The Xbox Sequence X was the proper alternative for Microsoft to run distant from its tumultuous Xbox One years and in direction of an period of real 4K gaming, ray tracing and Sport Cross abundance. Nevertheless it was not meant to be. The PlayStation 5 has outsold Microsoft’s new consoles by two to 1, based on a VGChartz sales comparison, a replay of the battle between the PS4 and Xbox One. Now, Microsoft merely appears to be operating down the clock of this console technology.
When I initially reviewed the Xbox Series X, I discovered it to be a robust console that surpassed the PlayStation 5 in some methods. Nevertheless it was clear that Microsoft had a significant drawback at launch: Video games. 4 years later, not a lot has modified, regardless of spending nearly $69 billion acquiring Activision Blizzard. Whereas Sony and Nintendo constantly delivered unique system-selling video games — even on the getting old Swap! — Microsoft has stumbled.
It is no surprise Microsoft desires to call so many other devices Xboxes. In the event you look too exhausting at its flagship console, you possibly can’t assist however be upset.
Xbox
The Xbox Sequence X continues to be a robust gaming console, however its restricted library of exclusives makes it far much less compelling than the PlayStation 5.
- {Hardware} nonetheless succesful in 2024
- Strong case and cooling design
- Help for Sport Cross
- Not sufficient compelling exclusives
- Controller is only a rehash of the Xbox One
Do you have to purchase an Xbox Sequence X?
Usually, I would deal with the query of shopping for a tool in direction of the top of a evaluate, however it is a re-evaluate so it is value asking up entrance: Who’s the Xbox Sequence X for? It has been round for 4 years, and, apart from the $450 model and not using a disc drive, there have not been any main {hardware} modifications. Past the Xbox devoted, I would wager most avid gamers can be higher off placing $500 in direction of the rest.
For anybody dipping their toes into trendy console gaming for the primary time — a father or mother grabbing one thing for his or her child, or a former gamer attempting to reclaim their pastime — it makes extra sense to go for a PlayStation 5 as a substitute of the Xbox Sequence X. Sony’s console has a wider array of noteworthy exclusives, extra revolutionary haptics with its DualSense controller and its digital version is usually cheaper than the disc-less Sequence X.
After all, when you’re a Halo fan the Xbox Sequence X is just about your solely alternative for a premium console (although the $300 Sequence S is a strong possibility for secondary TVs, particularly when it is on sale). Microsoft additionally launched a particular $600 2TB “Galaxy Black” mannequin this yr, however I am nonetheless half-convinced that is some type of sick Tim Robinson-esque joke. It has to be when the extra highly effective and fascinating PlayStation 5 Professional is simply $100 extra, proper?
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{Hardware}: The head of 2020
The Xbox Sequence X continues to be powered by an 8-core AMD Zen 2 CPU and an RDNA 2 GPU, just like what’s contained in the PlayStation 5. It additionally has 16GB of GDDR6 RAM, 10GB of which runs at the next bandwidth than the PS5’s reminiscence. The Sequence X’s bigger GPU gave it a slight edge over Sony’s console early on, however in observe that did not quantity to a lot. Often some third-party titles would run a bit extra easily on the Xbox, however each consoles nonetheless had bother balancing the calls for of visible constancy and efficiency.
As a substitute of being the technology of no-compromise consoles, the Xbox Sequence X and PS5 continuously compelled avid gamers to decide on between enjoying video games with ray tracing and graphical upgrades at 30fps, or forgoing them to achieve a easy PC-like 60fps. That is the primary motive Sony threw a extra highly effective GPU into the PlayStation 5 Professional — the usual PS5 {hardware} simply could not minimize it.
The Xbox gross sales hunch made it clear why Microsoft did not attempt to compete with its personal mid-cycle refresh, but it surely’s nonetheless unhappy to see the corporate shrink back from any type of innovation, just like the leaked hardware that never arrived. The redesigned 2TB all-digital “Brooklin” Sequence X would have been a helpful alternative for the bottom mannequin. It additionally would have included a revamped controller, codenamed “Sebile,” with improved haptics (possible just like Sony’s DualSense) and a direct cloud connection for enjoying streamed video games. Microsoft even floated the concept of bringing 1TB of storage to the $300 Sequence S.
