A new Xbox console made an early appearance at Walmart ahead of its holiday-season release, but is it worth waiting to buy one?
Back in June, Microsoft unveiled a trio of updated Xbox consoles set to hit shelves this holiday season. It looks like Walmart got a bit ahead of itself and put one on display a month or two early. While the leak has caught Xbox fans’ attention, these new consoles may not hold the same value as their predecessors thanks to some big shifts in Microsoft’s gaming strategy.
If you’re thinking about picking up one of the new Xbox Series X consoles leaked this weekend, you might want to hold onto your hard-earned money. Here’s a look at the new Xbox Series X and the surprising rival that could make it obsolete.
New Xbox console spotted early at Walmart
On Thursday, a Reddit user posted a photo of what appears to be the upcoming digital-only Xbox Series X in “Robot White,” which they claimed was on display at a local Walmart. We’ve known since this summer that this console is slated for release sometime this holiday season, but this is the first spotting of it at a store, so it seems like Walmart may have put it on display early by accident.
The leak matches the official images of the new version of the Series X released earlier this year with a minimalist white design similar to the current model. That’s also a perfect match for images of the console leaked back in March, too. Xbox fans will notice this new model is short one feature, though – the disk drive.
This version is the “Robot White” 1TB Series X, which is going to be priced at $449. While it’s the same size as the other Series X consoles, it lacks a disk drive like the Series S. If you want one of those, you’ll need to opt for the $599 special edition 2TB “Galaxy Black” Series X, which is also up for release at the end of the year.
Digital Series X Walmart from r/xbox
Should you buy the new Xbox Series X?
Xbox fans may be excited to get a first glimpse of the new consoles, but they might not be worth shelling out over $400 for.
Over the past year, we’ve seen a significant shift in Microsoft’s gaming strategy, one that could soon make Xbox consoles obsolete. There are rumors Microsoft is planning to end console exclusives for the Xbox and turn its focus instead to cloud gaming and possibly even a handheld similar to the Nintendo Switch.
Even if the Xbox console sticks around for several more years, it’s becoming an increasingly less valuable investment thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming. This service allows you to turn basically any compatible device into an Xbox, from your laptop to your phone.
Microsoft has even announced gamers will soon be able to buy games on Xbox Cloud Gaming (as opposed to relying solely on the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription service). This is partly thanks to an October court ruling that forced Google to allow third-party app stores, like the Xbox app, on Android devices.
As a result, you may be able to buy Xbox games on your phone and play them using Xbox Cloud Gaming, with no console required. This “Bring Your Own Device” approach effectively allows you to play Xbox games on any platform you choose.
Now that this possibility is on the table, why spend $449 for a digital-only Xbox console? You could put that money toward a phone with a better display for gaming or one of the best gaming laptops, both of which offer more functionality and mobility than an Xbox console.
Outlook
The shift to completely digital-only gaming presents its own pitfalls, like the looming possibility that digital titles can be removed from anyone’s account at the snap of a finger if a studio or app store demands it.
However, cloud gaming also has the potential to make console-level games accessible to a wider range of budgets without compromising the gaming experience.
If you’re going to have a digital-only library, why bother spending the money on a dedicated console for it when you can play those same games on any device?
