Soapbox: Despite Halo's Delay, I'm Still Stoked For The Xbox Series X Launch

I'm not 100% sure I'll be picking it up on launch day, although I'm still certain Series X will be my next system. As you mentioned in the article Fraser, there will be hundreds of games to play on Series X thanks to Game Pass and backwards compatibility. I also think Quick Resume will help encourage me to get through my 360/One backlog and that feature is only on Series X.

We'll just have to see what will be announced throughout the coming months!

Still buying series x day one.
Will play assassins creed and cyberpunk
At 4K etc etc. Also still play FH4 and Ori and have game pass so all good here.
Farcry 6 in Feb 2021. And Halo etc later in 2021.

I think Halo will now be a September 2021
Big release for the year title maybe with the new Forza.

I’ll have to get a 4K tv. Be pointless without one I think. Unless I get the s that’s supposed to be the 1080p machine. Have to wait and see. I only have original Xbox one at the moment

I agree, the free remasters, the full backwards compatibility with double frame rate in some cases and being able to play current-gen games with better performance and no loading times it all adds up. I mean, playing Sea of Thieves and Forza Horizon 4 at 60 FPS in quality mode justifies the upgrade, both games are two of the best of this generation (for me) and they're basically endless and just think of all those Xbox Game Studios games to come.

The new third-party games will also play best on Series X. There are many hardware upgrades, some of them gaming improvements like Velocity Architecture that reduces lag and speeds rendering up and quality-of-life improvements like Quick Resume. There's tons of things to look forward to when Series X launches even without Halo Infinite.

But Xbox needs Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Piñata back, that kind of games that so many people love and have been skipped on Xbox One.

I’m just glad they made this decision before pre-orders went up. You’ve got to imagine that even if the status today was “maybe it will be ready”, they’d have to take the safer approach to avoid that customer service nightmare.

I'm one of the people who is still weighing all options including Series S. I need to seriously save up for a 4K tv and currently that looks like a long way off. So I may just wait until later in 2021 for X or pick up Series S in winter perhaps.

@BlueOcean
FH4 is the game of this generation.
Would be cool if they added even higher textures and ray tracing as well for the X upgrade. Though on the one x it looks top end already.
I wonder if Microsoft will do something to counter the Halo delay for series x release.

@Dezzy70 I agree and I'm happy to see your positive side again. They should launch Gears Tactics and Flight Simulator for consoles in November. There may be some third-party exclusives like The Medium and I expect those Series X remasters for November as well, that is, Gears 5, Forza Horizon 4, Sea of Thieves, Ori and the Will of Wisps...

I could not agree more with this article.

"Sea of Thieves", for example. Sea of Thieves. Those who play it know. This beautifull, extraordinary game. In 60 fps. That, for me, is a big part of why I'm going to upgrade.

I'm also planning of finally begin to play some Destiny. So, the annoucement that Destiny 2, upgraded in 4K/60fps and with all its expansions, is going to enter the gamepass... That, too, is something big for me.

Finally, when we come to think about it, the Series X might not directly attract some new customers, strangers to the Xbox ecosystem... but that's ok. Cause this is the role of the gamepass, now.

As for the console in itself, I really feel that it was made for the existing base of Xbox players : those who already have a lots of game, who are used to this ecosystem, and who want to play in the best conditions possible.

I'm all in. Sincerely. Halo can wait, it's ok. Just launch it directly optimized for Series X, with ray-tracing and all. An all will be good.

The worst that will happen is it will put a few people off getting it at launch and will get it later.

Even if it drives people toward Xcloud perhaps, Microsoft wins from that.

I just can't get excited anymore for it this year. It does appear to have one of the worst launch line ups in memory.
Backwards compatibility and upgrades are great, but not a reason to spend £400-£500 on a new console. I will most definitely get one, but I think I'll wait till more games are out.
When the last showcase aired, I was disappointed at how far away everything from Forza to Fable was... I still want a Series X but I shall not be picking one up this year unless something major happens till then.

