Xbox - Series S/X: Thread 01

[Team Andromeda]

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.

It depends. I doubt any of the major AAA games will be ready for either system at launch. Silly name, lack of In-House AAA selling games on the previous system, never heled back the 360 (I remember some on here, making fun of the name 360) It going to go on what MS shows off at E3.

If they show off some incredible graphics, have the spec to beat SONY come in at the same price. Then that box armed with Gamepass and HALO, Forza 8 for launch, will have a nice Christmas 2020 IMO.

[Neon Ignition]

That's the exact thing, it's not trolling when it's referring to the exact conditions the system needs. It's not hard to see why the X360 succeeded so well in hindsight and it had as much to do, if not more so, with what Sony was doing than it did MS. Looking at the XBO it's all too clear that MS has learned from multiple mistakes from it such as the need for more software, not being left to a significant power disadvantage to your similarly priced rival, engaging with your userbase more, expanding their software focus rather than their non-gaming one etc.

But we're still at the gestating point. It's good MS has bought multiple software studios so the frequency of their releases will improve. It's still in question whether that can be translated into games that sell in large demand given the studios come from struggled histories on that front. Game Pass has been amazing value but as yet it hasn't dented the XBO's struggles to sell and trying to shift a next-gen system on its back will be a hard sell. Nintendo may have pulled off 2 u-turns of fortune in the market but it did so each time by throwing the entire existing marketing and hardware approach out the window as a fresh rebranded relaunch blowing the bad cobwebs away.

MS has two approaches it can take - retake the US market or fourth time out try and conquer the wider global one. Doing that with a launch of Forza 8, Halo and branding that looks like more of an already weak imaged brand used for XBO? Again, it's the lack so-far of a sign they have any clue on how to make it suitably relevant in the face of an all dominating rival. Extending the branding of a mid-gen refresh that's sales fell of a cliff a short while after release is not going to capture the kind of audience their rivals enjoy. XBX and PS4 Pro have been an exercise in showcasing the lack of commercial worth such machines bring to a platform so neither company should be risking anything that might suggest these new machines are more extensions of the existing available machines.

[Leon Retro]

Still far more prolific than Polyphony Digital

It will be interesting to see if Turn 10 can take Forza to a level that makes Gran Turismo clearly second best and maybe irrelevant. If they can take the car models and lighting to a much higher level, that will be one step towards making Forza Motorsport the most attractive racing sim.

Polyphony seem very slow at developing GT games, and Sport hasn't exactly set the racing world on fire, so it's all in Turn 10's hands to finally make Forza the clear #1 racing sim. I really hope they are doing amazing things with Forza 8's development, so it will end up really blowing people away when it's eventually released sometime into the next gen.

Again, it's not a question of whether MS will make a great console, it's the lack so-far of a sign they have any clue on how to make it suitably relevant in the face of an all dominating rival.

It would take an almighty genius to make the Xbox brand popular in Japan and across Asia, so I doubt that will happen. Which means Sony will always have the advantage of Japan/Far East domination.

I think the next Xbox could triumph in the West though, if MS manage to make it really attractive next to the PlayStation. MS need to do everything they can to attract gamers to the Xbox brand. Lots of people in the West are devoted to the PlayStation brand and see it as the easy choice every gen, so it will be interesting to see if MS can change that attitude with attractive marketing and incentives.

[Nico87]

MS will benefit hugely from their acquisitions. The variety in genres will be insane, approaching Nintendo levels. Sony are 100% on the third-person action/shooter, story-focused games (not complaining, I love them), whether they're linear or open-world. MS will have literally everything from first-person shooters to isometric RPGS. From Xbox Game Studios, just recently and in the future, you have:

Bleeding Edge
Forza
Gears 6
Gears Tactics
Halo Infinite
Hellblade
Ori & the Will of the Wisps
Psychonauts 2
The Outer Worlds
Wasteland 3

That's 10 genres just there.

[Leon Retro]

That's 9 genres just there.

And the Forza brand has Motorsport and Horizon. The open-world Horizon is a big advantage MS have, as FH4 is extremely polished with tons of content and amazing visuals. So FH5 should take things to an even higher level that no other developer will probably be able to match.

[nonny]

I'm just excited that Halo Infinite is a day one launch title. Saying Halo has had its day... I dunno, to me when it's on form it's a system seller. We might now live in a world with seasonal battle royale games but Halo is one of the only FPS titles out there that offers a solid campaign, co-op and a fully customisable multiplayer that also has a map editor. Just look at how many are playing Halo Reach right now with the MC collection re-release

There's still definitely a market for that and it's also an area where Sony doesn't really have anything first party that even comes close... Maybe Killzone but where is that these days? Come launch day that might sway a few... Especially as it's included in game pass. It'll be a case of buy the console and maybe pay £1 to try all the first party games day one...

[Team Andromeda]

That's the exact thing, it's not trolling when it's referring to the exact conditions the system needs. It's not hard to see why the X360 succeeded so well in hindsight and it had as much to do, if not more so, with what Sony was doing than it did MS. Looking at the XBO it's all too clear that MS has learned from multiple mistakes from it such as the need for more software, not being left to a significant power disadvantage to your similarly priced rival.

