The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S thread

Corridors have been doing that in real life for too long now.

Slight deviation but it's kind of related to the next-gen: I'm kind of going all in for XCloud when it starts on Sept 15th. I just grabbed the Razer Kishi handset (the Xbox version, which clamps onto the sides of your phone) and some wireless headphones, so I'm all ready for Sea of Thieves from my bed. I very much suspect the service will be shit, especially given how bad previous services have been. But hey! I'm in, so that's that.

Good luck!

Halo Infinite has just been delayed to 2021. Probably for the best given the apparent state of it but not exactly a good omen for the launch of the Series X.

Huge news. There was a LOT riding on that game's shoulders.

Can't have been an easy call for them, but it's got to make getting the machine at launch a lower priority for a bunch of folks.

Slight deviation but it's kind of related to the next-gen: I'm kind of going all in for XCloud when it starts on Sept 15th. I just grabbed the Razer Kishi handset (the Xbox version, which clamps onto the sides of your phone) and some wireless headphones, so I'm all ready for Sea of Thieves from my bed. I very much suspect the service will be shit, especially given how bad previous services have been. But hey! I'm in, so that's that.

My Kishi arrived and the fresh beta started last night. Good grief, it works. It's also highlighted that I'm being fucked over on my high-speed broadband (should be 150m/s, is actually 10m/s at best), but I'll take that up with the arseholes at Vodaphone. Some stuttering aside, it works. Colour me incredibly surprised.

Can't have been an easy call for them, but it's got to make getting the machine at launch a lower priority for a bunch of folks.

Without a doubt. I’m back to thinking PS5 at launch, Series X further down the line.

I mean this launch isn’t quite Don Mattrick levels of “can’t tell the difference between a games console and a cable box” but I’m not sure anyone’s ever tried to launch a new machine without at least one major first-party game to show it off.

It's crazy too because the dearth of games has been an issue for years now.

Microsoft has thrown SO much money at it, and spent SO much time on it. How are we in a situation where the most exciting Series X game is a CGI trailer for a Fable game that's clearly 2 years away.

And unlike Sony, I have zero confidence that exciting new IP will appear out of nowhere. Microsoft just don't seem capable of producing a Last of Us, a Ghost of Tsushima, a Horizon.

Fair enough, although I’d rather play Crackdown 3 or Minecraft Dungeons over any of those. There are other ways of being competitive.

I’d rather play Crackdown 3 or Minecraft Dungeons over any of those.

You don't need to buy a new box for those, though.

I wonder if Microsoft are going to lower their PC/Xbox release parity to make the Series X more desirable.

This shakes things up.

Xbox Series S, basically the next-gen Xbox for 1080p gaming, $299. Long rumoured - but just confirmed on the official Xbox account.

So that's a brand new console for the price of a Switch. Chuck in GamePass and that's a hell of a route into next gen for a lot of people.

Okay, that's a pretty major shot across Sony's bow – not just a cheaper entry into the new generation, but presumably the GamePass for Series S will also include everything you might have missed on Xbox One and it gets you broad backwards compatibility with the 360 library (for titles available for download, anyway).

Colour me tempted.

Trying to work out exactly what this thing does is a bit tricky right now - but it looks like it might be the equivalent of a One X for current-gen games, plus next-gen games at 1440p with ray tracing. Which seems like an incredible deal at the price. To the extent where I wonder if they're going to cannibalise sales of their own Series X.

It has to be said though that with the Xbox SS they have continued their tradition of absolutely terrible console names and abbreviations.

Getting a Series X, need the drive for my Ultra HD movies.

512GB SSD? FFS, it's digital only, that's basically the next CoD and two other games. Sort yourself out Microsoft.

Yeah, but who plays CoD?

YooToobers, I believe. And chavs.

that's basically the next CoD and two other games

I realise that my use case is not representative of the target audience for this stuff, but I can't remember the last time I had three games on the go at once.

It'll have expansion options anyway won't it? Just whack a 2TB drive on the back if you need it.