@BrilliantBill @sandman89 I'm in the same position there. I need a 4K TV first before getting the Series X. I'm currently using my Xbox One X on my 1080p TV..
As it stands I will likely get the 4K TV by years end which will instantly make my One X enhanced games look better, then by next Christmas (Christmas 2021) I will get the Series X.
The Series S is also a possibility, but I still like to get the odd game physically, and it seems likely that it will be discless...
Series S also only seems like a tempory measure, if I were to get a Series S then 6 months later got a 4K TV I would be then wishing I had the Series X instead to make full use of the TV and other additional features...

@BlueOcean
Someone on here put the idea in my head of Halo next year September 2021 but drop the Xbox one, so series X/S exclusive.
Best idea yet.

@Bobobiwan I like the way you think. I agree, this console was made for us, the ones already in the ecosystem. It’s gamepass that will bring new people in. Great point.

I have never been an early adopter. Even my phone I upgrade every 3 years-4 years, when the standard (I see around me) seems to be 2 years.

I didn’t get a PS4 until like, 8 months in? Infamous Second Son was my first PS4 game and it had already been out for a while. My first Xbox One VCR I didn’t buy until they released the Kinect Free edition, and then only once I saw that model on sale.

I always had quite the backlog and even where there been BC, there not been any benefit other than being able to unplug the older console.

This time around, that backlog will get one hell of an upgrade, even games that are not directly optimized will still see a frame rate bump. Games with dynamic resolution will likely run at top resolution 100% of the time. Getting an XSX will make my whole Xbox backlog that much more enjoyable to play through, and that’s not even getting into multi-game instant-resume.

So yes, even if there were no XSX specific games, I have plenty of encouragement to make this my first Day One console preorder.

@Dezzy70 I don’t think that’s a good idea at all. MS sold it’s stock of X1X and X1S under the promise that those buyers would all get to play Halo Infinite, and the next two years of first party games.

Taking that back would be seen as a big betrayal, perfect way to lose plenty of customers for a whole other generation.

Besides, game already runs on X1, just work on those XSX optimizations and leave the X1 experience mostly alone.

@Tharsman
Will be interesting to see if it happens though. Bet correct we should get maximum series X optimisation now and no excuses.
Delaying a game, which a good few do get delayed, creates a higher expectation of quality etc.

As someone who does not have a One X, the Series X is my first venture into true 4K gaming. I have a PS4 Pro but that's mostly faux 4K.

I also have been going around buying up original Xbox and 360 games on the backwards compat list, excited to see how they look in 4K.

I completely agree with the article.

I have a backlog the size of a small country. And Game Pass makes it even bigger. I’ll have plenty of games to play with all the different ways Microsoft gives me to play my games. Especially when they’ll all look better on Series X.

I just need to get a 4k TV first. Lol.

For me, The Medium and Cyberpunk at Launch.
The extra power available will be good for Cyberpunk.

@BANJO I agree, buy a TV and wait until you are ready before buying Series X.

I'll still be picking up a Series X on day 1, But i can't say i'm not disappointed that Halo won't be there at launch..

@BlueOcean I think it makes sense in my case, 4K TV first then Series X following soon after...

@Thretosix either you replied to the wrong person or didn't understand a word I said.

My sole argument is that Halo infinite can't drop XBox One support, whenever it ends up launching. I have made absolutely no statement demanding it launches this year.

They delay is a blow but obviously there will be plenty to play for those who pick it up. I think it will certainly have an effect at launch but long term hopefully it will work out well!

Gonna be "that guy" and say neither Series X or PS5 seem immediately appealing to people who normally don't buy consoles at launch. I do, but not MS or Sony. Nintendo is the one that suckers me into it, and that's because I know the games I want will come and can wait for them. MS has solid games and third parties have good ones, but they never convince me to buy their consoles at launch. In any case, consider me a Series X buyer. It's just a matter of when, not if.

@IronMan30 yeah same I bought the Switch at launch knowing that the franchises would eventually be moved over. I even fought with the person I did my pre order with over it. It’s like Nintendo; the stuff is coming. You just have to be patience.

