Xbox Series S/X: Thread 03

[Cassius_Smoke]

For me the thing I like about GP is that it preserves games. Too often we move to another generation and games are forgotten and left behind.
MS have a catalogue of games that stretch back to the original xbox. It doesn't have everything; and they exist purely on MS server's which they control, but it's offering a history that others aren't.
Sony ps1-ps3 games are thin to none on PSNow and Nintendo just like to package their old titles and sell them again.

[muddy]

One thing that’s important to recognise is that money spent on Game Pass with MS is money not spent with Steam/PS. This matters a lot.

[Neon Ignition]

Not really. Ouya was a basic games device with crap controllers and a load of shovelware. OnLive was just streaming.

Xbox has a the last gen consoles capable of playing games natively or streaming. New consoles both at £249 and £449, the ability to stream direct from a browser and app support across iOS, Android and Windows.

Plus of course they have the Azure cloud services to back it all up.

In comparison it's a far more comprehensive setup even in it's current form. Add on better servers comparable to Series X and the fact you can use decent controllers with it... The fact they're adding on native TV apps and a dedicated stick device I can see they've basically got multiple options all with a near comparable experience, latency and bandwidth not withstanding. You can of course access your game saves and pick up and play across all of that.

I dunno... I don't think I'd personally ever give up on a dedicated console or pc for gaming but I can see the cloud service getting to a level that would attract casuals and tablet users.

I can also see people trying it out on on cloud, liking the subscription model and picking up the Series S on All Access for £20pm...

Whilst Xbox is infinitely better placed to make an attempt I strongly suspect it's appeal likes much more within its existing audience than it does new ones. The trouble primarily is that gaming consoles aren't new concepts and they aren't hard to get hold of if you're interested and not in an immediate launch window. The Series S is the most cost affordable entry into the new generation and it's also the least in demand too. It's not a slight against the hardware but I think the practical reality kills the concept.

On paper Sony, MS and Nintendo should be swimming in iOS and Android gaming riches but bar one or two exceptions they've barely made an attempt on it. Someone could get an App, a £50 controller, a subscription to Game Pass and play some new titles and some older ones but I bet that most willing to do so would be because they already own an Xbox or could just buy one anyway. That's long before addressing content, MS is... well, a gazillion miles away from having the right content for casual audience interest and the acquisitions don't even speak to that either. If they did most would probably click the free trial, see you need a controller and walk away in that moment at best.

I think it comes from companies misconceptions that slapping themselves on every possible outlet will mean 100x the business and it's never worked that way. Most people I suspect don't play games because they know what they are and it doesn't interest them. Like how MS has made its games available in Japan for four generations - they just don't want it.

Same with the Forbes article, it takes the perspective of pre-deciding the console must be left behind (an idea banded around every generation despite its failure to come about) and assumes that it's imminent, that MS's approach is the right one, that consumers are poised to pounce and that MS will suddenly nail their first party lineup in a way they never have.

Is MS better? Yes. Will it get better? Yes. Will it make a move that puts it at advantage to Sony and Nintendo... it'd be amazed if it were to in the next two generations. It's like the acquisitions, it's great added content for MS but it's also like somehow suddenly everyone expects the studios to start ****ing gold for MS. Even Bethesda doesn't have that benchmark met, it took Nintendo and Sony generations to get to the standard they are now. I'm guessing Game Passes fate will be decided long before then and that Sony is so casual about PSNow (that has twice the content Game Pass does) is the real indicator that they know interest isn't actually that high.

It all swings around though that any service lives or dies primarily on its content and back on to why this years E3 will be absolutely critical to how MS does this gen

[Atticus]

I bought one of my boys a Series S last week and the performance is astonishing for a £250 console. Yes, there are compromises if you sit it next to a Series X, but it's almost half the price of that. With the cross-gen upgrade installed it's amazing how good Cold War looks and runs on a 1080p tv. Very impressive.

I traded an old One S for it and paid £99. This was after the sales guy in GAME tried to insist it HAD to be bought as a bundle with Game Pass and a Charge Kit. I said the offer stated it's £99 when you trade a One S and he dug his heels in so I spoke with the manager and he set the guy straight. Wonder how many peeps he up-sold/ripped off? I still went back in later with my old One X and got another Series S for £49 (and a much better sales assistant). Too good a deal not to. Just got to be wary of douchey sales guys.