As a substitute of these purposeful upgrades, although, we obtained a barely cheaper all-digital $450 Sequence X, that overpriced 2TB mannequin no person will purchase and a $350 1TB model of the Sequence S. These costs are all at the very least $50 too excessive if Microsoft genuinely wished to maneuver consoles. I would argue the corporate would profit from going even cheaper to undercut Sony, however that will additionally dig into the corporate’s already slim revenue margin. I am positive Microsoft is not desirous to lose more cash on Xbox.
In use: A ok console
Even with its getting old {hardware}, the Xbox Sequence X can nonetheless make trendy video games look nice. Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle, for instance, appears strong on the Sequence X, with easy 60fps gameplay and ray tracing options. Whereas it is operating at round 1800p as a substitute of 4K, it is nonetheless fairly sharp on each my 4K OLED and 4K Formovie ultra short throw projector. Positive, the sport performs noticeably higher on my RTX 4090-powered PC, however I can not simply play that in my dwelling theater. (Based on Digital Foundry, even the Xbox Sequence S can run The Nice Circle at 60fps, albeit at simply 1080p with variable-rate shading.)
It is nonetheless disappointing that Microsoft caught with its basic Xbox controller design for the Sequence X, although. After I reviewed the PlayStation 5, its DualSense haptics felt transformative. It made enjoying Astro Bot or Returnal really feel not like any console gaming expertise I had earlier than. Controller-wise, enjoying something on the Xbox Sequence X does not really feel a lot completely different from the Xbox One and even the Xbox 360.
Microsoft poured all of its innovation expertise into delivering a barely quicker machine than the PS5, but it surely seems that did not matter a lot in the long term. Along with having extra noteworthy video games, Sony’s console seems like a real improve from the PlayStation 4. The PlayStation VR 2, flawed because it was, additionally demonstrated that Sony wasn’t afraid to take some dangers this technology.
The place are the unique video games?
After putting out with middling exclusives like Redfall and Starfield, the brand new Indiana Jones recreation is a uncommon feather in Microsoft’s dusty fedora. However even that benefit will disappear ultimately — the corporate already plans to bring it to the PlayStation 5 subsequent spring, alongside different former Xbox exclusives like Hello-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves.
Given the sheer quantity of improvement expertise at Microsoft from its many acquisitions (and regardless of an obscene number of layoffs), the corporate has now change into one of the necessary publishers within the gaming world. However proudly owning a well-liked multi-platform collection like Name of Obligation hasn’t translated instantly into Xbox gross sales.
Past exclusives, Microsoft’s Sport Cross subscription is the strongest argument for proudly owning an Xbox. However even that has gone via its personal type of enshittification this yr. The corporate increased the monthly price of the “Ultimate” plan to $20, which incorporates day-one entry to new titles and a big library of video games for Xbox and PC. The brand new $15 a month “Commonplace” plan does not get day-one entry, however does embrace a library of tons of of video games, whereas the $10 a month “Core” possibility presents a restricted library of 25 titles alongside multiplayer assist.
The Sport Cross Final plan additionally feels much less, properly, final nowadays because of opportunistic early-access pricing for brand new titles. For instance, subscribers may have paid a further $35 for the “Digital Premium” version of Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle to play it three days early. That timing included the weekend earlier than the sport’s December 9 launch, so I am positive many impatient Sport Cross subscribers upgraded simply to clock some uninterrupted playtime. It seems like a backhanded means for Microsoft to deal with its most loyal gamers, regardless of not being overtly evil.
Sony’s competing PlayStation Plus subscription is not as strong as Sport Cross (there aren’t any launch day titles), but it surely nonetheless presents a big array of older video games and cloud streaming assist. Whereas I wasn’t an enormous fan of the PlayStation Portal handheld initially, it is actually a compelling accessory for PS Plus customers now that it could actually entry cloud titles.
