Octopus Overlords

In a surprise announcement at the Game Awards, Microsoft unveiled Project Scarlett = Xbox Series X.

Is it a square Echo? The monolith from 2001? Half a PC case?



The Verge has the annoucement info and some spec analysis.

Microsoft says the box design is to save space in your entertainment stand, but it's height would be an issue for me. Most entertainment stands are set up for wide flat boxes, not tall skinny ones. It's a weird decision. However, from an aesthetic standpoint I really dig the design, it looks interesting to me.

Also, cnn reported that the controller will be sold separate for $179.00. I really hope that amount was a typo because close to $200 is insane for one controller. I'm thinking it will be more like $79.

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:26 am Also, cnn reported that the controller will be sold separate for $179.00. I really hope that amount was a typo because close to $200 is insane for one controller. I'm thinking it will be more like $79.

That's the MSRP for the elite controller for the current xbox. There is no way they are selling standard controllers at that price point.

Article below says that existing controllers will work with the new Xbox.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox- ... 0-6472190/

Great. From XBone to SexBox They're really great at naming.

Rumpy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 3:26 pm Great. From XBone to SexBox They're really great at naming.

Microsoft Series X. We have a plug-in port and vibrating controller for all your entertainment needs...

Rumpy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 3:26 pm Great. From XBone to SexBox They're really great at naming.

I mean...

XBOX
XBOX 360
XBOX One (One S, One X)
XBOX Series X

I think they are trying to make Nintendo look better.
NES
SNES
N64
Gamecube
Wii
Wii U
Switch

At least occasionally the Nintendo console names followed a pattern.

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:26 am Microsoft says the box design is to save space in your entertainment stand, but it's height would be an issue for me. Most entertainment stands are set up for wide flat boxes, not tall skinny ones. It's a weird decision. However, from an aesthetic standpoint I really dig the design, it looks interesting to me.

Yeah my consoles are in an old school AV rack. This won't have *any* chance of fitting in there.

Rumpy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 3:26 pm Great. From XBone to SexBox They're really great at naming.

My boys (16 and 11) are reveling in calling this the XBOX SeX.

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:26 am Microsoft says the box design is to save space in your entertainment stand, but it's height would be an issue for me.

Same. My first thought when seeing that is I would have nowhere to put it without it overheating. Aesthetically I do like it though...

Lordnine wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2019 12:54 am

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:26 am Microsoft says the box design is to save space in your entertainment stand, but it's height would be an issue for me.

Same. My first thought when seeing that is I would have nowhere to put it without it overheating. Aesthetically I do like it though...

The linked article does note that "the console itself is designed to be used in both vertical and horizontal orientations" so I would think that would help. I'd probably go with it horizontal...

MonkeyFinger wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2019 7:15 pm

Lordnine wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2019 12:54 am

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:26 am Microsoft says the box design is to save space in your entertainment stand, but it's height would be an issue for me.

Same. My first thought when seeing that is I would have nowhere to put it without it overheating. Aesthetically I do like it though...

The linked article does note that "the console itself is designed to be used in both vertical and horizontal orientations" so I would think that would help. I'd probably go with it horizontal...

In the context of the SexBox all of the above takes a whole new meaning...

I've swung back to the PC side of gaming and really find I don't have enough gaming time to justify the expense of a new gaming device. Particularly a console for a TV that my kids are hogging with YouTube 90% of the time.

But I'm still buying this Day One.

MonkeyFinger wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2019 7:15 pm

Lordnine wrote: ↑Sun Dec 15, 2019 12:54 am

Scraper wrote: ↑Fri Dec 13, 2019 11:26 am Microsoft says the box design is to save space in your entertainment stand, but it's height would be an issue for me.

Same. My first thought when seeing that is I would have nowhere to put it without it overheating. Aesthetically I do like it though...

The linked article does note that "the console itself is designed to be used in both vertical and horizontal orientations" so I would think that would help. I'd probably go with it horizontal...

Not sure that fills me with confidence. Was it the XBox or PS that was designed to be used both "horizontal and vertical" but if you did it the wrong way for extended periods of time it tended to break? Now that disk drives are less important that might not be an issue anymore but still a consideration.

As noted, I seem to recall that being about the disk drives and them not working reliably when vertical, but don't think it was console specific and pretty sure hasn't been an issue for quite some time now. Not to derail this, but my XBox isn't used nearly as much as my, errr... other console, so it will be my "day one" purchase, this one not so much.

They've released a more thorough specs breakdown. It does look like quite a beast. That cooling design certainly looks like they want it standing up. 8K still looks like a limited use case, but smooth 4k is good enough for me. I'll never complain about faster load times.

Hrothgar wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:05 pm They've released a more thorough specs breakdown. It does look like quite a beast. That cooling design certainly looks like they want it standing up. 8K still looks like a limited use case, but smooth 4k is good enough for me. I'll never complain about faster load times.

Where am I supposed to put it if it's standing up, though? On the floor?

Hrothgar wrote: ↑Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:05 pm They've released a more thorough specs breakdown. It does look like quite a beast. That cooling design certainly looks like they want it standing up. 8K still looks like a limited use case, but smooth 4k is good enough for me. I'll never complain about faster load times.

It is an absolute beast of a machine. Here's hoping that the PS5 comes in very similar or even slightly faster. I've never been an xbox guy, but the thought of complete backwards compatibility with graphical improvements to boot is an exciting feature, especially if you haven't played any of the XBOX 1 exclusives.

Microsoft has confirmed the $299 Series S.



It appears to target 1440p. It's small, it's fast, it has no disk drive.

