Xbox: Demand for Xbox One X is really high
Demand for the Xbox One X is “really high”, the head of Xbox in the UK and Ireland has said.
Following the launch of the world’s most powerful console on November 7, Harvey Eagle advised people to order their Xbox One X as soon as possible if they want it delivered in time for Christmas.
“Demand for the Xbox One X is really high,” said Eagle. “It’s great to see such enthusiasm from our fans for the new console, and we are working hard to ensure stock is available. We urge customers to order online now or visit your local retailer to guarantee they get their hands on an Xbox One X in time for Christmas.”
It is the second version of the console to sell well shortly after it became available. A special edition, called the Xbox One X Project Scorpio Edition, was the fastest-selling Xbox pre-order ever when it was unveiled in August. It has the words “Project Scorpio” printed on the console and the wireless controller, features a custom colour and comes with a vertical stand.
The Xbox One X offers 40% more power than rival devices. Its six-teraflop engine and built-in supersampling gives gamers better textures, smoother framerates and faster load times, even on a 1080p TV. Players can record game clips in 4K at 60 frames per second and capture 4K screenshots. The console is so powerful that it will improve any game played on it.
Eagle said his team was “extremely excited” about the Xbox One X.
“It’s the most innovative, best engineered and best designed console that we’ve ever made,” he added. “Playing it means true 4K gaming and high dynamic range support, so more vibrant, luminous colours on screen and more detailed textures. You will be able to see more objects in detail further into the distance. The enhanced performance means faster load times, and either higher or steadier frame rates, so smoother gaming.”
Everything you need to know about the Xbox One X
As well as several new releases, more than 150 titles will be enhanced for the console, including Gears of War 4. The latest games in the Forza, Assassin’s Creed and Middle-earth series were all available to play on the Xbox One X when it was released, but will also run on the Xbox One S.
Developers have told Xbox that making great-looking games for the new device has been easy, Eagle said.
“In Forza 7, the cars are photo-realistic in detail and there is an incredible level of fidelity. The reflections in puddles as you race around the track, and the lighting that comes off those puddles is incredible. Because it’s a game that’s running at a steady 60 frames per second, the smoothness on screen is very notable.
“Assassin’s Creed Origins is another game that runs in true 4K. The level of detail and texture in that game is very noticeable. You see it in the spectacular sunsets. The shadows in the game are far sharper and more detailed; and when you’re playing a stealth game, that’s really important for the gameplay.
“It also supports Dolby Atmos. Because of the spatial awareness that Dolby Atmos gives you, when a flock of birds flies over your head in Assassin’s Creed Origins, you really feel like they are there. All these things create a level of immersion in your gaming environment that I haven’t experienced in any other console.”
Xbox has made a concerted effort not to leave any gamers behind and to give them a choice of how they want to play, so all games and accessories that work on the Xbox One and Xbox One S can be transferred to the Xbox One X. The new console will also play the selection of Xbox 360 and even original Xbox games in the company’s Backwards Compatible list.
“Our Backwards Compatibility programme comes from a belief that when people are buying games they should have the right to be able to play those games in the future, even when they upgrade to a new generation of console,” Eagle said.
“With Xbox One X, we have a premium gaming device that’s designed for gamers who want the very best of the best. We also have the Xbox One S, which only came out last year, which is for people who want the best value in gaming and 4K entertainment. It’s aimed at people who are family gamers, people who want 4K entertainment in the living room, maybe people buying their first console. It also supports HDR gaming and it’s got built-in 4K Blu-Ray media playback.”
With so many studios spending large amounts of money creating games that look amazing, Eagle said there is still plenty of space for independent developers, which Microsoft supports through its ID@Xbox programme.
“Cuphead is a great example of independent gaming. It’s a game that came out in September and it’s had a lot of acclaim, and rightly so. It’s a great game to play, and it looks incredible. It’s amazing to have games like that on our platform; games which are so original and unique.
“In some ways I don’t like calling them independent games because at the end of the day, a great game is a great game.”