• Login
Fintedex — Business, Fincance & Investment News
  • Contact
  • Submit a News Releases
No Result
View All Result
  • Contact
  • Submit a News Releases
No Result
View All Result
Fintedex — Business, Fincance & Investment News
No Result
View All Result
Home Technology

Xbox 2021: Microsoft’s ambitious gamble has finally paid off on Xbox Series X/S

Timothy Wilson by Timothy Wilson
30.12.2021
in Technology
0
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

2021 has been an outstanding year for Xbox. It’s been a long time coming, but the investments Microsoft made way back in 2016 have finally come to fruition this year – and Xbox gamers are reaping the benefits. 

We’ve seen the power of Xbox Game Pass in full force in 2021, with critically acclaimed first-party games such as Microsoft Flight Simulator, Psychonauts 2, Forza Horizon 5, and Halo Infinite all arriving on day one on Microsoft’s subscription service. 

Xbox Game Pass has also secured numerous indie darlings such as Unpacking and Hades over the course of the year, as well as notable third-party day one releases like Back 4 Blood, Outriders, and MLB The Show 2021, all of which help hammer home that Xbox Game Pass is a must-have add on for any Xbox owners. 

Playing the long game 

Sea of Thieves

(Image credit: Xbox)

Microsoft’s success may seem like it’s primarily down to Xbox Game Pass and simply having a lineup of great titles this year, then – and of course, that’s been a huge factor – but it’s actually much more than that. What’s really helped elevate Xbox to the next level is the calculated gambles and investments that took place during the early tumultuous years of the Xbox One generation, many of which raised eyebrows in the gaming community at the time.

In 2016, Microsoft began by announcing Xbox Play Anywhere, a cross-buy program that let users buy a game once and play them on Xbox One and Windows 10 PCs. This was the start of Microsoft’s push to make Xbox and PC gaming more homogenous, something which has now become a reality in 2021. 

However, the main catalyst for Microsoft’s success came in 2017. Xbox Game Pass was revealed, a subscription service that lets users access hundreds of games for a monthly fee, and the service has grown substantially since its release. 

The biggest change that undoubtedly propelled Xbox Game Pass to new heights came in March 2018, when Microsoft announced that all first-party titles would hit the service on day one. This began with Sea of Thieves, and Rare’s game would soon be joined by titles such as State of Decay 2, Gears 5, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Doom Eternal, and Ori and the Will of the Wisps to name but a few. For many, getting access to Microsoft’s first-party lineup alone is enough to keep their subscription running.

Xbox and PC combine forces 

cheap game pass ultimate sales price deals

(Image credit: Microsoft)

2019 was the year Xbox Game Pass come to PC and coincided with the arrival of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a premium tier subscription service that gives gamers access to both Xbox Game Pass on console and PC, but also various perks, exclusive discounts, and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

However, the more significant announcement for PC owners came in October 2020. Head of Xbox Phil Spencer revealed that every Xbox title developed by Microsoft’s Xbox Game Studios would also come to PC as well as console. This led many to speculate that people wouldn’t buy an Xbox console as the games would all be available on PC moving forward but as Spencer put it at the time: “I believe great games should be able to be played by as many people as possible.” 

Power of the cloud 

Xbox Cloud Gaming

(Image credit: Microsoft)

And it’s this objective – opening up the Xbox ecosystem to as many people as possible – that Microsoft has seen pay off in 2021. It’s changed the conversation and direction from how many units of hardware it’s sold, to how many people are playing Xbox games and subscribing to Xbox’s services. For instance, Xbox Game Pass had 18 million subscribers in January 2021, a number that you’d expect has only continued to rise substantially in the months since. 

Removing the need for people to own a single box to play the likes of Halo or Sea of Thieves means that massive player numbers can be achieved, especially because of Xbox Cloud Gaming. The mobile market is, to put it lightly, an extraordinary opportunity for Microsoft to capitalize on, with billions of players having access to a smartphone. Being able to play a comprehensive library of titles anywhere that has an internet connection is a game-changer. 

By allowing gamers to play Xbox games on console, PC, or via the cloud, Forza Horizon 5 was able to achieve astonishing player numbers – over 10 million players in one week – which simply wouldn’t have been possible if the game was an Xbox Series X/S exclusive. 

But what else did 2021 bring for Xbox fans? 

Xbox Series X/S backwards compatibility

(Image credit: Microsoft)

So Microsoft’s strategy is now clear for all to see, but that didn’t stop the company from also adding a ton of new features to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in 2021. We saw the dashboard go from 1080p to 4K on Xbox Series X, Dolby Vision gaming support was added, and cloud gaming even came to consoles – meaning those who own an Xbox One can play Gen 9 exclusive games like The Medium on their box from 2013.

Microsoft also revealed FPS Boost in 2021, which bumped the frame rate of older titles to 60fps or 120fps, and added over 70 new titles to its backward compatibility program in November. We also a number of Xbox One titles get free Xbox Series X/S optimizations, including Destiny 2, Doom Eternal, and Hellblade. 

Xbox is in a strong position going into 2022, then, with more momentum behind the brand than we’ve seen since the halcyon days of the Xbox 360. If Microsoft can keep delivering high-quality games and adding innovative new features, the dark early years of the Xbox One launch will soon feel like a distant memory.

  • Xbox Series X vs Xbox One X: is it worth the upgrade?

Previous Post

Coronavirus Update: Daily average of COVID-19 cases surges past 300,000, but there’s more data showing omicron is less dangerous

Next Post

The State Of PC Gaming In 2021

Related Posts

Some Windows updates might actually hurt your security
Technology

Some Windows updates might actually hurt your security

by Timothy Wilson
16.05.2022
Tech Moves: Longtime Microsoft leader James Phillips leaves Stripe; and more
Technology

Tech Moves: Longtime Microsoft leader James Phillips leaves Stripe; and more

by Timothy Wilson
16.05.2022
It looks like Apple WWDC 2022 will be in-person after all – for some
Technology

It looks like Apple WWDC 2022 will be in-person after all – for some

by Timothy Wilson
16.05.2022
Save up to $700 during Nolah Mattress’ Memorial Day Sale
Technology

Save up to $700 during Nolah Mattress’ Memorial Day Sale

by Timothy Wilson
16.05.2022
Report: Apple bringing USB-C to the iPhone but not the iPhone 14
Technology

Report: Apple bringing USB-C to the iPhone but not the iPhone 14

by Timothy Wilson
16.05.2022
Next Post

The State Of PC Gaming In 2021

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Premium Content

Have we come to take quality TV shows for granted?

31.12.2021

AMD Navi 24 GPU spotted, with RX 6500 XT rumored to arrive January 19

28.12.2021

Why stockmarket jitters have not so far spread to the credit market

18.02.2022

Browse by Category

  • Business
  • Finance
  • Stock Market
  • Technology
  • Без рубрики

Browse by Tags

Europe Oleg Volin Russia Ukraine

Fintedex delivers real-time news about the financial industry: feature stories, industry developments, opinions plus the latest on people and trends.

Categories

  • Business
  • Finance
  • Stock Market
  • Technology
  • Без рубрики

Browse by Tag

Europe Oleg Volin Russia Ukraine

Recent Posts

  • The Location Guide, Filmmakers for Ukraine and EUFCN join forces for fundraiser at Cannes 2022
  • Free exchange: The world needs a new economic motor. Could India fit the bill?
  • Buttonwood: Why Italy’s borrowing costs are surging once again

© 2021 Fintedex.

No Result
View All Result
  • Contact
  • Submit a News Releases

© 2021 Fintedex.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?