What you need to know
- Xbox head Phil Spencer was interviewed by IGN's Ryan McCaffrey recently.
- Spencer revealed that the Xbox Series X was still on track for Holiday 2020.
- He also said that he felt great when the Xbox Series X specifications proved to be better than the PlayStation 5.
- A lot more details like the philosophy behind pricing and Project xCloud were discussed for an hour.
Today, IGN's Ryan McCaffrey released a new "Unlocked" podcast featuring Xbox head Phil Spencer. A lot of new details were revealed, but the biggest news from the interview was the fact that the Xbox Series X is still on track. The supply chain in China is coming back after the coronavirus outbreak ravaged the nation, and console hardware is still on track. If there is any delay, it'll be related to the software, but Spencer doesn't think that's likely.
Spencer was also asked about how he felt when the PlayStation 5 (PS5) specifications were revealed a few days ago. Spencer said that he felt even better. The Xbox Series X has a more powerful CPU and GPU than Sony's machine, as well as other advantages when it comes to generating visuals.
When we saw the public disclosure, I felt even better about the choices that we made on our platform. And I kind of expected that I would. The hardware team...that did... Xbox One X...I have a lot of confidence in them. If I give them the time and the targets to go hit... I just believe in their ability to... create.
Spencer is also confident about the price point the company is targeting for the Xbox Series X, but no new information was revealed. The pricing should be revealed later this summer, as we get closer to launch.
I feel good about the price we'll be able to get to. I feel good about the price and performance capabilities that we have with Xbox Series X. I feel incredibly strong about the overall package... We think it's a winning plan... We're going to make sure we stay agile on our pricing.
The Xbox Series X wants to eliminate loading times on Xbox Series X, and Project xCloud, Microsoft's game streaming service, may play a major role in this. Spencer said that making Project xCloud available on consoles "makes a ton of sense" for playing immediately or testing out various games, but the best experience will still be on local hardware, especially when it comes to input lag.
McCaffrey also asked Spencer about the controversial decision to remove the optical audio port. Microsoft discussed the removal with companies like Astro early, and is working with them to enable existing devices through USB. Many people didn't use the optical audio port so it would've just made the console more expensive.
Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold in one
Xbox Game Pass gives you access to over a hundred games for one monthly fee. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate also adds Xbox Live Gold to the package so you can play online with your friends and access games.
Xbox Series X/S
Main
- Xbox Series X: Everything we know
- Best games coming to Xbox Series X/S
- List of Xbox Series X specs
- What is the Xbox Series X release date?
- How much does Xbox Series X cost?
- Why you can't preorder Xbox Series X yet
- Best Xbox Series X Headsets
