Xbox Chat - ID@Xbox Digital Showcase details.

[Tomous]

I wonder how many PS5 owners will pick up a Series S so they can play the likes of Halo and Starfield? With Game Pass, it really makes owning a second console a viable option.

[Parksey]

I wonder how many PS5 owners will pick up a Series S so they can play the likes of Halo and Starfield? With Game Pass, it really makes owning a second console a viable option.

That's what I did. I would struggle to justify two £450 consoles given I have a Switch as well and previous experience of three console ownership tells me that one normally gets a lot less use than the other two.

I wasn't *that* tempted by a next-gen Xbox, given I missed the Xbox One completely and wasn't too envious looking over at its last-gen exclusives (the PS4 was much stronger in that respect).

But the lower price tag and Gamepass made it a more exciting prospect. Had there only been a full-price option I'd have probably just been content with missing the first party stuff and picking up the third party titles on PS5.

As it is, it's sort of worked the other way, in that I am really impressed with MS have done and are continuing to do, and I might play a lot of third party titles on Gamepass, but use my new PS5 (which I can't actually get back home to until August) to play exclusives.

[Photek]

I wonder how many PS5 owners will pick up a Series S so they can play the likes of Halo and Starfield? With Game Pass, it really makes owning a second console a viable option.

I think this is what MS wants tbh.

It doesn’t need to exist and is ensuring microsoft will never have a game that looks better than anything sonys first parties produce, which is disappointing.

This is absolute horse sh*t btw. They've built the most powerful console of the gen, resolution and maybe framerates in future may be less on the S but it doesn't detract away from how a game on Series X will look, like, at all and with AMD bringing their version of DLSS in the next couple of years coupled with the fact that X and S are the only consoles this gen to have full RDNA 2 support (which no game has used yet) then your argument holds less weight.

[Tomous]

I wonder how many PS5 owners will pick up a Series S so they can play the likes of Halo and Starfield? With Game Pass, it really makes owning a second console a viable option.

I think this is what MS wants tbh.

Yep. The Series S is for people they were unlikely to sell a Series X to. Its a very clever strategy in my opinion, and it's going to give them a lot of success this generation.

[jiggles]

Yeah, it’s a good move, and definitely paying off already. They’re outselling the PS5 by 2:1 so far in the jiggles market

[Hypes]

Tempted to swap my Switch for a Series S. Can someone explain Gamepass to me and the monthly costs etc

[Photek]

Tempted to swap my Switch for a Series S. Can someone explain Gamepass to me and the monthly costs etc

Erm...

Gamepass is a monthly subscription service like Netflix where you can download all the games (over 300 now) on it and play for as long as you subscribe. You can buy these games with 20% off while you're in the subscription. Games join and leave (usually after at least a year in the service) but Microsoft published games stay in forever, as will all Bethesda games and older EA games.

It comes with 2 subscription options. I don't know the UK prices but here its €10 a month for access to gamepass, then there's a €15 a month for gamepass ultimate which includes Gold (required to play paid for games online) covers Windows10 gamepass and also access to the streaming service Xcloud (when it launches later this year).

All Xbox/Bethesda games launch into Gamepass.

Notable games in the service are all the Gears games from 1-5, Halo Masterchief Collection (1-4) Halo 5, Sea of Thieves, Control, FIFA 21, Forza Horizon 4, Skyrim, Doom Eternal, Dishonored 1 & 2...

Halo Infinite, Pyschonauts 2, Flight Sim, STALKER 2 and (most likely) Forza Horizon 5 are launching into the service later this year, as well as (rumoured) big 3rd party games and a load of other 'smaller titles'.

[Hypes]

Tempted to swap my Switch for a Series S. Can someone explain Gamepass to me and the monthly costs etc

Erm...

Gamepass is a monthly subscription service like Netflix where you can download all the games (over 300 now) on it and play for as long as you subscribe. You can buy these games with 20% off while you're in the subscription. Games join and leave (usually after at least a year in the service) but Microsoft published games stay in forever, as will all Bethesda games and older EA games.

