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Xbox Series X To Have "Most Diverse" First-Party Lineup In Xbox History
The Xbox Series X is supposed to have the “most diverse” first-party lineup in Xbox history, according to Xbox boss Phil Spencer. It’s been confirmed that Xbox exclusive titles will be on both Xbox Series X and Xbox One for the next couple of years, with a huge focus on first-party games. On Thursday, July 23, 2020, Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase will be an hour-long focus on Series X titles, shedding more light on games made with the company’s next-generation console in mind.
Moreover, the Xbox Series X will not be Kinect-compatible, as it requires an adapter to be used on the Xbox One S and Xbox One X that Microsoft no longer manufactures. However, the console will launch with a massive backwards compatibility catalogue, something the Xbox One was missing when it first launched in 2013 and wasn’t improved until years later, the largest updates being implemented around the time the Xbox One X launched. Thus, the Xbox Series X should be able to play games from every Xbox generation right from the get-go.
In an interview with Polygon, Microsoft Gaming Division VP Phil Spencer said the Xbox Series X will have the “most diverse” first-party lineup in Xbox history. “I honestly think we’re in the best launch lineup position that we’ve ever been on Xbox,” said Spencer. Additionally, head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty boasted "that games from studios like Double Fine, Obsidian, and Compulsion Games will bring a diverse slate of ideas to Xbox’s first-party lineup.” According to Booty, Microsoft looked to people, teams, and ideas when considering “which teams to acquire to bolster Xbox Game Studios.”
Microsoft has invested in multiple game studios with the launch of the Series X, adding to the likes of Grounded's Obsidian Entertainment, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2's Ninja Theory, Halo Infinite's 343 Industries, and many more. Using its hopefully winning first-party strategy, Xbox Game Studios plans to take the knowledge gathered from several studios to create a wide range of exclusive titles that appeal to both new and veteran fans alike. In terms of sheer numbers, though, Sony’s PlayStation has left Microsoft’s Xbox in the dust when it comes to sales and fan loyalty. This is partly due to Sony’s entrance to the console industry several years before Microsoft, but also due to brand recognition worldwide as opposed to Xbox’s select markets, such as the United States and some parts of Europe.
The Xbox brand’s competitive disadvantage mandates something huge to help it leave PlayStation’s looming shadow, and the primary necessity Xbox fans have shouted for years since the Xbox One’s launch was the brand’s need for more quality first-party exclusives. Xbox Game Pass has a superior library compared to Sony’s PlayStation Now when it comes to the caliber of the titles available, but until Xbox proves it can compete in the first-party exclusivity space with game-changing titles, it will continue to lag behind PlayStation. The next generation will be a true test of the brand’s resolve.
Xbox Series X is scheduled to launch in Holiday 2020.
