The Ultimate Redemption: How Xbox Series X Can Overcome Xbox One's Mistakes

Microsoft's presence in the console market has been tumultuous in recent years, with the Xbox One struggling to compete with the sales figures of the PS4. Despite this, the Xbox Series X had the potential to learn from past mistakes and offer serious competition to Sony's PS5. However, the Xbox Series X is now following a similar trend to the Xbox One, but there is still time to correct course.

At the start of the current console generation, Sony had a strong launch with exclusive titles like Demon Souls and Spider-Man: Miles Morales, while the Xbox Series X failed to capture potential players with its own big launch exclusive. Although Microsoft has attempted to rectify this with major console exclusives and pushing Xbox Game Pass, success has been mixed. The pieces are in place for the Xbox Series X to overcome the challenges faced by the Xbox One, but Microsoft must still connect them.

The Xbox Series X Still Has a Chance to Right the Wrongs of the Xbox One

Upon its announcement in May 2013, the Xbox One was met with negative feedback due to its proposed features. These included the mandatory Kinect peripheral, tying games to specific Xbox Live accounts and requiring constant online connectivity, making used game sales impossible. Despite Microsoft's attempt to present the console as an all-in-one entertainment package, these controversial elements left a sour taste in the mouths of the core fanbase and were ultimately scrapped before launch. With limited exclusives, the Xbox One struggled to compete with the PS4 and failed to recover from these pre-launch controversies. However, the Xbox Series X has two key advantages in its competition with the PS5: Xbox Game Pass, which has only increased in value since its launch, and Microsoft's acquisition of renowned studios like Bethesda and Obsidian, who will produce console exclusives.

Despite having popular developers under its banner, the Xbox Series X has struggled to produce exclusives that justify a console purchase. While titles like Obsidian's Grounded and Pentiment have received positive reviews, they have niche audiences compared to Sony's exclusives like Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok. Halo Infinite and Redfall have also launched to lackluster reception. Despite the success of Xbox Game Pass, the Xbox Series X is still struggling to overcome the exclusive games issue that held back the Xbox One. To avoid falling into the same trap, the Xbox Series X needs a hit exclusive that can convince players to make the purchase. Bethesda's upcoming sci-fi RPG Starfield has a lot of hope riding on it, but other in-development exclusives like Avowed, Fable, and Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 also have the potential to fill this role. Microsoft cannot afford another underwhelming console generation, and the Xbox Series X needs a hit now more than ever.