Shack Chat: What would make you buy an Xbox Series X?

Microsoft is in a very interesting position in the current console generation transition. Even as the next generation dawns and Microsoft and Sony prepare for their next console releases, Microsoft is doing a lot of work beyond the Xbox Series X. Whether it’s Xbox Play Anywhere letting players play Xbox titles on console or PC, the Xbox Games Pass giving players access to a wide array of Microsoft and Xbox games, or Project xCloud letting players access games from anywhere via smartphone and other enabled portable devices, the irons Microsoft has in the fire go well beyond a new console. With that in mind, is the Xbox Series X worthwhile? Is there a good reason to buy the console or does a new Xbox console become redundant among Microsoft’s widening array of gaming programs and accessibility? The Shack Staff chimed in and you can too in the Chatty comment section. Check out what we thought below.

Question: What would make you buy an Xbox Series X?

You can’t make me - Asif Khan, Still pretty good at Halo

This might be the weirdest generation of consoles ever. Microsoft and Sony are certainly still in an arms race in the living room, but Mr. Softy is really fighting the war on two fronts with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on PC. Outside of the need to review the device for our website’s coverage purposes, it would be hard for me to justify buying an Xbox Series X this fall considering I have several awesome PCs capable of playing every game coming to Xbox.

This isn’t the case with PS5, yet. This isn’t the case with Nintendo Switch either. Both hardware devices have a software ecosystem built around them that has kept many fans coming back over many generations of consoles. It is truly a divergence in philosophy, but Microsoft seems to understand the importance of having a robust catalog of IP.

Microsoft has been on an acquisition spree of late and many of their newly acquired studios are launching their games on Xbox Game Pass. While the service might not be profitable, it seems like this is the future for Xbox players.

I am probably going to buy an Xbox Series X, but I am not your usual consumer and I have to do it for Shacknews. I understand why many people may hold off this Fall, given the economic climate brought on by the pandemic and the lackluster launch lineup. At least we all have Xbox Game Pass, which is the real reason to stay a part of the Xbox ecosystem, whether that happens to be on Xbox One, Xbox Series X, or PC.

Take the PS4 approach - Ozzie Mejia, Senior Editor

What do I mean by the PS4 approach? Well, what is one thing that's stood out above all else about the PlayStation 4? It's that Sony has taken many of their best first-party developers and given them something new to do. They took the Killzone guys and made Horizon Zero Dawn. They took the Ratchet & Clank guys and made Marvel's Spider-Man. They took the LittleBigPlanet guys and made Dreams. They took the Sly Cooper guys and made Ghost of Tsushima. While there was God of War and The Last of Us, there was also no fear when it came to running forward with new IPs and marketing them as "From the makers of your favorite past franchises."

What makes Microsoft so well-equipped for this is that they've been scooping up developers left and right to bolster their first-party lineup. They can look at Double Fine, Obsidian, Ninja Theory, and whoever else, and encourage them to go out and bring something new to the table. That's what would make me more interested in Xbox. It's not the new Halo, but rather the next Halo.

Bugsnax - Blake Morse, Bugsnax

I would buy anything for Bugsnax! Anything… Even an Xbox Series X. Too bad they don’t have Bugsnax though.

Not much - Chris Jarrard, Owned 6 Red-ringers

As a primarily PC player, I have yet to see anything on the gaming front to entice me into buying into the Xbox ecosystem. That said, I have enjoyed the Xbox controllers for PC use over the last two console generations and previously owned a large handful of (mostly broken) Xbox 360s. If backwards compatibility from the older generations were to become more robust (specifically licensed/sports titles), I might give the old Series X a swing.

I could also see myself giving the box a chance as a media playback device in a home theater setup, but Microsoft would need to do a much stronger job of supporting that market (and I don’t mean using the console as a DVR). The Xbox One X likely blew its big shot at being viable for home theater users thanks to its botched handling of HDR output for UHD discs. If the Series X launches with the hardware and software support that positions it as the best optical disc player it could fill a hole in the mid-range market left by the absence of the Oppo-branded Blu-ray players. The box would need extensive support for the playback and passthrough of the ever-evolving collection of media codecs and formats, such as passing through uncompressed surround audio from things like the Plex app. Offer up a world-class streaming disc player with a strong remote and Microsoft could make a believer out of me, even if I have no intention of playing Halo on Xbox.

Buying one already - Sam Chandler, Xbox Guy

I’m buying an Xbox Series X for the same reason I’ve purchased every other Xbox: I agree with Microsoft’s practices, enjoy the games Microsoft publishes, and want to continue supporting those that benefit from being in that ecosystem.

While the Xbox One had a rocky launch, everything else about the Xbox has been incredible. The OG Xbox had phenomenal games and four controller ports, the Xbox 360 had some of the best games of the generation, and the Xbox One continues to offer groundbreaking services.

I’ve put my faith in Microsoft each generation, and I’ll do it again with the Series X. I can’t wait to see how it looks in my TV cabinet, alongside its predecessors.

