The next best thing out of Microsoft, the Xbox One X, officially ships November 7, but we’re not convinced it’s not as groundbreaking as Phil Spencer wants us to believe. After all, Nintendo already tried the upgraded consoles model with the Wii U and New 3DS and failed miserably. The same fate seems to be slowly creeping up on the Xbox One X as it inches closer to launch.
It’s been touted as the most powerful console ever, but that tagline comes with a few conditions. For starters, you’ll need to pair the new $500 console with a 4K television to reap the maximum intended benefits. That can easily run you an additional $400 – $1,500. Sure, the non-4Ker will still experience an uptick in graphics, just nothing compared to the 4K. That seems like a lot of cheese for a slightly better-looking game.
Secondly, no Xbox One X exclusives have been announced, outside of support for a handful of pre-existing titles, to take advantage of the increased power. That’s concerning if Microsoft feels gamers will pony up the hefty price tag for the same lineup as the original Xbox One. That’s really the only reason PlayStation 4 has a larger userbase – several more exclusive games. I hate to say it, but we’re seeing the Wii U all over again, this time we get slightly better marketing and a more powerful system.
My inclination leads me in the direction that if gamers are truly looking for a mind blowing visual experience, they’ll just build a PC with greater functionality. Granted, the Xbox One X is a bargain for the tech you’re receiving. Nonetheless, I’m hard pressed to believe there’s a substantial number of gamers looking to drop an additional $500 on a new console simply for better graphics, slightly faster load times, and marginally improved gaming experience on the same titles they played yesterday. Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I don’t see a massive number of true hardcore games both in existence or in the market for something as high priced as this console.
There’s no denying Microsoft put together a rock solid console. Its faults lie in the fact it’s overpriced for a console and there’s really no incentive to upgrade outside of faster load times and better visuals. If you’re down for that and can shell out half a G, then by all means indulge like it’s your last day on Earth. However, for the rest of us, it doesn’t come across as a practical option. Then again, maybe it’s time Microsoft did something impractical to shake things up. Nevertheless, only time will tell if the Xbox One X sinks or swims. Either way, it will be a sight to see in more ways than one.