Anyway I don’t think I’d be surprising anyone by saying I was looking forward to Gears Tactics, Yakuza(which the next gen upgrades are timed) and Tetris, not Halo.

However it does kind of feel like the captain of our ship just bumped his head and fell overboard. The first mate is still there, but we’re headed into muddy waters with low morale :c

Anyone not stocked for XBSX has not been paying attention. Although I won't be getting one at launch I will eventually get one down the line.

@mousieone @IronMan30 I would not own a Switch had my youngest sibling not shoved one down my throat (gifted me one.) Launch lineup was terrible other than Zelda, and I had a Wii U so I bought that on launch for the Wii U and was ok playing it there.

It was not until I took a flight about a year after I got one that I realized how awesome the Switch could be, started playing Skyrim (gifted with the Switch) and for the first time ever I played that game through to the end of the main campaign (and every DLC and almost every quest available...) I would had never finished that game without the flexibility to play basically anywhere.

Wonder if XBox Game Streaming (be it xCloud or remote play) will make me feel the same way about the XBox.

@Dezzy70 I don't think Halo will be delayed that much. Probably max Q2. Forget Forza in 2021, we won't see that one until 2022.

@kuliddar
Maybe May 2021 for Halo, we shall see.
Forza I still fancy late 2021, don’t forget they missed a year normally every two years from turn 10. Last one Forza 7 2017.
So late 2021 will be fours years since Forza 7.

Halo Infinite makes little difference to my decision whether I get one at launch as I could have played it on my One X anyway. Games like Scorn and The Medium are far more important to me in that regard and I'll also be waiting to see what Series X enhancements Cyberpunk will have around launch as I already have that pre ordered

I will still get and Xbox Series and a PS5, but as someone who use to buy consoles at launch, I even waited a few years before I jumped in to this gen. I waited for Destiny and MCC to launch in 2014 before getting an Xbone, only to have both games be broken.

I think this gen really has broken me for buying at launch. Systems got revised for both efficency and power, games took years to get fixed and fleshed out, and now I look at these things and think "why am I spending this money to be a beta tester of broken things?". Hell, look at the new Control Ultimate edition. Early adopters are getting shafted.

There's just no incentive to be an early adopter. Besides feeding your FOMO. The only exceptions to this for me would be Nintendo and a cheap series S.

I've lost some enthusiasm for the Series X at launch due to lack of Halo.

It's great what MS are doing and I can just play what I've got on my One X but I can't see me going back to Gears 5 etc.

I love Game Pass as well but I don't think the 2020 games coming such as Tetris Effect or Call of the Sea are really going to push the Series X that much more than my One X.

That the real only benefit for myself is it be the best place to play Assassin's Creed, Madden, Cyberpunk etc but as I plan to get a PS5 and sure they won't be as good on that as XSX but still be better on PS5 than my One X.

That for now, I'll be sticking with my One X playing those Game Pass games and waiting to see when Halo arrives, and if it brings a special edition console along with it

Um? Are there any AAA games you won’t be able to play on your Xbox One? No. And if you’re one of the literal thousands of people who own a 360 and/or a One, backwards compatibility doesn’t quite excite like it once did. This new system is basically just more superficiality added to the One X.

@Tharsman I tried the streaming on my Galaxy S8 just yesterday. It's pretty cool, but I find it more of an additional option than something that I'd use all the time. To me, my phone screen is too small to get into the games on Xbox. If I had a tablet, I may feel differently but even that setup is a little awkward. It still is pretty cool, though.

BotW was more than enough to convince me, as I love Zelda. It also helped that I knew my gaming time would be limited since my son was set to be born literally a day after Switch released (he was born March 10th, ironically).

In any case, if you are fine with getting peripherals for your phone you'll probably be okay with the streaming. The setup was a bit awkward, but the quality was good.

@mousieone Gears and Yakuza do look good, especially for launch titles. I will admit I am likely playing those on Series X and not X1.