It comes with 2 subscription options. I don't know the UK prices but here its €10 a month for access to gamepass, then there's a €15 a month for gamepass ultimate which includes Gold (required to play paid for games online) covers Windows10 gamepass and also access to the streaming service Xcloud (when it launches later this year).

All Xbox/Bethesda games launch into Gamepass.

Notable games in the service are all the Gears games from 1-5, Halo Masterchief Collection (1-4) Halo 5, Sea of Thieves, Control, FIFA 21, Forza Horizon 4, Skyrim, Doom Eternal, Dishonored 1 & 2...

Halo Infinite, Pyschonauts 2, Flight Sim, STALKER 2 and (most likely) Forza Horizon 5 are launching into the service later this year, as well as (rumoured) big 3rd party games and a load of other 'smaller titles'.

Cheers, so if you've downloaded a game and it leaves the service can you still play it (as long as you're still paying)?
And for a luddite like me is the only thing missing for the S, better graphics, disc drive and more memory?

[more heat than light]

Cheers, so if you've downloaded a game and it leaves the service can you still play it (as long as you're still paying)?

No, it's like Netflix. When it's gone it's gone. You do get the option to buy any Game Pass game at a discount though.

You get a couple of weeks notice when something is leaving.

[Tomous]

Tempted to swap my Switch for a Series S. Can someone explain Gamepass to me and the monthly costs etc

Erm...

Gamepass is a monthly subscription service like Netflix where you can download all the games (over 300 now) on it and play for as long as you subscribe. You can buy these games with 20% off while you're in the subscription. Games join and leave (usually after at least a year in the service) but Microsoft published games stay in forever, as will all Bethesda games and older EA games.

It comes with 2 subscription options. I don't know the UK prices but here its €10 a month for access to gamepass, then there's a €15 a month for gamepass ultimate which includes Gold (required to play paid for games online) covers Windows10 gamepass and also access to the streaming service Xcloud (when it launches later this year).

All Xbox/Bethesda games launch into Gamepass.

Notable games in the service are all the Gears games from 1-5, Halo Masterchief Collection (1-4) Halo 5, Sea of Thieves, Control, FIFA 21, Forza Horizon 4, Skyrim, Doom Eternal, Dishonored 1 & 2...

Halo Infinite, Pyschonauts 2, Flight Sim, STALKER 2 and (most likely) Forza Horizon 5 are launching into the service later this year, as well as (rumoured) big 3rd party games and a load of other 'smaller titles'.

Cheers, so if you've downloaded a game and it leaves the service can you still play it (as long as you're still paying)?
And for a luddite like me is the only thing missing for the S, better graphics, disc drive and more memory?

Yep basically, plus Microsoft are abandoning the S in 2023

[Moggy]

Tempted to swap my Switch for a Series S. Can someone explain Gamepass to me and the monthly costs etc

Erm...

Gamepass is a monthly subscription service like Netflix where you can download all the games (over 300 now) on it and play for as long as you subscribe. You can buy these games with 20% off while you're in the subscription. Games join and leave (usually after at least a year in the service) but Microsoft published games stay in forever, as will all Bethesda games and older EA games.

It comes with 2 subscription options. I don't know the UK prices but here its €10 a month for access to gamepass, then there's a €15 a month for gamepass ultimate which includes Gold (required to play paid for games online) covers Windows10 gamepass and also access to the streaming service Xcloud (when it launches later this year).

All Xbox/Bethesda games launch into Gamepass.

Notable games in the service are all the Gears games from 1-5, Halo Masterchief Collection (1-4) Halo 5, Sea of Thieves, Control, FIFA 21, Forza Horizon 4, Skyrim, Doom Eternal, Dishonored 1 & 2...

Halo Infinite, Pyschonauts 2, Flight Sim, STALKER 2 and (most likely) Forza Horizon 5 are launching into the service later this year, as well as (rumoured) big 3rd party games and a load of other 'smaller titles'.