I’ll be getting it anyway - Donovan Erskine, Contributing Editor

Though I’ve branched to all other mainstream consoles, as well as PC, Xbox is home for me. It’s where all my friends are, and it’s the ecosystem I feel most comfortable with. My preferred place to play games nowadays is on my PC, but you can bet I’ll be getting a Series X. That being said, I plan on getting a PS5 first (because of exclusives), and then buying a Series X at a later date. As someone who covers games for a living, I also find it necessary to at least have access to the major consoles so that I can have an informed opinion on them.

I buy all consoles, so I’m getting this one too - Brittany Vincent, Senior Editor

I don’t really use Xbox Game Pass and spend any cash left I have on games I probably could get for free if I wait, but I hoard games. I also love physical copies and abhor getting everything digitally. I buy every new console that comes out, no questions asked, because I'm a video game collector first and foremost. I want to own all systems and I want to make sure I'm never left out when it comes to new games I want to play. But more importantly, it's my job to cover games, no matter what system they're on. It doesn't make sense to me as a career game journalist to skip out on buying any console, even if you could feasibly play the same games on PC. Even if you just want a change of pace.

I have multiple pricey gaming PCs that I've custom-built as well as multiple Xbox One Xs, PlayStation Pros, and Switches (in addition to my console and game collection), but I was in for a Series X the instant I heard it was coming down the pipeline. I’m always hype for new consoles, and I can’t wait to see what they offer, even if they appear largely the same as what I already have.

As far as the general public, I'm sure not everyone wants to deal with building or upgrading PCs nor the dance of "will it or won't it work?" when installing new games. I don't mind it, as that’s par for the course. My systems will run anything I throw at them. But some players don't care for these things, so it makes perfect sense that people would prefer a console over a platform that's potentially graphically superior with better performance. It all comes down to personal preference. Me? I prefer it all.

Putting it simply, video games are my lifeblood, and the relatively small investment that an Xbox Series X represents is nothing compared to the return when it comes to covering games for it. I also want every game I can get my hands on, so this is where my money goes. I don’t see console wars. I don’t care about concepts like “will this be a system seller?” or “why should I buy this?” in the grand scheme of things. It is a system, I buy it. I use it for coverage and add it to my collection. Next question.

Nothing - Bill Lavoy, Coffee Lover

With the way Microsoft currently operates, there’s nothing that will make me buy an Xbox Series X if it’s for personal use. For work, sure.

For the entire current generation, Sony stomped all over Xbox with its PS4 exclusives, and I don’t want to hear a single person mention Halo, because selling systems isn’t about one must-have exclusive, it’s about a collection of exclusives. Uncharted, The Last of Us, God of War, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and many more that were at least PS4 exclusives for a period of time before making their way to PC, like Death Stranding, Detroit: Become Human, and soon Horizon Zero Dawn. There are probably a couple games in that list you’d play, and when you start to add them up it begins to make sense to buy a PS4. This is how Sony has sold PS4 consoles.

Microsoft simply doesn’t have the games or even a similar business strategy, and that’s okay. They were losing the war of exclusives, so what did they do? They created Xbox Games Pass, almost universally agreed to be the best video game subscription service on the market. Microsoft couldn’t entice you to buy an Xbox in the same way Sony did a PS4, so they removed the need for you to buy one and created an entirely new business model.

For someone like me with a high-end gaming PC, there’s nothing left Microsoft can do to make me buy an Xbox Series X, but they did create an environment where I almost can’t live without Xbox Games Pass. Instead of trying to catch Sony, they simply took their own path. Oh, and they are buying studios like I buy Tim Hortons coffee, so they might end up winning the exclusives war at some point anyway.

Not much - Josh Hawkins, Guides Guy

Honestly, there isn’t a good reason for me to buy an Xbox Series X other than “I might need it for work”. I already get access to the latest games from the Xbox Studios’ teams thanks to the Play Anywhere system that Microsoft introduced a few years back. To be honest, though, I think that Microsoft has set themselves up in a really great position for the consumers. They really seem to be trying to put players first, instead of just trying to push their console sales.

Of course, only time will tell if that move proves to be beneficial or detrimental to the overall success of the Xbox console line. With that in mind, though, I think that there are enough people there who have years in the Xbox ecosystem that are more than willing to pick up the new Xbox, especially with all of the additional benefits that Microsoft is throwing in - like Gamepass and Smart Delivery.

But, if they release Fable early on the Xbox Series X, even if it’s only a month or so before the PC release, I will buy an Xbox Series X.

A shift in studio priority & event console preference - TJ Denzer, Newsman Series X

Y’all… I love fighting games. That’s where my greatest interests in gaming still currently sit, to the point that I compete both online and out there at physical events when I have the opportunity in addition to the coverage I write on these games. And the fact of the matter is that groups like Capcom, Arc System Works, and my other favorite developers still currently optimize their products and push events on PlayStation consoles. It doesn’t appear that is about to change with the shift to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. I don’t see events like EVO, Dreamhack, Texas Showdown, and other events shifting off of PlayStation systems and there’s nothing on the horizon that convinces me otherwise.

