MICROSOFT’S next-gen gaming console will be out in November, the firm has finally revealed.
The long-awaited Xbox Series X is expected to deliver stunning 8K graphics – and a host of new games, including Halo Infinite.
Xbox fans have been treated to regular teasers for the console throughout the year.
But Microsoft has only offered vague “holiday 2020” launch windows.
Now Microsoft has confirmed that the console will go on sale in November, just in time for Christmas.
“There will be thousands of games to play, spanning four generations, when Xbox Series X launches globally this November,” said Xbox’s Will Tuttle.
“And over 100 [games] ‘optimised for Xbox Series X’ titles, built to take full advantage of our most powerful console, are planned for this year.”
Some of the games being optimised for the Xbox Series X include Destiny 2, Forza Horizon 4, Gears 5, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and Madden NFL 21.
And there are new games coming that will be optimised for the console too.
They include Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Dirt 5, Gears Tactics, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, and Watch Dogs: Legion.
If you buy any of those games for a current Xbox console, they’ll still work on the Xbox Series X.
Then when you buy the new console, you’ll be able to jump right back in – with a tasty graphical upgrade.
For the unaware, Microsoft’s Xbox Series X is a next-gen games console designed to directly compete with Sony’s PlayStation 5.
It’s a towering black box with a minimalist interior, and a familiar Xbox joypad.
The Series X promises 12-teraflops of graphical output, slightly more than the PS5.
Teraflops – or rather, trillions of operations per second – are a way of measuring how faster a graphics card can work.
The big trump card in Microsoft’s gaming deck is Halo Infinite – a Microsoft exclusive that will likely tempt longstanding fans of the franchise.
The game is expected to launch in 2021, though we don’t know exactly when.
Other attractive titles include a new Forza Motorsport, Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Dirt 5.
Respected Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter thinks we’ll see a major price war.
Speaking to HOAR, Pachter said the Xbox Series X will likely cost $499, while the two versions of the PS5 will come in at $499 and $599.
“They’re playing a game of chicken to see who blinks first,” said Pachter, of Wedbush Securities, speaking to HOAR.
“Microsoft is fully prepared to price at $499 regardless of cost, but I think Sony is hopeful that they will announce first.
“Microsoft is going to wait for Sony to blink first.”
Sadly, neither Microsoft nor Sony have confirmed pricing for either of their consoles – or even hinted at a range.
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Will you be buying the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5? Let us know in the comments!
