Xbox Series X/S: the other (and better?) alternative in video games

There is no doubt that during the pandemic and the times of confinement, video games were a key form of entertainment, not only to pass the time, but it was also a great opportunity for social gatherings apart from several popular multiplayer titles. which also served as public squares. He Fortnite or the among us , for example, were some of the titles that contributed to radically change the dynamic that we knew of video games. Because today, video games are perceived in a somewhat different way than previous generations.

The good thing, as we’ve said in these pages, is that access to video games of all genres has become widespread, and so has access. Among the many possibilities offered by mobile platforms, access to a library of games, free platforms of retro titles, the possibility of playing via streaming and endless possibilities. It’s a very interesting time in that sense, given that leaving aside the mobile experience, the four poles of the industry would be Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony and the PC industry, which is back in vogue , with reason.

If we focus on this area, we must slowly approach the middle of this ninth generation of video games and the outlook for the console most likely to be declared victorious in a few years is more or less clear at this point: Sony and its PlayStation 5. Decidedly, the Japanese company has managed to continue to capitalize on a very good job of building loyalty and getting closer to its user base. Currently, it has sold more than 30 million units since its debut in November 2020. The above, of course, has been the succession of absolute success (something like two against one) compared to its direct competition with the previous generation. Today there are no official references from the North American giant, but it is estimated that currently the ratio is more or less three to one compared to PlayStation.

Because what Microsoft has built as a gaming ecosystem, hand in hand with the Xbox Series X and S – but also, very importantly, the PC platform – is extremely attractive, in addition to precisely cementing the question of access to video games. . Apparently, that’s Microsoft’s big bet; not so much selling consoles, but giving users access to games no matter where they are. The figures speak for themselves, from the last financial reports that the company presented.

Be that as it may, Xbox is an extraordinary video game platform that not only offers high-end experiences on the technical and audiovisual aspects. In addition, it is an extensive library of video games, which today includes perhaps the most important studios in the world, accessible to everyone. Without even going through the purchase of a console. Let’s see what the Microsoft console offers us.

In this generation, Microsoft understood what was coming. Or rather: I’m aiming for a model that could somehow counterbalance the PlayStation. The decision to put on the market, on November 10, 2020, two simultaneous models obeys, precisely, the desire or rather the possibility of downloading video games rather than plugging in a disc each time. It’s a matter of taste, no doubt, but as we well know, it’s the trend of the entertainment industry: to digitize content and deliver it ubiquitously. It’s true: you might miss some of the romance of going to a physical store, but the benefits of digital are too vast to pass up.

On the one hand we have xbox x series , the top of the range of this generation of Microsoft. We’re talking about a console that, in the words of Xbox head Phil Spencer, “prioritizes high framerates and faster loading times, over high resolutions.” It may be, although honestly today you hardly see any difference between the visual possibilities that Xbox and PlayStation can achieve.

The console weighs 4.45 kg. And it’s powerful: it achieves 12 teraflops of processing power with 16 GB of memory, which enables 4K image rendering at 60 frames per second, reaching up to 120 frames per second and resolutions up to 8K. This unit includes an optical drive for discs, either games such as Blu-rays or DVDs, as well as a more generous 1TB solid state hard drive.

Thus, we must xbox s series This is the brand’s entry-level model, a console without an optical drive, so all games must be downloaded to the console. It is an alternative, and very popular. Especially if you don’t have a previous physical library or just want to access your existing game library in the cloud. Beyond that, in the technical and design aspect, it is almost the same as its elder, although it has less processing power and half the storage: 512 GB of SSD disk. Nothing serious, by the way: the S is able to run and scale games up to 4K and connecting an external hard drive will be mandatory, as we’ll see. It is also smaller in volume, almost 60% less than its sibling (275 x 151 x 63.5 mm), although it incorporates the same connectivity features.

The above is also due to a no lesser detail: portability. The S has a weight of 1.93 kg, less than half that of the X. But finally and the important thing: the two consoles can run the same games, including previous generations, and achieve the connectivity and the access via a growing and ubiquitous subscription. game library on your Xbox Game Pass system.

Until not too long ago, the dynamics of game testing, from the start, involved a possible demo or someone physically lending a particular game. This has obviously changed a lot in recent years. The cloud and broadband connectivity have seen their success and, as has happened with other entertainment industries, content is now preferably obtained through digital downloads, allowing greater malleability for the user.

xbox game pass It was born in June 2017 as an innovative access system to a large part of the Xbox game library, a platform that also included titles from other generations. The bet, from the start, was tempting: like what happens with other remote access entertainment platforms, such as Netflix or Spotify, Game Pass promises the possibility of enjoying hundreds of different titles, for all tastes and all ages, by paying only a monthly subscription. . But it’s not just that. There are many more.

Microsoft also generated an extremely attractive space, which undoubtedly allowed it to increase its audience. In addition to many games, which also includes exclusive titles and new launch games that will be available from day one. Add to this the alliances that Microsoft has entered into with other studies or editorslike Electronic Arts or Ubisoft, WB Studios or Capcom, to name a few, which is precisely one of the great differentiators with other similar platforms.

Currently, in Chile, Microsoft is offering a ticket for just $500 to test the system, later giving way to subscription plans. The most complete and attractive is undoubtedly the Ultimate Game Pass which includes Xbox Live Gold for online games and free titles to download each month, EA Play Pass for Electronic Arts games, and lets you use both console and PC for download and live play (yes, through streaming if broadband allows it) of hundreds of titles which are renewed month after month, for $7,990 per month, although there are lesser value packages.

We’re not going to deny that the showcase of exclusive games available to PlayStation is superior to what Xbox has shown so far. However, that’s not to say that there are very good franchises out there. Despite acquiring several exclusive video game studios over the past three years, the company has yet to see the ripe fruits of the deal. It’s true that developing a video game takes time, but maybe too much has happened. It’s true that the plan was to compete head-on with Sony’s exclusive titles, which are unquestionably exemplary, but it’s time Microsoft started showing some of those cards. For now, titles such as the Minecraft Legends or the expected vampire game, red fall developed by Bethesda and being part, precisely, of the large studios which now belong to Microsoft.

It’s not that Xbox doesn’t have its own exclusive titles. Wow you have them. But very few of them – other than perhaps the Halo saga – have managed to have a truly profound impact on the foundations of pop culture. Of course, Halo also has its own TV series, but there’s no denying that the popularity of the HBO series from The last of us It’s in another league of popularity, to give an example. But we also have sagas like the incredible or the hyper-realistic and adrenaline-filled games in the collection Force Horizon which is perhaps the most comprehensive automotive franchise available today.

But there’s also the aforementioned Halo, the super-popular first-person shooter franchise that, while its latest installment isn’t quite up to the task, is full of adventures to try. like the saga armament of war the unrepeatable flight simulator or the beautiful and endearing platform games Ori and the blind forest and it follows, Ori and the Will of the Wisps . Although there are many more. This is something to highlight, as the supply can get overwhelming.

Finally, you don’t have to look at Microsoft’s egg offerings. It is true that PlayStation can have better and more popular exclusive games. But the raw supply of direct-access video games, so far, has no competition.