You know what you're doing and you like to leave just a little bate in various posts. I don't have a issue with it per say and like bannter and wind ups, I had ton yesterday when Cardiff were 3-0 down before half time, but anyway.

A console that sold less than 30 million units, didn't have well established In House teams, did nothing in Japan and other than Halo the Xbox had little console selling IP. Did not hold back the 360, which was also a system most people made fun of the name too. Nobody cared becasue MS was serious about giving a fight and making a gaming console with the best spec it could. I would say the say is now true for the Series X

Do people really walk into a shop, ready to buy a PS4 Pro and come out with a PS4 Slim by mistake? I think most people are Zavvi enough to know there is a difference between a system called Series X to a One X Failing that all one needs to do is have a photo of the unit on their phone. Gone are the days when auntie would get me Popluos for the Master System for my Birthday, when I in fact asked for the Mega Drive version LOL


I'll admit Undead Labs, inXile Compulsion Games do nothing for me and not sure what they'll do with In-House AAA funding. Given the money spend and the talent brought in I would hope The Initiative is making something special, but that's up in the air too. When it comes to Ninja Theory, Playground Games, Double Fine, Obsidian they've got a track record and know-how to make decent to really good games and now with in-House AAA funding, it's going to be fun to see what they're do, more so with MS admitting to making a huge mistake with a lack of single-player IP

Then you talk about so-called damaged brands. Forza does the job, like the game or not Many thought after God of War: Ascension that IP had its a day, but the studio was able to bring it back, so who knows with Halo Infinite. The Wii U was a horrible flop for Nintendo and they came back.

If not for One X I would have been worried, but that system showed to me MS had its console mojo back and is serious again, about making a super powerful gaming system with no gimmicks and everything is about making the best and most powerful gaming system they can.

We'll see at E3 2020

[Team Andromeda]

It will be interesting to see if Turn 10 can take Forza to a level that makes Gran Turismo clearly second best and maybe irrelevant. If they can take the car models and lighting to a much higher level, that will be one step towards making Forza Motorsport the most attractive racing sim.

It was just a joke post, but this gen as seen various studios only able to make one game, even ones in SONY.
SONY Bend, Sucker Punch has only been able to make 1 game this gen too. But I wouldn't look to use that as something to knock the Teams for. Since in general, they all make good games, even Rare

It would take an almighty genius to make the Xbox brand popular in Japan and across Asia, so I doubt that will happen. Which means Sony will always have the advantage of Japan/Far East domination

I doubt MS even cares about Japan, that market seems to be Mobile/HH central, The PS4 barely outsold the Saturn there. Gone are the days when a Final Fantasy game would sell over 3 million copies on a console in Japan alone What it's all about in the USA and parts of Europe, that's where the real fight will be and where the money is.

[Cassius_Smoke]

I can see the unvailing has made people start drawing battle lines with people on either side. I sit on the fence, I want MS to come back, I loved the 360. But for me the design and the name are ****e.

[nonny]

I can see the unvailing has made people start drawing battle lines with people on either side. I sit on the fence, I want MS to come back, I loved the 360. But for me the design and the name are ****e.

I don't really see it as a battle to be honest. Regardless of how it pans out neither Sony or Microsoft is going to give up on a generational investment of this magnitude and I don't see either being a flop the scale of the Saturn or Wii U... As long as both do decent numbers (and I think they will) the future looks bright. I'm just looking forward to another round of hardware as it doesn't come around too often.

I also didn't pick up a PS4 this gen, opting for a switch as a second console this time where in the past I've bought all of them. Having a family means I've got sod all time to play them anyway but I am actually tempted to buy both an Xbox Series X and the PS5 over the course of the first year of launch.

[Leon Retro]

It was just a joke post, but this gen as seen various studios only able to make one game.

Will Sony make a rival to Forza Horizon? FH4 is brilliant in all areas, so it's a nice racing experience alongside Forza Motorsport.

Sony didn't manage to get Evolution Studios to deliver a popular racing game, so now they're very much reliant on Polyphony and its Gran Turismo series. The fact that GT Sport didn't manage to overly excite people has created more apathy for the GT brand.

I really think MS and Turn 10 have a chance to dominate the console racing game scene with the next gen. More people need to realise how special Forza Horizon 4 is. And if Turn 10 can take Forza Motorsport to an amazing new level in all departments, it might attract more gamers away from Gran Turismo.

So I'm simply talking about the potential for the next Xbox to be the 'must-have' machine for fans of racing games. I really hope that Horizon 5 and Forza Motorsport 8 turn out to be absolutely incredible.

[Neon Ignition]

People don't walk into stores and by PS4 Slims by mistake instead of PS4 Pro's but likewise not all that many are buying Pro's to begin with. Very much likewise the Xbox One X. I'm happy to hold my hand up and agree it's the best currently available console hardware and that it shows MS has learnt a lot from the mistakes it made with the base XBO but it's also sold very poorly so the last thing MS will want is any consumer indifference toward the XSX.

