Fair Game | Why I Won't Be Buying an Xbox Series X

The Xbox Games Showcase came with a ton of reveals and special looks from games we’ve already seen, as well as some brand new ones. At the end of the day, it proved two things:

Halo Infinite is a meme goldmine
I will not be buying an Xbox Series X

As a lifelong Xbox fan, this will mark the first time I’ve switched to Sony’s PlayStation. After that Games Showcase, I think many people will be doing the same.

To date, the PlayStation 5 is the console to get this year, although the Xbox Series X is more impressive technically. Xbox simply can’t match their impressive launch lineup and slew of exclusives slated to release within the next year or so.

Xbox has such a weak plan for the Xbox Series X that I’m not sure if I’ll ever buy one.

No Reason to Upgrade to Xbox Series X

“We want every Xbox player to play all the new games from Xbox Game Studios. That’s why Xbox Game Studios titles we release in the next couple of years—like Halo Infinite—will be available and play great on Xbox Series X and Xbox One. We won’t force you to upgrade to Xbox Series X at launch to play Xbox exclusives.”
-Phil Spencer

This statement has left players in a strange spot. Games play best on Xbox Series X, but does really it warrant an upgrade? Especially, when we can play the same games for years to come?

All new games released for a while will be playable on both the Xbox One and Xbox Series X. They are also pushing Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which will bring your games to Xbox consoles, PC, and mobile. And with every game shown at the Games Showcase available on Game Pass, what’s the need for players to upgrade?

An Xbox Series X is gonna be anywhere from $400-$500 (not including games). Most people who are preparing to buy one either have a working Xbox One, a gaming PC, or mobile device. But if they spend $180 a year for Game Pass Ultimate, they’ll save a ton of money and be able to instantly have access to next gen games. The only thing they have to worry about is third party games like Call of Duty.

If anything, Game Pass should hold over buyers until they’re required to upgrade, and could do so at a much cheaper price. That is, if they want to upgrade at all.

It seems like Xbox is shooting themselves in the foot this year. There’s no advantage to getting the Series X and they almost want you to know that. The Xbox Series X is less of the pathway to next gen, and more of a console for players who just want the best specs. The real pathway to next gen is through Game Pass. It’s a risky move that just might pay off.

A Much Better Alternative

Investing your money in either Xbox Game Pass or the PlayStation 5 is a much better alternative.

With Game Pass Ultimate, you can get a ton of great games as well as all future Xbox exclusives for one price: $180 a year. Seems like a lot, but considering it comes with Xbox Live Gold, which is $60, and most gamers would buy the incoming games anyway, it’s totally worth it. Plus you get the ability to play the games on your PC and mobile phone.

So if you’re worried about missing out on new Xbox games, then Game Pass Ultimate is the way to go. If you’re worried about missing out on the next gen experience, then PlayStation 5 has your back.

PlayStation 5 has a much better launch lineup than Xbox, as well as many more exclusives set for 2021. You can play the triple A titles on both consoles, but the quality of PlayStation exclusives cannot be understated. They are some of the best games on the market, and the upcoming releases look great and are optimized for PlayStation 5.

While the tech specs of the PS5 lag behind the Series X a tad, it won’t be noticeable.

Everything about the Xbox Series X has proven to be disappointing to say the least. It just doesn’t hold up next to the better alternatives available. That’s not to say they can’t pick themselves up down the road, but as of now, there’s no point.

Xbox as a Platform, Not a Console

This upcoming generation seeks to change the way we look at Xbox.

We’re witnessing them morph into more of a platform than strictly a console. They already have a growing presence on PC and now Android devices. It’s becoming a universal platform to play games on. This is surely going to hurt their console sales, because there isn’t much of a point in buying the Series X.

No need to fear though, the console itself isn’t going anywhere.

@XBOX will always be the centerpiece of the Xbox gaming experience, but the way we play our games are evolving and the #XBOXGamePass is proof of that evolution.
Tweet

In a time where game prices are at an all time high, Game Pass might be exactly what we need. Because of that, we’re going to have to deal with a bit of a lackluster console experience from Xbox for some time.

The Game Pass approach is the first of its kind, and is much more ambitious than PlayStation’s more traditional approach. It’s a move that feels awfully similar to what Netflix did all those years ago. Nobody knows how it will turn out. It could fizzle out or go down in a dumpster fire. But if everything goes right, this could revolutionize the gaming landscape.