written by Umar Rosli
The Playstation and Xbox have coexisted with one another ever since 2001, offering countless hours of entertainment for players around the world. With both the Playstation 4 and the Xbox One reaching the end of its lifespan, it is no surprise we get to see both companies coming up with their next-gen consoles.
However, ever since the Playstation 5 announcement, players around the world have been talking about how the Xbox Series X seems to be overshadowed. With the Playstation 5 revealing numerous upcoming games along with their exclusive title such as Horizon Forbidden West, it is understandable if players are slanted towards Sony’s new flagship after Sony’s impressive console reveal and software lineup.
The Xbox generations have never been that generous with exclusive titles, mainly consisting of their mainstay games in the form of Halo, Gears, or Forza Motorsport, with Forza Horizon the following year for good measure. Yet, despite having a smaller stable of compelling exclusives, the Xbox loyal fanbase has still maintained, and with the upcoming Halo Infinite, the cycle continues.
Next-generation hardware is on the horizon and it certainly might be wise for Microsoft to offer up some compelling new IP’s, more importantly, exclusive to the hardware. Even during the end of the Playstation 4 era, Sony still manages to squeeze in some three triple-A exclusive titles, in form of Dreams, The Last of Us Part II, and Ghost of Tsushima.
Therefore, it would mean much if there is an impressive new exclusive title for us to immediately sink their teeth into. Don’t forget, we are still healing from the cancellation of Scalebound.
That cut pretty deep!
Even if at launch Microsoft manages to release one exclusive title, it is safe to say that by now players might prefer something new and fresh next to their full course Halo consumption.
Another aspect that could aid the efforts of the Xbox Series X potentially leading the console market is affordability. With games like Fortnite, PUBG, and Apex Legends bombing the gaming industry, Microsoft should position the console prices to be most affordable among these fans especially. With the market consisting mainly of casual consumers, these players would most certainly favor the most affordable next-generation platform as an early buy-in incentive. This was a maneuver which greatly assisted with the PlayStation 4 launch as it offered a $100 benefit over the competition.
There are also rumors as reported by Eurogamer that there could be another next-gen console n the works known as the Xbox Series S. The Series S is like a little brother to the Series X, offering half the power at a cheaper price point. This could be a smart move by Microsoft, ensuring immediate affordability at launch. This could also rival the recently announced PlayStation 5 Digital Edition console, depending on how aggressive Microsoft positions the rumored hardware.
Lastly, with the relatively new cloud gaming services out in the wild, Microsoft has also taken impressive measures with Project xCloud, providing the freedom for players to continue gameplay via their phones or tablet. As a reliable and alternative cloud subscription service, while it may not be any players first choice to play their games, the major conveniences this potentially offers certainly adds to the Microsoft’s ‘Play Anywhere’ mantra as yet another at your fingertips option to relax and play within the Xbox ecosystem. Only time will tell how whether it will be reliable in the future.
So, does the Xbox Series X, with the affordability of the potential Xbox Series S have a fighting chance to lead the console market, lets just say we certainly hope Microsoft can make it a far more competitive fight to the finish for the next 7 years.