Just whack a 2TB drive on the back if you need it.

That's not going to work for either of the next-gen consoles (at least, not for next-gen games) as they use proprietory SSDs. There will be expansion options I'm sure, but expect £££.

It'll have expansion options anyway won't it? Just whack a 2TB drive on the back if you need it.

If the drive is 'high speed loading' and the SSD drive, then simply plugging in a USB drive won't cut it. Bet there are official MS ones that cost a bomb.

EDIT: Sorry, posted from my alt account, please read my Gar post instead. :)

I'm reading that the lower price model will not have native £4k or the FPS that the X will?
I'm not a fan of choice, it confuses me. I'm already lost with all the Xbox one models.
If I had a head for options and getting the best performing thing for my needs I would play on PC.

Ugh, proprietary storage formats? I thought we were past this bullshit.

I'm reading that the lower price model will not have native £4k or the FPS that the X will?
I'm not a fan of choice, it confuses me. I'm already lost with all the Xbox one models.
If I had a head for options and getting the best performing thing for my needs I would play on PC.

Nobody knows, precisely, at this point in time but it's going to be the exact equivalent of the S/X split this gen, or PS4/Pro if you like. One basic model and one 4K model.

Their naming could be clearer but it's basically do you want a cheap Xbox (get an S) or a bells-and-whistles Xbox (get an X)? It's hardly PC levels of paralysing choice.

It's really confusing when each one is called an X-Box.

It's really confusing when each one is called an X-Box.

Is it? There are two. One's expensive, indicating better, one's less so indicating not so much. Not exactly rocket science.

Er through in current gen and could you guarantee that parents who don't game would come out of the store with the right one?

I agree that the naming convention isn't great but everyone managed Xbox/Xbox 360/Xbox One, Wii/Wii U and DS/DSi/3DS/New 3DS/2DS. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Can someone here lend me £8000?

I agree that the naming convention isn't great but everyone managed Xbox/Xbox 360/Xbox One, Wii/Wii U and DS/DSi/3DS/New 3DS/2DS. I'm sure it'll be fine.

Can someone here lend me £8000?

You want the gold PS5, I assume. :)

Busted! >_<

Going to look down the back of the sofa I guess…

I was never clear about the different Xbones. I thought there was three, the first a pro and a slim, but I'm not sure and I don't know what they were called.

The problem is that neither Series S nor Series X means anything. It's like trying to ask for a medium coffee in Starbucks.

I was never clear about the different Xbones. I thought there was three, the first a pro and a slim, but I'm not sure and I don't know what they were called.

Yep. The original Xbox One Potato Edition was retired in favour of the S and the X. The S was basically a slightly souped-up original version, the X was much more powerful.

I still don't think anything next gen is going to be as confusing as calling the third Xbox the Xbox One.

Additional shots fired: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is going to include an EA Play subscription as well.

Today, we’re excited to announce the next step in this journey. We are teaming up with Electronic Arts to provide Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC members with an EA Play membership at no additional cost starting this holiday. This means Ultimate members can enjoy EA Play on Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and Windows 10 PCs, and Xbox Game Pass for PC members get EA Play on Windows 10.

Formerly known as EA Access and Origin Access, EA Play will bring the best of EA to Game Pass, including:

• More than 60 of EA’s biggest and best console and PC games like FIFA 20, Titanfall 2 and Need for Speed Heat, as well as titles from some of EA’s most popular franchises like Battlefield, Mass Effect, Skate, and The Sims.
• Exclusive in-game challenges and rewards, special member-only content, discounts on EA digital purchases for DLC, games, and more.
• Access to trials of games for up to 10 hours from best-loved franchises and top titles like Madden NFL 21 and FIFA 21.
• Not only will EA Play titles be available on console and PC, this holiday, some of the best EA Play games will also be available for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play on Android devices via the cloud at no additional charge.

The Series X price has been confirmed as £449.

It's incredible value. 249 quid and you get immediate access to a huge library.

