Xbox Series X | S

[HarryBizzle]

15 minutes ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

Because the PS5 is the same console, it is not weaker. It is this power difference which has the potential to confuse and also create a bad general perception. Having only Game Pass to counter this or communicate what weaker means will not prove an efficient strategy for Microsoft to attract more people through the Series S imo. 

 

Both Microsoft and Sony have sold at least two different flavours of their consoles and not run into any issues. Or at least not enough to deter Microsoft from using the S and X naming convention again.

[Talk Show Host]

20 minutes ago, footle said:

 

All those people buying Switch Lites that don't Switch must be really confused.

 

You are comparing apples and oranges.

 

17 minutes ago, HarryBizzle said:

 

Both Microsoft and Sony have sold at least two different flavours of their consoles and not run into any issues. Or at least not enough to deter Microsoft from using the S and X naming convention again.

 

My point is how effective this strategy will be into attracting people into game pass, assuming that is the main reason they are releasing the S. I believe it will prove much less effective than Microsoft hopes and I consider it a wrong move on their part.

 

I guess we will find out in the future anyway.

[bear]

I think the success of the S will depend on just how aggressive Microsoft are with the pricing of the All Access option. If there is a $20 a month subscription that gets you a Series S + GamePass then I expect that'll do very well for them. The Series S would need to be $299 or less for that to happen though. 

[Popo]

35 minutes ago, HarryBizzle said:

 

Both Microsoft and Sony have sold at least two different flavours of their consoles and not run into any issues. Or at least not enough to deter Microsoft from using the S and X naming convention again.

You’re not comparing like for like - the existing flavours of PS4/Xbox One were slim and upgraded versions and launched mid-way through the generation, years after the original consoles. 
 

Launching a cut down version of a console alongside that console is a completely different proposition. My belief is that launching two consoles, both of which are an upgrade to the last generation and both of which can play the same games, is a really tricky prospect for consumers and most likely will result in Series X under performing in the market as it’s main defining feature will be that it the me expensive one. 
 

But I’ve probably banged my drum loud and long enough at this point and will refrain from doing so further. 

[bear]

 

It seems like there's a bunch of the controllers out there. 

[Harsin]

I think pretty much any discussion of the Series X online demonstrates some of the potential pitfalls MS face with the approach they've chosen as I‘ve already seen (a little bit here but mostly elsewhere) people contorting themselves saying they want the most powerful console while simultaneously arguing that they don't care about graphics.

[RubberJohnny]

I mean those two things aren't contradictory if you want to use the extra power for performance, which is what they seem to be pushing.

[Harsin]

Possibly, but I have my doubts that play our exclusive games that look about the same as on your 7 year old Xbox just at 120fps is going to be a killer selling point to the mass market.

[Uncle Mike]

50 minutes ago, footle said:

All those people buying Switch Lites that don't Switch must be really confused.

 

I can't tell which side of the slightly-confected debate you're trying to support here, but I've had to explain a few times (to different people) that the only difference between the Switch and Lite is the TV connection, and how yes it does play all the same games etc.

[HarryBizzle]

12 minutes ago, Popo said:

You’re not comparing like for like - the existing flavours of PS4/Xbox One were slim and upgraded versions and launched mid-way through the generation, years after the original consoles. 

Yes. But now people are used to it.

[Quest]

That new d-pad sounds noisy.

[BitterToad]

Didn't the 360 launch with hard drive and hard driveless versions? And that sold ok. 

[Isaac]

Do we have a date for the August reveal yet?

[Stanley]

38 minutes ago, Popo said:

You’re not comparing like for like - the existing flavours of PS4/Xbox One were slim and upgraded versions and launched mid-way through the generation, years after the original consoles. 
 

Launching a cut down version of a console alongside that console is a completely different proposition. My belief is that launching two consoles, both of which are an upgrade to the last generation and both of which can play the same games, is a really tricky prospect for consumers and most likely will result in Series X under performing in the market as it’s main defining feature will be that it the me expensive one. 
 

But I’ve probably banged my drum loud and long enough at this point and will refrain from doing so further. 

Regardless of when they were released they still managed to coexist quite happily for three of four years with seemingly little to no confusion over which console does what, so customers are used to this now, just as they are with PC’s, TV’s, phones, iPads etc. It’s commonplace throughout consumer electronics. 

[Stanley]

2 hours ago, layten said:

Depends how quickly they release Flight Simulator.  

The single reason I’m looking at upgrading my Xbox, for the time being at least. It is quite frankly an astonishing looking game. 

[footle]

2 minutes ago, Stanley said:

Regardless of when they were released they still managed to coexist quite happily for three of four years with seemingly little to no confusion over which console does what, so customers are used to this now, just as they are with PC’s, TV’s, phones, iPads etc. It’s commonplace throughout consumer electronics. 

nah, people buying consoles at launch are much more stupid than other people* and very easily confused.

 

* ok, so this is true, but for other reasons.