Typically you're looking at hitting the sweet point of price, power, pr and software. Price is difficult because we're so early out and we don't yet know for sure of a stripped back model is coming, if there is one of those and Sony doesn't have a similar product then that could be a potential game changer for MS. Power, that ones out the window given both rival machines will be evenly pitched. PR, very much coming in on the back foot even in the best of conditions, I imagine (barring a major screw up by Sony) it'd be a PS3 like generation spanning claw to the top instead of out the gate. Then software which remains their weakness.

Launching with Halo and Forza will be decent though hopefully they have something strong and appealing to support them rather than risk all on two franchises that, though major, have signs of rot in their sales figures this gen.

I feel MS needs a replacement for Halo. It doesn't need to go away but I think it's days are numbered as being their top player franchise. I do prefer the more recent entries but Halo is stuck in needed to evolve beyond its old ways and the more it does the more it shaves off its core base by becoming like other fps franchises. Forza is a hard one, I'm not sure if its sales drop is because Forza Motorsport is getting long on the tooth or whether MS simply over milked it this gen. I can see the value of Motorsport 8 at launch, hopefully Motorsport 9 would be 3+ years at least after it. I think that's why Horizon 4 didn't quite land like the earlier ones, it wasn't the games quality so much as it was being the third that gen and fourth in 7 years. Over relied on by MS.

I feel Gears showcases it well. How does MS move the franchise on without being accused of losing what people see it as being? The answer is probably they don't. Sony's approach works better for them which is that when an IP has worn itself out they move on to a new one, sometimes returning with a path is clear how to and sometimes not. Hopefully that's what the new acquisitions accomplish once they've burnt off the upcoming inventory MS picked up when they bought them. At the least it should make XBX more interesting than the other two by virtue of the amount of major new IP's it should see whether they succeed or don't.

[Leon Retro]

I feel MS needs a replacement for Halo.

I feel Gears showcases it well. How does MS move the franchise on without being accused of losing what people see it as being?

It would certainly be great if MS managed to create a game that felt as special as Halo did back in 2001. I think Gears has managed to keep fans of the franchise happy over recent years.

It's certainly not easy to find huge success with new action games, but there's always potential to create something special if you have the right people involved and a large budget. MS and Sony obviously know how important the first and third person shooter genres are, so they probably have things in the pipeline that could end up being big things.

[Brad]

Halo has had its day, as has killzone. Halo isn’t even made by bungie anymore. Destiny has become what Halo should have been. Killzone is even worse of course and I think guerrilla have ditched that series. Ms have taken the driving game crown with forza for sure though. Polyphony are finished really.

Xbox will do ok but they need a promised lineup that beats Sony quite convincingly I think. As good as wont cut it and not as good as definitely won’t. Their bull**** about Azure cloud processing won’t be forgotten.

Game pass is their killer app. If they double down on that they could do it. On the flip side I think game pass is bad for gaming.

[Team Andromeda]

People don't walk into stores and by PS4 Slims by mistake instead of PS4 Pro's but likewise not all that many are buying Pro's to begin with.

That's a bit of a cop-out. In the age of Google, people can show the product they actually want. I also very much doubt those people wanting a new Switch light are walking out of the shops with the old Switch by mistake, or those that want a Galaxy 10e come out of the shop with a normal Galaxy 10

You might not like or rate Forza, but the game series sell well enough for MS and so they make more. MS is pretty ruthless when it comes to dropping any IP that doesn't sell well (which for me is one of their biggest faults) I see you try and make out Halo V is some sort of a flop, but I seem to remember MS saying it made over $500 in its 1st week? that It's been a great success online. Ok it might not as sold as well as part 3, but I doubt it very much the flop you see to make out.

I thought the biggest mistake with the game was the constant switching between the teams and not playing as the Master Chief, one would hope that will be fixed for the next game. I think most corps should make a sequel to fan IP and only wished SEGA would do the same for its IP. When that's all you can offer is might become a problem, but as Nintendo show even that it's an issue when care is taken on the IP and nothing is rushed out.

If Halo Infinite and Forza 8 look amazing and leagues ahead of anything previously that will almost good enough for launch day and given they'll be included in GamePass. If the price and spec is right MS will have a great Holiday 2020

I feel Gears showcases it well. How does MS move the franchise on without being accused of losing what people see it as being?

Why does Gears need to be moved on? Its got its core base and it does, what it does, very well. No different from Smash Bros or something like Luigi 3. A game which you like; despite playing no different from what's gone on before. If you're a fan of an IP you want more of the same only done better and the odd new bit here and there and we all want a new Ridge Racer game right?

The One has some very nice games, but what hurt MS so much was a game like God Of War. Not only a technical marvel but a game with a deep emotional single-player focus storyline, it took the player on an incredible journey and where MS just no answer to it, at all. That needs to be fixed, but with games like Hellblade II, hopefully, MS got the message and the need for single-player focused games too