Same CPU as Series X
7.5 GB RAM
4 Teraflops GPU performance with ray-tracing and variable refresh rate
512 GB NVME SSD drive
smallest Xbox ever
$299
Expected to launch Nov 10th.

Windows central reports that the Series X will be $499.

I'm really leaning hard into the Xbox Series X All Access Option, but the launch lineup is less than appealing. I definitely plan on getting the PS5 (Lets face it Sony's good first party games are much more numerous than Microsofts) and I will likely play most mulitplatform games on the PS5, unless they are free with the Game pass or EA services. So is there any bets on whether AC Valhalla or Far Cry 6 will be available out of the gate from Gamepass?

I'd bet Valhalla is since they moved up the launch to coincide with the Xbox launch. But I'm usually bad at bets.

Alefroth wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 2:14 pm I'd bet Valhalla is since they moved up the launch to coincide with the Xbox launch. But I'm usually bad at bets.

I'm going to bet that the general population is going to get really confused with the naming convention.

Oh look, this store has that new Xbox S that I heard about! Wait no, this is a One S, I need a Series S. Are you sure you want a Series S? Don't you already have a One X which is better? No, the One X is better than the One S but worse than the Series S. You're thinking of the Series X.

wonderpug wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 3:09 pm

Alefroth wrote: ↑Wed Sep 09, 2020 2:14 pm I'd bet Valhalla is since they moved up the launch to coincide with the Xbox launch. But I'm usually bad at bets.

I'm going to bet that the general population is going to get really confused with the naming convention.

Oh look, this store has that new Xbox S that I heard about! Wait no, this is a One S, I need a Series S. Are you sure you want a Series S? Don't you already have a One X which is better? No, the One X is better than the One S but worse than the Series S. You're thinking of the Series X.

Totally agree with that, and I almost mentioned it. Playstation sure knows how to keep it simple.

On the plus side they have stopped production of the One S digital edition and the One X. But, they'll still make the One S, and the inventory hasn't cleared out yet.

From the Verge: The Xbox Series S plays Xbox One S versions of Xbox One games -- Xbox One X enhancements won’t be applied

I suppose that makes sense on one level, but it just adds to the confusion.

Welp, my plan to hit the preorder button at the exact moment they went on sale didn't work. All sold out of the X series pretty much everywhere, from what I'm reading.

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:14 am Welp, my plan to hit the preorder button at the exact moment they went on sale didn't work. All sold out of the X series pretty much everywhere, from what I'm reading.

I completed a preorder for the X on Microsoft's website about 2 minutes ago.

My plan to pass on xbox this generation has held strong so far. It would hold a little stronger if, you know, it was possible to pre-order a PS5.

pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:34 am

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:14 am Welp, my plan to hit the preorder button at the exact moment they went on sale didn't work. All sold out of the X series pretty much everywhere, from what I'm reading.

I completed a preorder for the X on Microsoft's website about 2 minutes ago.

Crap, what link did you use? I just keep getting an error code.

edit: microsoft store says they're out of stock now.

I had one in my cart from Walmart. But I want to go the all access route and I couldn't figure out how to select that option on Walmart.com. By the time I figured it out they were all gone.

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:39 am

pr0ner wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:34 am

hepcat wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:14 am Welp, my plan to hit the preorder button at the exact moment they went on sale didn't work. All sold out of the X series pretty much everywhere, from what I'm reading.

I completed a preorder for the X on Microsoft's website about 2 minutes ago.

Crap, what link did you use? I just keep getting an error code.

I went straight through xbox.com. Took me a couple of tries after getting error messages, but I finally made it through.

They now show it as "out of stock" via the Microsoft Store.

https://www.xbox.com/en-us/configure/8WJ714N3RBTL

I managed to get to the checkout, but of course I am not buying it dammit!

That's the link I was using before that reports an error finding the page.

edit: aaaannnnd I just got in to see they're out of stock.

It took a couple refreshes to get it to load, and again on the checkout, but it got there.

All Access link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/xbox- ... 65QFQQ4K01

Gamestop is still dumping people into a virtual line, so I wonder if they still have some stock.

I look forward to not playing with you for another generation Proner! Got mine from MS directly.

Sigh...finally got to checkout and it's just spinning...when it's not telling me that it can't ship to the United States for some reason.

Harkonis wrote: ↑Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:52 am I look forward to not playing with you for another generation Proner! Got mine from MS directly.

I give up. I got one in my cart but it won't let me finish the purchase, stating there's an issue on their end. It is not meant to be. I was only doing this because I had a bunch of microsoft credit from gift cards earlier this year that I haven't used. But I'll just enjoy my xbox one x for another year.

After the Bethesda news, I thought about jumping ship from PS5 to Xbox. I had the console in my cart at Target and Best Buy, but neither would let me check out. I guess I don't need anything on release day, at any rate.

So after the PS5 debacle.....(I was going to get a PS5 for myself), my son wanted an Xbox Series X for Christmas. I knew the perils. I warned him (he's at school of course).

My wife and I both got on separate computers and tried. Her Amazon link bombed out.... BAM. Done. She's out of the game. I'm over on Walmart refreshing... get to the cart. BAM. Sold out. I kept refreshing the screen and trying....SOLD OUT. SOLD OUT. God how I hate the console launches.

My wife shrugs, gets off the phone with me to go back to work. One or two more refreshes for me and BAM! Order Complete! However, I do a double take and apparently one of my refreshes added another Xbox Series X to the cart. I am confirmed for TWO Xbox Series X consoles. :p

The plan was for my son to get an Xbox (partially paying us in his summer work funds) and for me to get a PS5. It looks like we will both have Xbox consoles for Christmas.