The only problem is… there aren't any games I want to play.

Ah come on now. The Game Pass library is huge. There are loads of quality third party titles even if the Microsoft exclusives aren’t your thing.

That’s a good price for the Series X, too. All eyes on Sony now to see how they respond.

Also, the Xbox All Access scheme means you pay £28.99 a month for two years, you get a Series X to keep and GamePass Ultimate for the duration. That actually works out cheaper than buying the console and the two year subscription outright. And you’d never run out of games to play.

But I've already got Microsoft's last-gen console, which plays all of those games.

Fair enough, if their only goal GENUINELY is to get Game Pass subscribers, they're doing a good job. But I don't believe all these clickbaity articles saying 'Microsoft don't care if you don't buy a Series X' for a second.

There's nothing new, fundementally next-gen or exciting coming to Xbox any time soon.

And fair enough, there's not much from Sony yet either. But there's SOMETHING. And given both companies track records, I trust Sony to surprise me with new stuff more than Microsoft.

I think you're right, MPH. MS is clearly going for the jugular with value and quantity, but there's absolutely nothing that actually says 'This is worth buying a totally new console for'. It's the same old games (and in many cases thanks to BC, exactly the same old games), just shinier and loading faster.

Now I'm wondering why I actually want a series X. Hmm.

Can't say I'm not incredibly tempted, but no making a decision yet.

I guess it depends on how much shinier things will be. I mean, I’m in for the new Assassin’s Creed, Yakuza and Hitman games this winter, I’d kind of like to be playing next gen versions of those. If enough of the GamePass library gets upgraded too then that’s going to feel shiny and new.

It’s more like a PC upgrade than anything I guess. You buy a new graphics card so your current games look better straight away, and on the promise of new and interesting stuff to come.

Honestly, I'm not looking it at all as a machine to access what's new – the Xbox Series S seems, to me, to be a fantastic option because it functions so well as an archive of the stuff I loved from 360 and/or missed from Xbone. All with a fancy new lick of paint and running on a machine that I don't need to worry about crapping out because it's fifteen years old.

Sony has a stronger lineup of first-party and exclusive titles, there's no doubt – but I didn't f–king play half of them on PS4, and as time has worn on I'm less and less likely to bother. Sekiro, Spider-Man, God of War… they all just passed me by and honestly I've seen enough about them on Twitter and Youtubelol to satisfy my curiosity about 'em. If they hit PS+ I would no doubt add them to my library, and might even give them a spin for 20 minutes, but I'm realising that there's no way I'm going to pay £400-odd, or whatever Sony end up asking, just so I can not get 'round to playing Sekiro 2.

PS+ is currently the 20p bag of Space Raiders next to Game Pass's five course meal. Fuck knows how they're going to make it even remotely appealing.

They might try rolling PS Now into it, but game streaming's just not there yet; even Google haven't been able to make a splash, and internet data is their entire thing. To compete, they're going to have to copy Microsoft and turn PS+ into a first-party warehouse.

Though when a lot of the Playstation brand appeal comes from its library of exclusives, having a subscription service that just gives 'em away might undermine the "event" prestige that they're trying to build.

PS+ is currently the 20p bag of Space Raiders next to Game Pass's five course meal. Fuck knows how they're going to make it even remotely appealing.

Sort yourself out, Space Raiders win any day of the week

PS+ is currently the 20p bag of Space Raiders next to Game Pass's five course meal. Fuck knows how they're going to make it even remotely appealing.

Sort yourself out, Space Raiders win any day of the week

You missed the fact that it's a five course meal of Space Raiders (with Frazzles for dessert).

It's incredible value. 249 quid and you get immediate access to a huge library.

The only problem is… there aren't any games I want to play.

Now EA Access is going to be incorporated into GP Ultimate this is like saying you just hate games generally.

Finally you have become me. Welcome.

*There aren't any games I want to play, because I've played them all. Give me some new games Microsoft, kthx.

I'm not playing Dragon Age bloody Inquisition again.