The release of the Xbox Series X is fast approaching, and fans are excitedly awaiting the moment that they will be able to get hands-on with the latest Microsoft console. Though there has been some concern that the new console will see delays due to the COVID-19 situation, from all accounts, it appears that everything is on track. However, there has been some discussion of the possibility of launch titles suffering from delays.
As players look towards the future of gaming, it's hard not to compare it with the past; particularly contemplating things about the Xbox One that didn't go down well with fans, as well as things fans hope Microsoft will keep for its new console.
10 Fix: Offline Playability
When it comes to the Xbox franchise, there is one thing that many players covet - their achievement score. Achievement hunters seek to attain the full 1,000G on each game, but that's proven more difficult since the launch of the Xbox One as achievements no longer "pop" when you are offline. When you reconnect to the internet, most will then sync and unlock, but this system is known to be flawed, with many achievements not unlocking and rumors of the console only storing a finite amount of offline achievements.
Additionally, unless your console is set as the "Home Console," you cannot play any of your digitally purchased games when offline. It just seems like unnecessary restrictions, and although these issues don't affect most players, it is frustrating for those who do find their playtime limited because of this.
9 Keep: Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass is undoubtedly one of Microsoft's best assets, offering players over a hundred games for a monthly fee. Xbox Game Pass has grown since its initial release, now encompassing PC games as well, in addition to adding the "Xbox Game Pass Ultimate" subscription option that sees Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold bundled together for a better price.
Additionally, the Xbox Game Pass app features challenges for players using the service, which in turn earns them points that they can redeem for various things, including Xbox credit. It's a no brainer that Microsoft will continue the service for the Xbox Series X, but fans hope that the subscription price won't rise to include the newer games if and when it does.
8 Fix: Exclusives
While Microsoft does have some amazing exclusive franchises to its name, such as Halo and Gears of War, it's hard not to compare its console exclusives to those of Sony's PlayStation, which not only seem greater in number but are often critically acclaimed. Think Uncharted, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn, and more. All of these titles were huge hits, comparably, Microsoft hasn't seen one of its exclusive titles receive that much positive reception in years.
Now, to be fair, it seems Microsoft is actively trying to address this issue as the company has been buying up multiple studios in an effort to broaden and improve its range of games. Fans may not see an impact in the near future, but eventually, Xbox players will reap the rewards of these studio acquisitions.
7 Keep: Cross-Play/Save
Microsoft allows players to cross-play and cross-save their games with their Xbox Play Anywhere scheme. When players purchase a Play Anywhere digital title, they are able to play their games on both Xbox One and PC, and the great thing is that this doesn't just apply to Xbox's first-party titles.
This is absolutely great for avid gamers who own both a PC and Xbox One, and presumably, Microsoft will continue this scheme on the Xbox Series X console too. Fans hope that the service will continue to deliver and that Microsoft will continue to expand its range of Play Anywhere titles.
6 Fix: Release Price
When the Xbox One first launched, its price tag was considerably more than that of the rival PlayStation 4. Now, while you could argue that the price difference was because of the inclusion of the Kinect, this still didn't sit well with players, and eventually, Microsoft scrapped the Kinect.
This time around, it's even more important for Microsoft to get it right with the price. People are looking to save money, and if Sony offers a much cheaper console this holiday season, Microsoft might lose out again.
5 Keep: Backwards Compatibility
Microsoft has already announced that the Xbox Series X will be fully backward compatible, covering not only Xbox One, but also the Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles. However, while it's great that players will be able to play their old favorites, fans are hoping that Microsoft won't stop adding to its back catalog.
As long as Microsoft continues to look at making more original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles compatible with the newer consoles, fans will be happy. If the company leaves it as only the titles that are currently compatible, players may view it as a bit of a cop-out.
4 Fix: Join the VR Race
Though some critics thought that VR gaming wouldn't last and was simply a "flavor of the month" trend, it seems that VR gaming is still going strong, and many believe it to be the future of gaming. With that being said, Microsoft is leaving itself short when it comes to pairing up to competitors as there is no VR peripheral compatible with Xbox consoles as of yet.
Microsoft needs to look at joining the VR race and hopefully come up with some amazing, original exclusive titles that it can utilize for an Xbox VR headset.
3 Keep: Xbox Live Service Quality
Microsoft has always seemed to manage to keep the majority of its players happy with the consistent quality of its Xbox Live service. Of course, it's not perfect, and there have been times when it's had issues, but it always seems that Xbox Live manages to stay online and functional more so than the PlayStation Network.
Fans hope that Microsoft will continue to deliver in this area, ensuring that its Xbox Live service maintains the same standards that players have come to know and love, even after the launch of the Xbox Series X. Undoubtedly, there will be some issues on release, which is to be expected, but it's the long term quality players are looking for.
2 Fix: Family Accounts
Though Microsoft does have some form of Xbox Live Gold sharing in that if you set your console as your "Home Console," all other Gamertags on that console can share the primary account's Gold and games, but that doesn't really help for people with more than one console.
What fans really want is a subscription option that is more expensive to cover multiple accounts/consoles, but is cheaper than buying each account an Xbox Live subscription separately. Nintendo already offers this feature for its Nintendo Switch Online subscription, and it's time that Microsoft also offered the same.
1 Keep: Accessibility
Microsoft is leading the way when it comes to accessible gaming, offering a whole host of ways to ensure that anyone and everyone can enjoy playing games. The Xbox Adaptive controller is by far the most impressive device for accessible gaming, but Microsoft also offers a copilot controller link, where two controllers can work as one, customizable button mapping, mouse and keyboard support, speech to text options, and much more.
And it doesn't just stop at hardware; Microsoft brings better accessibility to games too. Gears 5 has been particularly praised for its accessibility options, such as colorblind options, text to speech, subtitle options, face trigger console scheme, and a lot more. The hope is that Microsoft will continue to strive towards more accessibility options for gamers when it comes to the Xbox Series X and its games.