One of the biggest moments at E3 this year was the reveal of the Xbox One X; the world’s new most powerful console. Boasting impressive specs and the ability to render images in native 4K, the Xbox One X certainly did have the attention of gamers across the board.
The console, however, has elicited somewhat of a mixed response from gamers, and, rightfully so. There are those who are excited about the new console and cannot wait to get their hands on it and then there are those who believe that releasing such a console at this point in a console lifecycle is rather odd.
The Xbox One X outperforms the original Xbox One by a large margin, and due to this fact, comes with quite a hefty price tag. Many gamers feel that the Xbox One X and the factors surrounding it quite simply don’t do enough to justify purchasing it.
So, why exactly are some gamers so sceptical about the new console?
In attempting to answer this question, I came across four regularly stated reasons that some gamers suggested prevent the Xbox One X from being the most attractive piece of hardware in the console gaming industry.
The Console’s High Price
The Xbox One X will be retailed at $499 (R7499 in South Africa); a price that many gamers suggest is way too high for a console that is meant to be a mid-generation upgrade.
Now, you’ll find a lot of people suggesting that one could build a gaming PC at that price, but in South Africa, you would be lucky to get a mid-range laptop (high-end graphics cards alone may cost in excess of R10 000.)
The fact remains though that it has been almost four years since the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 were first released. Most gamers are now beginning to look forward towards the next full generation upgrade and may be willing to rather hold out for that or even building a PC than buying an Xbox One X or PS4 Pro.
It is also important to remember that the big selling point of the Xbox One X is the fact that you can play games in 4K. This doesn’t mean that you need a 4K TV to use it, but what is the use of buying an Xbox One X if you don’t own a TV that allows you to enjoy its main feature?
In such a situation, I would rather save up for the TV first and then get the console. Perhaps, even by that time, the Xbox One X has already been replaced.
The Xbox One X Has No Exclusives Of Its Own
A lot of gamers do feel that with the price that Microsoft is asking for the Xbox One X and the specs that they are toting around, the console should have some exclusives of its own.
The term ‘exclusive’ in this sense refers to a game that you won’t be able to play on the original Xbox One, regardless of whether it is a multi-platform title (meaning then it may also be playable on the PS4 Pro, but not the original PS4) or a title that is only playable on Xbox One X itself.
This is also a problem that plagues the PS4 Pro. One can witness this in the fact that the standard PS4 is still outselling the PS4 Pro.
Some gamers do feel that it is a massive problem that neither of these two consoles have their own games as it depletes the attractivity factor of the new piece of hardware.
At the end of the day, people buy a console to play games and if the same games are playable on all versions of the system, what reason is there to buy the newest version of the system?
One could make the argument for 4K gaming, but this is hardly a feature that is attractive enough for most gamers to begin considering an upgrade.
Power Is Not A Substitute For Good Exclusives
On the idea of exclusives, I have seen it suggested on quite a few social media platforms that Microsoft chose to compensate the lack of worthwhile exclusive games on their system by creating an exceedingly powerful console.
Although Microsoft did showcase a lot of new exclusive games at their E3 conference, a lot of gamers were quick to point out that most of those games will also largely be available for Windows as well.
Then, there was also the fact that many were disappointed that none of the newly revealed exclusive games (Crackdown 3, State of Decay 2 and Sea of Thieves were already known to be in development) seemed to be an overly-ambitious triple-AAA title that would appeal to the vast majority of the gaming community.
There are so many hugely popular exclusives on the PS4 that have the ability to edge your decision towards buying a PS4 over an Xbox One, particularly if you already own a gaming PC.
Some gamers do believe that Microsoft made a huge mistake in revealing it without a big triple-AAA title that really showcased the extra abilities of the console, perhaps a title that was in a similar vein to something like Horizon Zero Dawn (which, incidentally, such a title has been revealed to be in development.)
It Will Not Only Be Held Back By The Original Xbox One and PS4, But The PS4 Pro Too
One cannot deny that the general gaming public does view the Xbox One X as Microsoft’s newest plan in attempting to turn the tide of console sales. It is no secret that the PlayStation 4 is outselling the Xbox One at a ratio that is almost 3:1.
For all the power that the Xbox One X has, some developers have already noted that having to ensure that titles are playable on the original Xbox One and PS4, as well as even the PS4 Pro, has held them back somewhat in using the full capabilities of the console.
If most developers are truly never really able to make the most of the Xbox One X’s capabilities, then is it really worth getting it? A lot of gamers don’t really seem to think so.
It is important to note with this point that it is still early days and developers may still choose to make use of the Xbox One X’s full power with multi-platform titles, despite the extra effort that may be required.
Conclusion
It will be interesting to see how the Xbox One X fares when it is eventually released. Although there does seem to be a mixed response to the console at the moment, a very different situation may be apparent when it is actually available to purchase.
A very recent example of such a case was perhaps with the Nintendo Switch, which a lot of gamers seemed to dismiss when it was first announced. It has, however, sold over 1.2 million units over the past three months, which is the quickest a Nintendo console has ever gotten to one million units sold.
Personally, I’m rather undecided on whether to buy an Xbox One X or not. I do own a 4K TV and just quite simply love new hardware, so I may buy it, but I can perhaps see myself waiting for the next-generation of consoles to be released as well.
I do want to know though; are you thinking of buying an Xbox One X? Are there any reasons as to why you think people should or shouldn’t buy it? Please share in the comments down below.