@ArmenianJedi13 “Are there any AAA games you won’t be able to play on your Xbox One?“

Scorn and The Medium

@IronMan30 I’m not planning to use streaming as a primary thing either, but will be extremely handy when I can’t be in front of the TV.

I am hoping the peripherals slowly become even more Switch-like. Kinda wish Samsung would just make their own peripherals designer to fit their phones without accommodation for variable sizes. Razer junckecat is nearly perfect, but fits a very limited number of decides it’s just a tight case for specific phones with switch like slide-in slots for the controller. I feel that’s the kind of design that would be best done by the phone maker themselves, though.

@Tharsman I'll say it sounds like streaming is for you if you have the time to play. It is a fun little addition and the games do look very nice. I have a pretty good internet connection and it ran mostly well, so that is one thing to remember. But overall, I will say I feel good about it. This is coming from someone that is generally not a believer in streaming games, btw...

@IronMan30 I’m actually with you on your last point. Until recently, I have only been disappointed by every streaming offering I have ever tested. Never thought it would be even usable. Still think the quality is not good enough for a larger screen, though, but at smaller scale it could be a good supplement.

And yea; as an adult with no children and an it job where I get to work from home, I have plenty of time to play. I have friends and family with children, though, and seen how being a parent can drastically limit gaming time.

@Bobobiwan Series X + Gamepass and all the exclusive games that have been announced will keep Xbox fans as Xbox fans. But whether it can attract people from PS side over is what most journalists and fans in the console war are discussing.

@BrilliantBill Totally, and I think for those players, maybe there is something up Microsoft's sleeve in the strategy of the Xbox Series S.

If this famous Series S is what we expect it to be, it should be very well priced. Let's dream about something under 200 bucks. Hell, let's dream even more : 99 dollars, with a subscription contract of twelve months for the Gamepass Ultimate (the famous Xbox all Access formula that we're about to discover in Europe).

This Series S could very well be the trojan horse of Microsoft for selling gamepass subscriptions to the Playstation players, as a second console (like the Switch is for a lot of players today).

So The Series X could very well stay as a premium product, directly adresses to Xbox core gamers, and so not selling so well... but letting the Series S turning to be an enormous and popular success.

I don't know, we'll probably see it soon enough.

Basically everything that can be played on the one. I don't see how the series X can be a tempting purchase. It's a shame as I've always been Xbox through and through, but I'm losing interest greatly.

I'm gonna wait on both consoles. Backlog is huge, so this should allow them to work out any hardware bugs, the first gen usually gets. And I can finish tackling some of it. But I'm definitely getting them all.

People are literally trying to find reasons to spend money when the company should be giving you reasons..... Weird.
Buy what you want of course but I'm confused as to how the upgrade is going to be worth it at launch from my OneX, I'd love to have the excuse but I don't see it.

I'm def getting it day 1. Can set myself a challenge to play through all the other halo games before the new one comes out. 😁 I was also going to start playing Gears 5, but when they said it was being upgraded I decided to leave it. I won't be rushing to get a PS5 for a good while. Still a good lot of games to play through on the PS4 first. They haven't really spoken about their backwards compatibility. Got to say I hate this dragged out approach to this new generation. It's shocking, I hate it so much.

Halo wasn't even the reason I want a Series X. The delay doesn't hurt me one bit.

My main interest in November is CyberPunk. Now if MS could drive a truck of money to CDPR and make sure it is released with its next gen xbox patch it would mean more than Halo to a lot of folks (Idea floated by DF)

I am so getting one on launch day.

@MedaXbot Exactly this. (Some) people have decided they're gonna buy at launch and even if there's ever less reason to do so they come up with reasons why they should - both consoles look to have a thin launch-lineup to be fair ...

Gonna get sometime in December in time for Christmas probably.

I’ve never played a Halo game in my life and see no compelling reason to change that. Bought a One X on clearance for Doom and now have about 30 or 40 games that will perform better for free on a Series X with the controllers I already own and everything. Sounds good to me.