Don’t get me wrong. I love what Xbox is doing with the design of the Xbox Series X and the wealth of consumer friendly and accessibility programs like Xbox Play Anywhere, Xbox Game Pass, Project xCloud, and Smart Delivery. But unless you tell me that Guilty Gear Strive or Street Fighter 6 are coming to Xbox Series X, will be prioritized on that console, and will be played on the Series X in tournaments, I know where my priorities stand for both personal use and work. Besides, Microsoft already did the work of making sure I won’t miss out on a game that interests me with Xbox Play Anywhere and Game Pass. There’s just no need for me to spend money just to have a shelf filler that’s technically redundant to everything else I have available.

PC Overload & Achievements - Greg Burke, Head of Video

People haven’t been shy in voicing their opinions on the internet about the Xbox Series X. “We’ll if everything’s going to be on PC, why do I need an Xbox Series X?” While I agree that the PC will always be ahead of console hardware, there’s a huge thing that makes me play on console instead of my 5,000 dollar PC. I spend on average 8-12 hours a day on my PC in my office, and the last thing I want to do when I’m off the clock is spend another 4-5 hours sitting in the same spot playing games on the same PC. That’s where the Xbox comes in, it’s nice to be able to lean back, have your feet up and play a console game in your living room. It’s just different. That’s the main reason I'll buy an Xbox Series X is to get a break from my PC and office where I spend the majority of the day already. I am a huge enthusiast of Xbox’s Achievements system. I really enjoy achievement hunting after I’ve beaten a game I've enjoyed. So, yeah. I’ll buy an Xbox Series X for those two reasons.

Cutting-edge features - David L. Craddock, long reads editor

Nearly 20 years ago, late Nintendo Company Ltd. president Satoru Iwata removed Nintendo from the “arms race” of the console wars by choosing to do something different. Sometimes, as with the Nintendo DS, the Wii, and the Switch, that something works out. Sometimes, as with the Wii U, it doesn’t. (One could also lump the 3DS family of hardware into this category, but it picked itself up… eventually.)

Since then, Microsoft and Sony have put out boxes that have been redundant. And that kind of worked out for consumers. You could look at each box and choose one or the other based on its price and library of exclusives. As for multiplatform games, well, they’re multiplatform. You’ll be able to play them everywhere. Now, however, Microsoft has joined Nintendo in doing something different, and that something is revolutionizing the way we’ll play games. With Game Pass, $10 a month gets you hundreds of games you can play on traditional Xbox consoles or on your Windows 10-powered PC. Xbox is no longer just a console. It’s a concept that manifests in myriad ways: today, a console and a PC; tomorrow, an Xbox controller synced to your smartphone, tablet, or - dare to dream - your Nintendo Switch.

That does lead to an obvious question: Why buy an Xbox Series X when, like me and fellow Shacknews editor Chris Jarrard, you’ve got a gaming PC leaps and bounds ahead of consoles that were released six-plus years ago? Answer: Because the Series X and PS5 will do things the PC cannot do at present. That might be the first time anyone outside of a console’s marketing team typed that sentence and meant it. Series X and PS5 will come with SSDs standard, not optional. That will make loading times in games trivial, at least for a while, and that’s something I can’t get on my PC at present. Short loading times, yes. Negligible loading times… usually.

“Xboss” Phil Spencer has said all Xbox Series X exclusives will be compatible with Xbox One X for at least the first two years of Series X’s lifecycle. That means that until 2022 or so, I don’t need a Series X. I’m not the sort of tech geek who drops hundreds of dollars on the latest phone, tablet, or box just because it exists; it needs to justify its expense to me. And that’s okay. Like Nintendo and its Switch, Microsoft is causing us to rethink the way we view consoles. I won’t need an Xbox Series X at launch - I’m not on the games review beat and haven’t been for years--but when a title comes along that makes me frown in abject disappointment at my PC, which can run anything and everything as of this writing at 100+ frames with all the antialiasing you can shake a polygon at, I’ll add one more box to my entertainment center.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Hardware is incidental. Really, it’s an expensive gate that has locked too many people out of enjoying great game experiences. Until or unless the physical form of Xbox Series X justifies its cost to me, $10 a month for Game Pass suits me just fine.

A certain game or two-Steve Tyminski, Contributing Editor

It feels like we’re jumping into another console wars like we had in the 1990’s. That being said, the question has been brought up: “What would get me to purchase an Xbox Series X?” The answer could be narrowed down into two things, a brand new Banjo-Kazooie game, more like the Nintendo 64 titles, and a brand new hockey game at launch. Hell, I’d settle more for a Rare title that looks/feels like the classic Rare days. If it has those games, I could be swayed to get one. I don’t see either game getting released with launch or at all in the case of Banjo but one can dream, right?

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.