It may have cost me $ 7.5 billion to make me realize, but Microsoft’s Xbox Series S suddenly makes sense. Almost to the point where I would consider it a real threat to Sony’s PS5.
The Xbox Series S is designed to be an affordable access point to the Xbox ecosystem and next-generation games – and while some argue that a 1080p overall resolution in most titles is not a true generational leap, it is hard to deny that Microsoft’s pure white Xbox has not reached its high goal.
The Xbox Series S can use the graphically-intensive illumination and reflection technology known as ray tracing; it can run games at 120 fps and offers fast loading times thanks to its 512 GB internal SSD disk (though I wish more of that was available). You can buy and play all the latest titles, like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and even true next generation Xbox exclusives like The Medium.
The resolution is satisfactory and the counting of the version, then the Xbox Series S is a fantastic suggestion for those who want a next generation console that can not break the bank, as long as you are willing to accept some examples.
Fly under the radar
But despite the appeal of the Xbox Series S, I do not think it resonates with the consumer as well as it could. If you’ve been a fan of Xbox games or are already a subscriber to Xbox Game Pass, why not simply choose the Xbox Series X so you can have the best experience? It was definitely part of my thinking process before Microsoft’s next-generation consoles were released, though I do like the almost impossible little form factor of the Xbox Series S.
You could also argue that the Xbox Series S is not doing enough to turn fans of PlayStation hardware to the green. The price difference between Sony’s PS5 Digital Edition and the Xbox Series S is not significant enough to justify Microsoft’s choice over the PS5 Digital Edition, which is essentially a PS5 without a disc driver. Why pay $ 299 / £ 249 / AU $ 549 for the Xbox Series S, if you can buy more than $ 100 more for a PS5 Digital Edition?
The Rise of Xbox Game Pass
However, if there is one investment that Microsoft has absolutely nailed down over the past few years, it is Xbox Game Pass. I no longer have to write superlatives about what many rightly call ‘the best price in play’, and it still feels too good to be true and somehow gets better.
The Xbox Series S would then always be moved by Xbox Game Pass. And I’m sure that access to every Xbox Game Studios title on the first day, like Halo Infinite, would have influenced some people to buy Microsoft’s cheaper Xbox, just because of it.
But the watershed moment of the Xbox Series S came when Bethesda games were added to Microsoft’s service as part of the acquisition of Bethesda’s parent company, ZeniMax Media.
It was also no small choice, with an incredible 20 titles, some of which work better than ever before, thanks to FPS Boost, a new Xbox Series X and S feature that can sometimes double the frame rates of older titles.
There’s also the enticing promise that future Bethesda titles like Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6 will hit the air on day one, just like Microsoft’s first party.
The value within
Whether you love exclusive or not, there is no doubt that this is still the best way to sell consoles and entice gamers to turn their fidelity into a piece of plastic. And with Bethesda games now moving forward on Xbox and PC, PlayStation owners suddenly have to deal with the prospect of games and series for which they could be excited about no longer being available. And that in itself is a much bigger draw than Microsoft releasing another Forza Motorsport or Gears game.
Now, I’m not saying that people in their PS5 consoles will start trading en masse, but what could become the Xbox Series S is the perfect camera for Sony’s machine. Just as in every Xbox 360 and PS3 household often finds a Wii, the Xbox Series S has the potential to reach an audience that simply would not pay $ 499 / £ 449 / AU $ 749 for a box that virtually same do not do thing like the PS5 they already own.
Bethesda box
I’ve seen a number of people pick up an Xbox Series S to set up their ‘Bethesda box’, which testifies to how beloved series like Fallout, Skyrim, Doom, Wolfenstein and The Evil Within are. And if they also know that they’re getting all of Microsoft’s first games, great third-party games like Outriders and more, as part of their subscription, it’s not surprising that Xbox Series S entered the comparison.
The console is suddenly not just a cheap access to the next generation and the Xbox ecosystem; it’s a way for PlayStation (and possibly Nintendo Switch) fans to ensure they can still play Bethesda’s upcoming games without making another significant investment. As a result, they will also be exposed to countless Xbox games that they may have ignored, and the incredible value proposition that Xbox Game Pass is.
That should worry Sony – not because they’s likely to lose sales of a PS5, but because the prospect of paying $ 70 / £ 70 for a game compared to $ 10 / £ 8 a month is hard to beat. justify. It will also attract more people to the already 18 million Xbox Game Pass subscribers that Microsoft so desperately wants to build as opposed to moving Xbox Series X consoles.
Maybe it’s always been Microsoft’s plan?