When Microsoft started accepting pre-orders for the brand-new Xbox One X consoles, the pre-orders sold out pretty quickly. But the console is once again available for pre-order on Amazon and the Microsoft Store. Excitement for the Xbox One X is running high. It is designed as a premium console, but positive reviews could significantly boost the Xbox One X demand during the holiday season.
Xbox One X demand ‘super high’
The Xbox One X is set to hit the store shelves on November 7. The console has been priced at $499. Ahead of its launch, a Microsoft executive has confirmed that the Xbox One X demand has been “super high.” Panos Panay, the corporate vice-president of devices at Microsoft, said in an interview with CNBC that demand had matched the Redmond-based company’s expectations.
Panos did not reveal the exact pre-order numbers, but said that the demand was super high. “We are very, very excited” about the console, he told CNBC. Microsoft’s device chief said the Xbox One X demand was “exactly where we anticipated.” This console is something that resonates with gaming enthusiasts. While that’s good news for Microsoft and its fans, some customers may have to wait longer to buy the console.
If you are looking to buy the console on the launch day rather than pre-ordering it right now, you might not be able to buy it in some regions. Microsoft’s UK Xbox head Harvey Eagle said in a recent interview that buyers should expect supply shortages on launch. The retail stores are expected to receive fresh stock each week through the holiday season. Harvey “can’t guarantee” that the console will be in stock in the launch week for customers to be able to walk into a store and pick up.
Eagle warned that demand would be really high. So, people who want the console at launch should “get moving.” Talking about the Scorpio Edition of the Xbox One X, he said it was the “fastest pre-order” in the history of Xbox. The Xbox One X is the world’s most powerful gaming console. It is aimed at power users who want the best gaming experience rather than casual gamers.
World’s most powerful gaming console
The console features 12GB of GDDR5 RAM, six teraflops of processing power, a 326GB/s of memory bandwidth, and 4K Blu-ray player. Though the console sounds expensive at $499, it is more affordable than building a new gaming PC from scratch. It runs the same games as the Xbox One. Microsoft has announced that more than 130 games will receive enhancements when playing on the new system. These titles include Call of Duty: WWII, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Assassin’s Creed Origins.
Though Microsoft has been marketing the Xbox One X as a 4K gaming console, it also natively supports 1440p resolution. Kevin Gammill of Microsoft confirmed in a tweet that the new console would deliver system-wide 1440p output. Notably, most high-end gaming monitors have a 1440p resolution. It would be interesting to see whether game developers will specifically target 1440p monitors on the console.
I *knew* you were going to ask that, just ran out of space. On X, we will effectively output native over HDMI in this case at 1440p.
— Kevin Gammill (@CmdrDesslock) November 1, 2017
Will Microsoft bring VR support to One X in the future?
During his interview with CNBC, Panos Panay also indicated that Microsoft could offer virtual reality support on the One X in a future update. If it happens, the console will compete directly against Sony’s PlayStation VR. The Xbox platform does not support VR headsets currently. For now, Microsoft is focusing on Mixed Reality, which merges the digital world with the real one.
He told CNBC that Mixed Reality spans in so many different forms. “Whether it’s off the back of the device, whether it’s in virtual reality headsets, or it’s HoloLens.” Microsoft’s Mixed Reality platform lets developers build apps for compatible headsets made by third-party vendors such as Lenovo. The headsets use inside-out tracking, and support motion controllers.
Microsoft has been lagging behind Sony in the console market for years. It could be attributed to a higher pricing of Xbox consoles, a not-so-great list of exclusive titles, and poor marketing strategies. Microsoft will be selling the new Xbox One X at a loss in hope to regain some lost ground against its arch-rival. The PlayStation 4 has shipped roughly 65 million units since launch. In contrast, the Xbox One has shipped only about 31 million units in the same timeframe.
