While at The Game Awards 2019, Microsoft took up the initiative to show viewers and those watching the event at home what the next-generation Xbox console would look like come Holiday 2020. In the meantime, the system code-named “Project Scarlett” has a market name of “Xbox Series X” and is said to be the most powerful console.
Instead of calling it the “Xbox Series X” from here on out, I’ll refer to it as the XSX. With that said, you can see the forthcoming console’s world premiere right here:
I should note that the XSX still sports backward compatibility as per gamespot.com. This means thousands of games across three generations will be supported, alongside all Xbox One accessories, and services like Xbox Game Pass.
Nevertheless, the Xbox Team boasts that the new XSX is the fastest, most powerful console ever. Additionally, it will set a new bar for performance, speed, and compatibility:
“Xbox Series X will be our fastest, most powerful console ever and set a new bar for performance, speed and compatibility, allowing you to bring your gaming legacy, thousands of games from three generations and more forward with you.”
I bet you are thinking, “Now that’s a silly name and design!” Well, to that very thought, here’s what Microsoft has to say:
“The name Xbox is an expression of our deep history in gaming, our team’s unrelenting passion, and our commitment to both our fans and the future of gaming at Microsoft. It also signifies our belief that a gaming console should be for just that – gaming.
Its industrial design enables us to deliver four times the processing power of Xbox One X in the most quiet and efficient way, something that is critically important in delivering truly immersive gameplay. We also designed Xbox Series X to support both vertical and horizontal orientation. It’s bold and unique, very much like our fans around the world and the team of collaborators and innovators who built it.”
Furthermore, the Xbox Team claims that the XSX design doubles over for space-saving and to house the team’s custom-designed processor leveraging the latest Zen 2 and next-generation RDNA architecture from AMD.
We also learn that the XSX will deliver hardware-accelerated ray tracing and along with a patented Variable Rate Shading (VRS) technology that allows devs to get even more out of the XSX’s GPU and SSD:
“From a technical standpoint, this will manifest as world-class visuals in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second, with possibility of up to 120 frames per second, including support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and 8K capability. Powered by our custom-designed processor leveraging the latest Zen 2 and next generation RDNA architecture from our partners at AMD, Xbox Series X will deliver hardware accelerated ray tracing and a new level of performance never before seen in a console. Additionally, our patented Variable Rate Shading (VRS) technology will allow developers to get even more out of the Xbox Series X GPU and our next-generation SSD will virtually eliminate load times and bring players into their gaming worlds faster than ever before.”
On the topic of new hardware, gamers will find that the XSX has a new controller to accompany it at launch. Yes, it looks similar to the new controllers that launched with the Xbox One S, but it has a different digital-pad like the Xbox Elite Series 2. In addition, it has a new “share” button in the middle of the “start” and “menu” buttons.
The Xbox Team had this to say about the new XSX controller:
“Alongside Xbox Series X, we also unveiled the new Xbox Wireless Controller. Its size and shape have been refined to accommodate an even wider range of people, and it also features a new Share button to make capturing screenshots and game clips simple and an advanced d-pad derived from the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller. The new Xbox Wireless Controller will be compatible with Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs, and will be included with every Xbox Series X.”
Here’s a picture of the new XSX controller for your viewing pleasure:
So there you have it. Whether you think of the Xbox Series X as a powerful cool console, a log, an air conditioner, a sex box, or whatever, it will come out next year during Holiday season.