Cheers, so if you've downloaded a game and it leaves the service can you still play it (as long as you're still paying)?
And for a luddite like me is the only thing missing for the S, better graphics, disc drive and more memory?

If it leaves the service then you can no longer play it (unless you buy the game).

[Parksey]

Nope when it's gone off the service you won't be able to access it unless you purchase it. You get about 10 days' notice before a game leaves the service.

The S doesn't output at a native 4K if you've got a TV capable of that. It's got less memory. It also, for some reason, runs the One S version of backwards compatible titles rather than the One X. I wish they'd change that.

[Hypes]

Cheers all

Yep basically, plus Microsoft are abandoning the S in 2023

Like no longer producing it, or no longer supporting it, having Gamepass etc?

Nope when it's gone off the service you won't be able to access it unless you purchase it. You get about 10 days' notice before a game leaves the service.

The S doesn't output at a native 4K if you've got a TV capable of that. It's got less memory. It also, for some reason, runs the One S version of backwards compatible titles rather than the One X. I wish they'd change that.

I don't have a 4K TV so that's fine but the backwards compatibility is something I'd be interested in. Having never owned a PS or an Xbox, how easy would it be to play old games (and how much would they cost (on Gamepass or from the Xbox store) given I couldn't play discs?

[Tomous]

Cheers all

Yep basically, plus Microsoft are abandoning the S in 2023

Like no longer producing it, or no longer supporting it, having Gamepass etc?

Nope when it's gone off the service you won't be able to access it unless you purchase it. You get about 10 days' notice before a game leaves the service.

The S doesn't output at a native 4K if you've got a TV capable of that. It's got less memory. It also, for some reason, runs the One S version of backwards compatible titles rather than the One X. I wish they'd change that.

I don't have a 4K TV so that's fine but the backwards compatibility is something I'd be interested in. Having never owned a PS or an Xbox, how easy would it be to play old games (and how much would they cost (on Gamepass or from the Xbox store) given I couldn't play discs?

Don't worry I'm just making fun of Gamerforever's nonsense claims

[jiggles]

It also, for some reason, runs the One S version of backwards compatible titles rather than the One X

Wait, really? strawberry float sake.

How big were the differences between the two? Like 30 vs 60 fps in cases or just resolution

Edit: Oh, wait you mean 360 and Xbox games, eh, not fussed. I’m more thinking the Xbox One games, which I’m sure get similar bumps to frame rates that series X provides, and it’s not just like playing it on a One S

[Photek]

Cheers all

Yep basically, plus Microsoft are abandoning the S in 2023

Like no longer producing it, or no longer supporting it, having Gamepass etc?

Nope when it's gone off the service you won't be able to access it unless you purchase it. You get about 10 days' notice before a game leaves the service.

The S doesn't output at a native 4K if you've got a TV capable of that. It's got less memory. It also, for some reason, runs the One S version of backwards compatible titles rather than the One X. I wish they'd change that.

I don't have a 4K TV so that's fine but the backwards compatibility is something I'd be interested in. Having never owned a PS or an Xbox, how easy would it be to play old games (and how much would they cost (on Gamepass or from the Xbox store) given I couldn't play discs?

Well there's always sales but Xbox exclusive games are all backwards compatible (when they can be - licences permitting) I'd say most expensive would be €40 ?

[Photek]

It also, for some reason, runs the One S version of backwards compatible titles rather than the One X

Wait, really? strawberry float sake.

How big were the differences between the two? Like 30 vs 60 fps in cases or just resolution

Just resolution for the most part but the FPS is the same bar a handful of titles that didn't get the FPS boost (Dead Island 1 & 2, Dying Light and one of the battlefields which is 60fps just not 120.)

FPS boosted games on Series X are also the Xbox One S versions thats why it's optional. Auto HDR is on both too.