[JoeK]

1 minute ago, Stanley said:

The single reason I’m looking at upgrading my Xbox, for the time being at least. It is quite frankly an astonishing looking game. 

I can see absolutely no appeal to flight sims unfortunately. Looks pretty, mind you. Can’t see it as a system seller to all and sundry however.

[Stanley]

55 minutes ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

You are comparing apples and oranges.

 

 

My point is how effective this strategy will be into attracting people into game pass, assuming that is the main reason they are releasing the S. I believe it will prove much less effective than Microsoft hopes and I consider it a wrong move on their part.

 

I guess we will find out in the future anyway.

You don’t need a console at all to use Game Pass, the point is that if you enjoy using it you’re more likely to buy or upgrade to one, or upgrade your PC etc, either way it’s a win for MS - having various price points makes it easier to choose. 

[Alex W.]

A scenario that I’ve been thinking about: Series S comes out. Cheap, not great. PS5 is expensive, great.

 

”Well, I’ll get a Series S now to piss about on Halo and those Xbox games I missed. I can get the PS5 there are some games I really want.”

 

3 years pass.

 

“Well shit I own all these Xbox games now, better get a Series X Second Edition.”

[Stanley]

7 minutes ago, JoeK said:

I can see absolutely no appeal to flight sims unfortunately. Looks pretty, mind you. Can’t see it as a system seller to all and sundry however.

Yeah I get that, but it’s the first game that made me say - I want the best version I can afford, which could well be the Series S if it seems decent (tbh though it’s that good I will probably go for the Series X and buy a new flight controller). We’ll see!

[JoeK]

4 minutes ago, Stanley said:

Yeah I get that, but it’s the first game that made me say - I want the best version I can afford, which could well be the Series S if it seems decent (tbh though it’s that good I will probably go for the Series X and buy a new flight controller). We’ll see!

Save up some more and get the bloody PC version then. God knows how you can make a simulator on a console with just a joypad :p

[Stanley]

4 minutes ago, JoeK said:

Save up some more and get the bloody PC version then. God knows how you can make a simulator on a console with just a joypad :p

I use a laptop these days so would be starting from scratch, I’d want some mad ‘rig’ I couldn’t possibly afford - an Xbox with Gamepass is more realistic for me. I’m not rolling in money like some around here 

 

I have a flight stick already to play Elite on my Xbox and it’s wonderful, absolutely love it. Hopefully can use it on Series S/X - didn’t think of that. 

[Kevvy Metal]

That clicky dpad! What in the hell? 

[Talk Show Host]

23 minutes ago, Stanley said:

You don’t need a console at all to use Game Pass, the point is that if you enjoy using it you’re more likely to buy or upgrade to one, or upgrade your PC etc, either way it’s a win for MS - having various price points makes it easier to choose. 

 

I hope you are right but I simply can't see how a less powerful console would lure the mainstream audience to a service that, as you say, doesn't really need it to work. That is why I think it is not a strategy that can substantially help the game pass to become what Microsoft hopes it to become. 

[Revival]

1 hour ago, JoeK said:

Save up some more and get the bloody PC version then. God knows how you can make a simulator on a console with just a joypad :p

 

You don't need to use a Joypad, There's a few console compatible Hotas' that'd do the job nicely.

[SeanR]

1 hour ago, Quest said:

That new d-pad sounds noisy.

 

i'm more worried about the leaking...

[Popo]

2 hours ago, Stanley said:

Regardless of when they were released they still managed to coexist quite happily for three of four years with seemingly little to no confusion over which console does what, so customers are used to this now, just as they are with PC’s, TV’s, phones, iPads etc. It’s commonplace throughout consumer electronics. 

Agreed, I don’t think it would necessarily be confusing, that’s not what I’m suggesting.
 

Having said that I don’t think that means one can directly apply the lessons from, say, the mobile phone industry to the console industry. Different technology, different consumer, different motivating factors. 

[Alex W.]

This generation change is going to be absolutely amazing, whatever happens. There’s not been this much to play for since the PS2, Xbox and GameCube.

[Stanley]

1 hour ago, Talk Show Host said:

 

I hope you are right but I simply can't see how a less powerful console would lure the mainstream audience to a service that, as you say, doesn't really need it to work. That is why I think it is not a strategy that can substantially help the game pass to become what Microsoft hopes it to become. 

It’s not a less powerful console, it’s substantially more powerful than the base PS4 or Xbox One - based on the same technology powering the Series X, in every sense it is a next generation console - new CPU, GPU, SSD, memory etc. 
 

Depending on price, Xbox All Access subscription cost etc. I imagine there will be a lot more people interested in the Game Pass catalogue than if it was just one expensive high end console, immediately shutting out that audience. 

[Stanley]

32 minutes ago, Alex W. said:

This generation change is going to be absolutely amazing, whatever happens. There’s not been this much to play for since the PS2, Xbox and GameCube.

You’re forgetting Dreamcast