The Next-Gen Xbox Console Revealed at #TheGameAwards

As a lot of you might be aware, Microsoft announced their next console the Xbox Series X at an unexpected event. Whilst it does feel like Microsoft just wanted to be done with the announcement before the competition (PlayStation) and give it away without much fanfare, and aside from the confusing name which will send everyone’s grandmother on a confusing purchase trip, there are a few things that Microsoft seems to be doing great right off the bat!

 

The first is of course the promise of backwards compatibility, which is a huge relief for everyone with a sizeable videogame collection spanning back a few decades. Whilst I did appreciate what Microsoft did with its Xbox One backwards compatibility program, quite a lot of games didn’t make the final cut, so it would be great if every single disc from the Xbox 360 era onwards could be easily played on the new console.

The second is the fact that the new controller is also backwards compatible, available to be used on both the Xbox One and Windows 10 PC’s. So, people who would like to upgrade to the new controller, especially on their PC won’t be missing out on the new features, chief of which seems to be the advanced D-Pad as seen on the Elite set of controllers.

We are still yet to hear about the full specifications for the Series X, but if the new trailer for Hellblade 2 and the powerful premiere trailer is any indication, it does seem to be supporting some beefy specs. However, I do hope that Microsoft realises that it’s the games that really matter which gave its competitor PS4 a huge edge this generation. Only time will tell if Microsoft really utilises its recently bought studios to release amazing epics, or keeps churning out generic multiplayer focused games.