Microsoft has been ramping up promotional efforts for its Xbox Series X and S consoles with a November 10 launch date looming just beyond the horizon. And while the console wars aren’t quite as heated in 2020 as they were in previous generations, the marketing for the green machines has emphasized a droll sense of humor recently, separating the systems from the PlayStation 5 by throwing shade.
With similar kinds of humor coming from the company’s Xbox Game Pass social media and the Xbox brand generally developing a cavalier attitude online in recent years, it’s not surprising that the green team’s taken a direction like this as it tries to drum up talk and support for the Xbox Series X and S. Still, we can’t help but watch as Microsoft takes every opportunity it can to make the new consoles look good to potential players, and does so in a cheeky manner.
A recent post on the Xbox UK Twitter feed about Sony’s rival PlayStation 5 system exemplifies Microsoft’s decision to show off its fancy new hardware with a sense of wit. The tweet highlights the Series X and S’s Smart Delivery feature, allowing cross-generational purchases between the Xbox One and the new machines, not-so-subtly hinting at a lack of an equivalent ability for PS5 owners. With Sony recently revealing that the only way to get the PlayStation 5 remaster of fan-favorite exclusive Spider-Man is to pay full price for the standalone Miles Morales expansion, the timing on this appears to be too deliberate to be a coincidence.
Xbox UK’s post describes itself as a step-by-step instruction guide on how to upgrade games for the Series X and S, but ends as quickly as it starts, with a celebratory Leonardo DiCaprio meme along with the phrase “just buy the game.” The tweet doesn’t mention Sony or any particular titles by name, but the sarcastic tone of the thread suggests that the console manufacturer is positioning itself as the more user-friendly choice thanks to Smart Delivery.
Sony appears to be taking a more traditional approach to game upgrades by separating its own first-party titles between generations. Fans of Spider-Man on the PlayStation 4 won’t be able to take advantage of the PS5 version’s graphical and performance enhancements without buying the game again as part of a pricey bundle. Insomniac does appear to be adding new suits for Peter Parker and a host of upgrades to bring the game up to 2020 standards, but the bulk of the content is likely to be the same as when it originally released two years ago.
This week’s post follows similar ones made after other flubs from Sony. Last month, after fans realized they would have to buy new DualSense gamepads in order to properly play PS5 titles, Xbox UK’s marketing lead Samuel Bateman shared a post to his personal Twitter noting that all of the existing controllers made for the Xbox One, including Scuf gamepads and both Xbox Elite controllers, would work seamlessly on the Xbox Series X. Bateman also noted that the new controllers will work with existing Xbox One systems, with full backward and forward compatibility for past and present hardware.
The green team also made sure to poke fun at Sony’s recent PlayStation 5 pre-order fumble. Fans were left confused and disappointed by the PS5 preorder drop, which was originally intended to start a day after the console’s game presentation but launched within hours of the event instead. Retailers like Amazon had to inform customers they wouldn’t be able to receive their consoles on launch day afterward, and in the wake of the mess, Microsoft strolled in with a simple announcement that pre-orders for the Series X and S would launch locally on September 22.
Microsoft taking jabs at its rival’s approach feels like a reversal of the roles each company played going into the PS4 and Xbox One launch window. At the time, Sony took advantage of concerns that the Xbox One wouldn’t support used games by releasing a video explaining how to share used games on the PS4. The video has 17 million views on YouTube, and helped the PlayStation secure a leading position in the years going forward, forcing the Xbox camp to switch its methods up considerably as the consoles matured.
Fast-forward to today, and the Xbox One is a very different console than the one Microsoft launched in 2013, ditching features like Kinect and the early smart TV apps like OneGuide in favor of two gaming-focused consoles bolstered by Xbox Game Pass subscriptions. Meanwhile, the PlayStation 4 has essentially stayed the same, with the only major changes coming in the form of the 4K-capable PS4 Pro. Microsoft seems to be intent on expanding its reach to new customers in the upcoming generation with an aggressively priced budget option and an impressive spec sheet, while Sony is just hoping to keep its dominant position by giving players more of what they loved about the PS4.
Is a more consumer-friendly attitude and a bevy of developer buyouts going to be enough for the Xbox line to return to its former glory? Only time will tell which opposing approach will win out. But even with a confusing set of names for the new Xbox consoles, Microsoft’s approach here is particularly compelling for players looking to upgrade from existing Xbox One systems without losing the chance to play upgraded versions of games like Destiny 2, Avengers and Cyberpunk 2077.
The Xbox Series X and S consoles launch on November 10, 2020.
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