Oddly sufficient, Microsoft hasn’t promoted Sport Cross cloud streaming a lot over the previous few years. It lately began testing the flexibility to stream a handful of games that you own, exterior of the Sport Cross library, but that is additionally a function that ought to have been applied years in the past. The cringey “This is an Xbox” marketing campaign is a uncommon try at making mainstream gamers conscious of Xbox cloud streaming, however even that feels prefer it’s coming means too late.
The place does Microsoft go subsequent?
It isn’t as if Microsoft has an empty gaming plate forward. The corporate confirmed off a little bit of its Excellent Darkish and Fable reboots this summer season, alongside a tease of a brand new Gears of Struggle. We simply noticed a trailer for The Outer Worlds 2 at The Sport Awards, the Dishonored fan in me is hyped for Arkane Lyon’s Blade, and I am desirous to be taught extra about Hideo Kojima’s OD. However all of these video games will possible be obtainable on Home windows PCs, and plenty of may even head to different consoles.
There is not any doubt 2025 goes to be a busy yr for Xbox — it is only a disgrace that it possible will not assist Microsoft catch as much as the PS5’s gross sales lead. However who cares, proper? Every little thing will be an Xbox when you imagine exhausting sufficient (or have a browser to entry Sport Cross cloud streaming).
Again in February, when Microsoft confirmed it will be bringing Xbox titles to different consoles, Engadget Government Editor Aaron Souppouris argued that the company should exit the console business entirely. Whereas that makes a specific amount of sense for Microsoft, a software program firm that has typically struggled with {hardware} exterior of the Xbox 360 (and even that had its points), I am not satisfied the corporate must go that far.
For one, it will go away Sony and Nintendo as the one remaining console makers. Sony would additionally successfully have a monopoly on highly effective console {hardware} and graphically intense video games, at the very least based mostly on what we’re hearing about the Switch 2. Much less competitors probably additionally means much less innovation down the road — Sony may simply coast if it was the one highly effective console maker round.
Very like it did with the unique Xbox, Microsoft may probably minimize its losses and attempt to jump-start the subsequent console technology sooner than Sony. If Microsoft may produce {hardware} that is extra highly effective than a PS5 Professional and ship it at a comparatively reasonably priced worth, it has an opportunity at peeling away Sony loyalists. That is significantly true if it could actually guarantee fascinating exclusives are literally obtainable for launch.
Microsoft also needs to work in direction of making its latest Xbox advertising and marketing marketing campaign extra of a actuality, as a substitute of putting its bets totally on costly consoles. Make cloud streaming quicker, sharper and simpler to entry. Make folks conscious that they will recreation on their telephones, tablets and nearly any laptop. Revive the streaming dongle accessory and make it low-cost so you possibly can flip any TV into an Xbox, and in addition hold engaged on bringing Sport Cross apps to all TVs.
Hell, produce that genuine Xbox portable system and be certain Home windows is healthier optimized for third-party portables. You need to have the ability to spin up your Xbox video games from virtually wherever you’re sitting, regardless of the system in entrance of you. (And whereas I am on this cleaning soap field, why not let folks flip the Xbox Sequence X and S into Home windows PCs? These programs are all principally PCs already, and they might make beautiful mini desktops or servers down the road.)
The console wars of the long run received’t be fought like these of the previous. Microsoft ought to plan accordingly.
Wrap-up
If you have already got an Xbox Sequence X, or discover one obscenely low-cost someplace, it’s nonetheless a strong option to play Microsoft’s titles, in style third-party video games and every little thing Microsoft has obtainable on Sport Cross. However when you had to decide on between shopping for the Sequence X or PlayStation 5, it’s exhausting to disclaim that Sony’s console is a wiser buy.
Maybe the subsequent console technology might be an Xbox 360-esque revival for Microsoft, however the firm must look intently at what Sony and Nintendo are doing proper. And actually, it simply comes right down to having extra video games folks wish to play. Now that it’s flush with so many notable builders, Microsoft might lastly have the ability to remedy that drawback. There’s little doubt that staying within the console enterprise can be dangerous and costly, but when there’s one firm that may justify sticking round, it’s the one printing money from the cloud.
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