Xbox Series X beats the PlayStation 5 in a few important ways.
Credit: Microsoft
I’m still not 100% convinced that Microsoft and Sony will be able to deliver their respective next-gen consoles this holiday, but we’ll keep discussing the upcoming systems as though they’re coming out in time for Christmas.
Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic is still raging, the global economy is still contracting and there’s no telling how a combination of supply chain issues and high levels of unemployment could impact the release of the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
In any case, we keep learning more and more about each one, especially the Xbox Series X which showed off thirteen third-party games yesterday morning. You can watch all the trailers for those right here.
Today, I’ll talk about a few ways that Microsoft is leading the next-gen pack. Right upfront I’ll freely admit that I am still in the PS5 camp overall, for one very good reason: Sony’s PS5 exclusives will be on PS5 only (at least for a good long time), whereas Microsoft has committed to launching on all Microsoft platforms, which includes PC. From a purely practical standpoint, having a gaming PC and a PS5 makes the most sense.
But Microsoft is making a compelling case for the Xbox Series X—even if those games they showed off yesterday just don’t look all that next-gen. Let’s take a look at the three biggest advantages Microsoft’s system has over the PlayStation 5.
1. Xbox Game Pass is a Killer App
There is nothing quite like Xbox Game Pass in the gaming industry. There are other services that are similar, like EA Access or PS Now, but Game Pass is the best. Subscribers get access to a huge game catalog that’s constantly updating, much like Netflix does each month.
This library includes access to all of Microsoft’s first-party exclusives on day one. Given the fact that Microsoft has seriously ramped up its first-party production, acquiring a bunch of development studios in the process, this is going to become much more valuable than ever with the Xbox Series X—to both consumers and Microsoft.
Game Pass Ultimate combines Game Pass with an Xbox Live With Gold subscription for $14.99/month which is a fantastic deal that gets you access to online games and apps, free monthly Games With Gold and Game Pass. It’s an outstanding value and it will continue to be for Xbox Series X.
(See what games are coming to Xbox Games With Gold in May here. See the new games coming to Game Pass this month here).
Xbox All Access gives Xbox gamers an affordable way to get a new system.
Credit: Microsoft
2. Microsoft is going big with All Access.
In a recent interview with IGN, Xbox chief Phil Spencer told the publication that Microsoft was going to “go big with [Xbox All Access] at the launch of the consoles.”
This is great news for any gamer on a budget and could give Microsoft a huge advantage at launch even if the Xbox Series X costs more than the PlayStation 5—which seems likely.
For one thing, as noted above the COVID-19 pandemic is taking a serious tole on the economy and peoples’ spending money.
“We would be remiss if we did not talk about the economic realities that could be here [in the Fall],” Spencer added in the same interview. “Not to be all doom and gloom, but you saw the jobless claim numbers that came out. There is a lot of uncertainty [in the market]. I think gaming is a luxury and we should all understand that.”
All Access could make a big difference for a lot of gamers. It let’s gamers pay for an Xbox Series X the same way you’d pay for a smart phone—monthly over a 24 month period.
I’m not sure how it would work on Xbox Series X, but right now gamers can buy a new Xbox One X or Xbox One S with no upfront cost, pay it off monthly (starting at $20/month for the discless Xbox One S, and up to $25/month for Xbox One X) and get a free 2-year Game Pass Ultimate subscription as part of the deal.
Remember, Game Pass Ultimate costs $15/month already, so you can get that and a console for just $5 to $10 more a month. It’s an insanely good deal.
Better yet, after 18 months you can trade it in and upgrade to a next-gen system. Even if the Xbox Series X is very expensive, this makes it way more affordable, especially since Game Pass Ultimate is included in the deal, meaning you could conceivably just not buy any new games for a couple years and still have over 100 titles at any given time to play, including the latest Microsoft exclusives.
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is a Smart Delivery game on Xbox Series X and Xbox One, meaning you’ll … [+] only have to purchase it once to play on both systems.
Credit: Ubisoft
3. Smart Delivery adds tremendous value to Xbox One owners.
Smart Delivery is certainly smart. Microsoft isn’t guaranteeing that every single Xbox One game that also releases on Xbox Series X will only be a single purchase, but it has committed to two things.
First, all of Microsoft’s exclusives for at least the foreseeable future will be released on both Xbox One and next-gen, and you’ll only have to pay once for both versions.
Second, any game that’s tagged as Smart Delivery from third-parties will also be available on both generations as a single purchase. For instance, if you buy Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla on Xbox One and then a year from now upgrade to an Xbox Series X, you’ll get the Xbox Series X version free of charge. It’s unclear whether a game like Destiny 2 will be Smart Delivery, however.
This isn’t the same thing as backward compatible. We should expect many of our current-gen games to be backward compatible on both Xbox Series X and PS5. This is different because you’re actually getting the next-gen version of the game for no extra charge.
Maybe Sony will implement something similar down the road, or announce it when they fully reveal the PlayStation 5. But as of right now, this is just one more huge advantage for the Xbox Series X, and another way Microsoft is making gaming just a tiny bit more affordable for Xbox gamers.
The one-two-three punch of Game Pass, All Access and Smart Delivery make the Xbox Series X (and presumably the Xbox Series X) a remarkably good value for consumers. Now the real question becomes: Will the console actually release this holiday and, if it does, will there be enough supply to meet demand?
These questions are so far up in the air it’s best we don’t even try. But right now Microsoft has done a terrific job making its next-gen system(s) appealing, affordable regardless of price and full of value for all gamers.
Will you be purchasing an Xbox Series X at launch or are you leaning toward the still-mysterious PS5? Let me know on Twitter or Facebook.
