The next Xbox finally has a name – and it’s just as silly as “Xbox One.” At the Game Awards ceremony, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer gave us a quick peek at the new console, which has now been officially named the Xbox Series X.
We already know the new box will be out in time for the holiday period 2020 – launching alongside the competing PlayStation 5 – and that Microsoft calls it the “biggest leap” between generations of game consoles.
And today at the Game Awards, we got our first look at the machine itself, as well as the name. The announcement came through a trailer, set to the classic Alan Watts speech The Dream of Life, that gave us the general gist of what to expect. And not much else.
The main takeaway was the name. We’re not really sure what Xbox Series X even means, but we suppose there’s a chance that maybe there will be a few models of it – at least if history is any guide.
We also got a glimpse of what the thing looks like. The Xbox Series X is much taller than the Xbox One, but Microsoft says it can lay flat or stand upright, much like the Xbox 360 could do.
As far as power goes, the company says that the Xbox Series X is capable of 4k resolution at 60 frames per second. In fact, in some circumstances it can even get up to 8K at 120 fps.
We already know that Halo: Infinite will be a launch title, and Spencer also announced Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II will be released at the same time.
Cloud gaming and backwards compatibility are also points of focus, with Microsoft saying that thousands of games from all prior generations will be available on Xbox Series X.
A new Xbox Wireless Controller was also revealed, sporting a d-pad derived from the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller, a Share button for capturing games screenshots and clips, and a shape that Microsoft has been refined to fit comfortably in the hands of a wider array of people. The controller will also be compatible with Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs.
There’s still plenty we don’t know, but no doubt we’ll find out more over the coming months.
Check out the Xbox Series X in the video below.
Source: Xbox