[Monkey Man]

Other than Gears 5 & Gears Tactics using VRS both the S & X still haven't used a lot of the consoles new tech for Games yet so still more to come from the consoles -

DirectML – Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S support Machine Learning for games with DirectML, a component of DirectX. DirectML leverages unprecedented hardware performance in a console, with Xbox Series X benefiting from over 24 TFLOPS of 16-bit float performance and over 97 TOPS (trillion operations per second) of 4-bit integer performance on Xbox Series X. Machine Learning can improve a wide range of areas, such as making NPCs much smarter, providing vastly more lifelike animation, and greatly improving visual quality.

DirectStorage – DirectStorage is an all new I/O system designed specifically for gaming to unleash the full performance of the SSD and hardware decompression. It is one of the components that comprise the Xbox Velocity Architecture. Modern games perform asset streaming in the background to continuously load the next parts of the world while you play, and DirectStorage can reduce the CPU overhead for these I/O operations from multiple cores to taking just a small fraction of a single core; thereby freeing considerable CPU power for the game to spend on areas like better physics or more NPCs in a scene. This newest member of the DirectX family is being introduced with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S and we plan to bring it to Windows as well.

Hardware Decompression – Hardware decompression is a dedicated hardware component introduced with Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S to allow games to consume as little space as possible on the SSD while eliminating all CPU overhead typically associated with run-time decompression. It reduces the software overhead of decompression when operating at full SSD performance from more than three CPU cores to zero – thereby freeing considerable CPU power for the game to spend on areas like better gameplay and improved framerates. Hardware decompression is one of the components of the Xbox Velocity Architecture.

Sampler Feedback Streaming (SFS) – A component of the Xbox Velocity Architecture, SFS is a feature of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S hardware that allows games to load into memory, with fine granularity, only the portions of textures that the GPU needs for a scene, as it needs it. This enables far better memory utilization for textures, which is important given that every 4K texture consumes 8MB of memory. Because it avoids the wastage of loading into memory the portions of textures that are never needed, it is an effective 2.5x multiplier on average on both amount of physical memory and SSD performance.

Variable Rate Shading (VRS) – Variable Rate Shading increases GPU efficiency by concentrating shader work where it’s most needed and reducing shader work in areas where it won’t be noticeable. With minimal developer effort, VRS significantly improves GPU performance resulting in more stable and higher resolutions and frame rates with no perceptible loss in visual quality.

Xbox Velocity Architecture – The Xbox Velocity Architecture is the new architecture we’ve created for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S to unlock new capabilities never-before seen in console development. It consists of four components: our custom NVMe SSD, a dedicated hardware decompression block, the all new DirectStorage API, and Sampler Feedback Streaming (SFS). This combination of custom hardware and deep software integration allows developers to radically improve asset streaming and effectively multiply available memory. It will enable richer and more dynamic living worlds unlike anything ever seen before. It also effectively eliminates loading times, and makes fast travel systems just that: fast.

[kerr9000]

Cheers all

Yep basically, plus Microsoft are abandoning the S in 2023

Like no longer producing it, or no longer supporting it, having Gamepass etc?

Nope when it's gone off the service you won't be able to access it unless you purchase it. You get about 10 days' notice before a game leaves the service.

The S doesn't output at a native 4K if you've got a TV capable of that. It's got less memory. It also, for some reason, runs the One S version of backwards compatible titles rather than the One X. I wish they'd change that.

I don't have a 4K TV so that's fine but the backwards compatibility is something I'd be interested in. Having never owned a PS or an Xbox, how easy would it be to play old games (and how much would they cost (on Gamepass or from the Xbox store) given I couldn't play discs?

In sales some of the older stuff goes down dirt cheap , plus there is the chance to get codes on CD keys and such. It can be very cheap to build up a nice little library done right, and if you start running out of room for older stuff like Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox one you can buy a cheap enough external Hardrive to run them off. If you haven't played them I'd find an S and gamepass worthwhile for things like Oblivion and Fallout 4.

[Pedz]

I really should post my CDkeys link on the forum with all the people buying from there I could earn 3 quid a month!