With the release of the Xbox Series X coming up next holiday season, fans are anxious to see which games will be released on the next-gen console. Some expected ones, like the new Halo Infinite, have already been revealed. With the release of xCloud, the service that lets gamers play their Xbox games anywhere on their phone, Microsoft has more console options than ever before. And now Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, has reiterated the company’s stance on exclusive games, announcing that it will be a few years before anything releases solely on the Series X.
What this means exactly is that games will still release on Xbox One as well as the Series X. For example, Halo fans don’t have to scramble to afford a new console as well as the possible increased price of video games when Infinite releases. This is also great news for those who go between platforms and were unsure which next-gen console would be right for them.
Microsoft has detailed this decision as more of an upgrade rather than a new console. Players can still play the same games they own and love, but on better hardware that runs faster and looks better. This shows that those at Xbox are more focused on getting games to players rather than merely selling a new console. It also allows gamers time to transition over to the new console, rather than having to drop everything and jump on board.
While this seems like great news for gamers who aren’t jumping on board right away, it does take away some of the experience for those who are. Although the Series X boasts nearly eliminated loading times and stunning graphics, there is the slight takeaway that others are playing the same game on a console they’ve owned for years. This direction could also affect other areas of Xbox, possibly even the removal of Xbox Live Gold as the new Xbox One/Series X/xCloud family is formed.
Focusing more on the players rather than selling consoles is definitely a good light for Xbox to be in. Once Series X and xCloud are released, gamers will have three different options for playing the same game, without needing to purchase it each time. This focus on the player is a big step in the right direction to finally ending the console war and allowing fans of all platforms to just enjoy the games.
Source: GameSpot