[Cassius_Smoke]

£50!? That's insane. Basically free

[nonny]

Yeah that GAME trade in deal is really good. I also love my Series S... All of the nice features like quick resume, fast loading and quiet running in a tiny little box for under £250. As a £50 upgrade it's an absolute no brainer.

I get what you're saying as well Cassius. For users currently in the ecosystem MS branching out and extending its reach makes sense and it's all just value add to a great service... But it's going to be harder to convince casuals or players who say have PS5 as their main console of choice to come across.

On iOS and Android you do get a lot of titles on game pass that now have touch controls as an option. So that is something and it actually works rather well. I played a few indie titles like this. It does the job basically.

Whether they can convince those that don't want a console remains to be seen. But I can see people trialling game pass because they got it free with their new phone plan and then they realise it's even better if they snag the stupidly cheap Series S that comes with a controller they can also use with their tablet...

So I think there is a chance the access to game pass on the go may actually drive hardware sales if the right hardware exists at a fair price. Equally I wonder whether MS will offer game pass on new Surface devices like the Surface Go/Pro/Duo... I get the impression they want everyone to try the service and then make their own decisions on how they want to consume it if they stick around.

[fishbowlhead]

I was thinking of the SeriesS deal but really don’t want to part with my Cyberpunk OneX as i just like it as a peice of hardware. Then my made had the cock up with the SeriesX so ended up with that anyway.

Good deal though.

[BIG EDD]

Looks like Back 4 Blood is day one on Gamepass.

[nonny]

Looks like Back 4 Blood is day one on Gamepass.

Yeah looking forward to that, hopefully it turns out to be true. Also have Psychonauts 2 and The Ascent going straight into game pass really soon... Plus there's been confirmation a few other 3rd party titles are as well so with any luck they'll get confirmed in the next few days....

[nonny]

https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-06-12-microsoft-store-spills-yakuza-like-a-dragon-for-xbox-game-pass

Well there's one confirmed. Yakuza Like A Dragon going into game pass...

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2021/05/21/the-riftbreaker-xbox-game-pass-on-day-one/

The Riftbreaker is another.

So that'll be:

Psychonauts 2
The Ascent
D&D Dark Alliance
Back 4 Blood*
The Riftbreaker
Flight Simulator*
Yakuza Like A Dragon*

*If the rumours hold up. I know Yakuza isn't new but it's fairly recent.

[Neon Ignition]

I'd seen rumbles that Psychonauts 2 might not be launched till August, if so I'll use a month on that likely in September when they rumour Halo Infinite will land too

[nonny]

I'd seen rumbles that Psychonauts 2 might not be launched till August, if so I'll use a month on that likely in September when they rumour Halo Infinite will land too

It popped up on the game pass to pre-download about a month ago by accident so basically it seems the game is done.

I guess they'd only delay to August if they were staggering the releases to keep a constant flow. The Ascent is out June 29th.

I'm also seeing rumours The Evil Within 2, Doom 2016 and Fallout 3 are dropping into Game Pass. Doom was already in it for a while prior to the Bethesda deal but looks like it's coming back... Maybe with enhancements?

[nonny]

https://xscreen.upspecgaming.com/

Chunky gaming laptop? It's a shame it's 1080p and not 1440p60 but it's pretty decent that it's powered via the USB port and has speakers.

[Atticus]

Game Pass may end up being an essential platform for the non-blockbuster games that may have otherwise gone under the radar. I've found it at its best when playing something different with mates, like WWZ or Wreckfest. No need to buy, just give it a go and have some fun.

The Ascent is out June 29th.

Can't wait for this one. Hoping it plays as great as it looks.

I'm also seeing rumours The Evil Within 2, Doom 2016

Fingers crossed. I was disappointed when these weren't included.

[nonny]

Game Pass may end up being an essential platform for the non-blockbuster games that may have otherwise gone under the radar. I've found it at its best when playing something different with mates, like WWZ or Wreckfest. No need to buy, just give it a go and have some fun.


Can't wait for this one. Hoping it plays as great as it looks.


Fingers crossed. I was disappointed when these weren't included.

Yeah it was strange that Doom got removed and not reinstated when the Zenimax deal was final. Even stranger as Doom Eternal was added on day one after the deal.

Agree GP is great for dipping into games you normally wouldn't try. I've tried a tonne of indie games I would have looked at if it wasn't for the service.