Now that Xbox Series S is finally unveiled, fans now have a clear picture on the purpose of the system. Alongside Xbox Series X, the Series S is the budget-friendly Xbox console releasing this fall, but is still fully capable of playing the same games. While the slight graphical downgrade may be a turn off for some, the nearly identical processing capabilities makes the Xbox Series S just as good of a deal as Xbox Game Pass. In fact, Xbox Series S and Game Pass together make one of the best values in gaming today.
While the Xbox Series S itself is undoubtedly a very good deal, the console is bolstered greatly with a Game Pass subscription. For someone who wants variety from all genres and all games, the Xbox Series S is perfect. Backwards Compatibility makes the most sense on this console, as every classic game will run much better on the new system and doesn't take up too much storage space. Same with any new or existing indie games, the Xbox Series S is a proper machine for the indie players as well. Both of these things are emphasized by Game Pass.
Xbox Series S Enhances Backwards Compatibility
When it comes to backwards compatibility, Xbox is practically unmatched by anything other than PC. The sheer amount of games available through Xbox's comprehensive compatibility program makes one of the better places to play legacy 360/PS3 era games like Red Dead Redemption. This is just one of the many reasons why Game Pass on Xbox Series S is so powerful. While Xbox Series S will be fully capable of playing games like Halo Infinite without issue, the console will also be able to play definitive versions of many classic games as well.
Already, there's a wealthy selection of backwards compatible games on Xbox Game Pass available to play immediately. Prime examples of backwards compatible games currently on Xbox Game Pass: Fallout: New Vegas, Alan Wake, the first three Gears of War games, Perfect Dark Zero, Banjo-Kazooie, as well as all the classic Halo games. Not to mention many of these games currently play in their most optimal settings on Xbox One, meaning increased resolution and framerate for all backwards compatible games is likely on Xbox Series S.
Indie Titles Get More Love With Game Pass
The same goes for indie titles on Xbox Series S as well. The wealth of indies on Game Pass is yet another reason to get an Xbox Series S, regardless of what kind of game preferences someone may have. To the average player, Game Pass presents a Netflix-style selection of games in a way that can encourage players to jump into any game. Indie game developers have even stated how beneficial Xbox Game Pass is for indie games, specifically noting that exposure and how it can boost the success of their games.
Not to mention the smaller SSD storage means the propensity for players installing smaller indie titles has to be higher. Indie game fans who want a casual avenue to play games have the perfect opportunity with Xbox Series S. Indie titles generally don't take up as much storage space as massive triple-A franchises like Call of Duty. Plus, with xCloud game streaming coming to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers in just a few days, this may not even be a problem. Even if players prefer triple-A games as their main source of gaming entertainment, they'll still be far more inclined to try indie games if it's under Game Pass because of the perception of a "free" game.
The Best Value in Games
Xbox Series S may not be the definitive Xbox to play on this generation, but there's really not many compromises made with the $200 price gap. Both systems are capable of running all next-gen Xbox games, just with different graphical performance and benchmarks. While Game Pass is frankly a winner regardless of which Xbox consumers buy, the value proposition of Xbox Series S is hugely bolstered by the Game Pass subscription. For as cheap as the Game Pass subscription is, especially when bundled with Xbox Live Gold or even the Xbox Series S/X financing plans, Microsoft is going all in with its "best value in gaming" tagline.
The Xbox Series S launches on November 10, 2020.