea of thieves failed, halo has had its day. Forza is still rocking I have to say whereas gran turismo is now nothing imo.

[Leon Retro]

Development kit spotted in the wild

But seriously, I was worried that the next Xbox would have to be stood vertically, so I'm glad you can also have it horizontal.

As much as I don't like the design, if the benefit is cool operation, I will appreciate how important that is. The tech is going to be way more powerful than the current gen, so cooling is paramount.

Owning the Xbox One X and using Game Pass has really opened my eyes to how good MS are as a gaming company at the moment. I also prefer the Xbox controller over the PlayStation's. It's great to know that the controller included with the next Xbox will be even better.

I have a feeling that MS are going to come back really strong with the next gen -- it's in their hands to attract and convince gamers to embrace the Xbox brand. I think the extra intense rivalry between Sony and MS will make the gaming scene even more exciting.

[Team Andromeda]

But then they'll also face the problem of selling an unknown game(s) to an audience that's looking at the PS5 line up of the likes of God of War 2, Spiderman 2, Horizon 2, maybe Astrobot 2 and then ports of ps4 games. These are established games people know vs a punt.

So it's ok for SONY to make more of the same?. Hellblade is an award-winning game and the team now have AAA funding for a sequel and if it's true about Fable, that is hardly an unknown IP. I think MS is going back to the OG Xbox. PC in a console box, amazing tech and got a lot to prove. Even Halo is going back to the OG XBox and looks to me like almost a remake and maybe some will be WOWED when they set foot on the Planet, just like the 1st game.

I just can't wait for E3 2020. It's like the 32Bit battle with consoles details and spec's leaking with over a year to go and what seems to be a massive leap over the last-gen and where I couldn't wait for the Tokyo Game Show 1994

[Team Andromeda]

If those studios are anywhere near as prolific as Rare have been we're in for about, ooh, 3 games in the new consoles lifespan...

Still far more prolific than Polyphony Digital

[Cassius_Smoke]

I'm simply suggesting that when both consoles come out of the gates at the same time, are people going to buy a console with games they've heard of before or buy a console with some new titles they don't? I think people like to play it safe when spending £500.