Well the next generation of gaming has officially begun. The Xbox Series X/S is here, and (as of this writing) the PS5 will be hitting shelves tomorrow. While I’ve been a pretty big gamer all my life, I never really took part in console launches until the Xbox 360 era, though to be fair, until the madness that was the PS2 launch, they never really were that big of a deal.
It used to be, at least in my neck of the woods, whenever you were ready you’d just saunter into a Sears or a Montgomery Wards and buy the console of choice. Maybe it’s because I was younger back then and not responsible for my own financial decisions, but there never seemed to be much ado about it.
That changed, of course, in 2001 when people literally stampeded the stores for a Playstation 2. I remember wanting one, not realizing that it would be such madness. I took the bus to the local Best Buy and was greeted with signs everywhere saying they were sold out. I ended up buying Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask instead and not giving it a second thought.
After that, though, every single console launch has been getting bigger and bigger. After I bought my original Xbox on a whim, I’ve been a big fan of the platform. The Xbox did a big thing back then by including a hard drive in the system, and while I’m sure it would’ve happened eventually, it was the game changer that overhauled the industry. Then came Xbox Live, and it was all over for me after that.
It was then that I decided to get in on console launches. I was an adult by this time, and if I wanted to camp outside a store like a dweeb, well then that was my choice. The results of this life-altering decision have been a mixed bag of satisfaction and disappointment.
Each console launch that I’ve been a part of have had their share of let-downs. Some of them have been minor, and some of them completely regretful.
The N64 was a colossal letdown. I waited for months with giddy anticipation, making regular trips to Toys R Us to play Mario 64 and Pilotwings on the demo kiosks. Little did I know, that’s what I would be playing for months. I spent all my money on the console, and the outrageous $60 price tag on the games (Playstation games at the time were ranging anywhere from $20-$40) but there were only two games to choose from. I remember alternating between Mario and Pilotwings rentals and Blockbuster for a good month or two before anything else was available.
The Xbox 360 was immediate satisfaction, followed by a bit of buyer’s remorse. I was jazzed when I got my launch Arcade unit (ugh) but Call of Duty 2 and Project Gotham Racing 3 kept me busy for a while. Let’s remember that CoD2, at the time, was fucking epic. But the following winter saw a drought of epic proportions, as the big games were way off in the distance and the ones that did manage to trickle out were mediocre at best. The wait for Elder Scrolls IV in March of 2006 was long and grueling one.
The Xbox One launch, for which I had slowly paid off for months, was the most frustratingly great time I had with a launch so far. It was beautiful, the games looked great, and I was almost having a blast… but the OS was a steaming pile of broken shit. It just. Didn’t. Work. My friends and I couldn’t get into parties, we couldn’t chat, we couldn’t play Battlefield together, nothing. Imagine having the most beautiful prostitute you’ve ever seen standing right in front of you, and you’ve already paid her, but you still don’t get to have any fun. That’s literally what it felt like. On the flipside though, the single player games did work, and they were great. Dead Rising 3, in my opinion, is still one of the best launch games of any platform, ever.
Which brings us to present day, the launch of the Xbox Series, and the purpose of this post. This is the first time in almost two decades that I haven’t gotten in on a launch in which I totally intended to participate. And it sucks, but at the same time, it’s weirdly satisfying.
Much has been made of Microsoft’s cross-generation strategy this time around, in that most Xbox games will work across platforms no matter if you’re playing on a Series X or an Xbox One. Now, I was iffy on this strategy; I wanted a next-gen console, unimpeded by previous generations. But that was before I was unable to score a new console. Now here I sit, SeX’less. And you know what? It’s not so bad.
Microsoft’s approach this time, coupled with their excellent Game Pass service, has probably made the least painful transition in gaming history. All of the big games that are launching are playable on my One X, so even though I didn’t land a Series X, I still get to participate in the launch festivities. In the past 24 hours, I have been on a downloading spree the likes of which I have not done in, well, ever.
I’ve been enjoying Dirt 5 for a week now, but now I’ve been having a blast playing Assassin’s Creed Valhalla as well. Add to that the addition of EA Play and I’ve also downloaded Need For Speed: Heat and Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order. On the Game Pass side of things, I grabbed Destiny 2 Beyond Light, Planet Coaster, Gears Tactics, an content update for Grounded, and Tetris Effect Connected. Are all of these games new? No, but that’s an impressive haul regardless.
With Microsoft’s strategy this time around, it’s hard to criticize their approach, as I am having the best time of any console launch in recent memory, and I didn’t even get a console.
Sony fans may have their selection of true next-gen offerings, and if I were more invested in that ecosystem, I’d be pretty hyped for Spider-Miles and… well Demon’s Souls I guess. I suck at Souls games. But even still, I don’t think I’d be having as great a time as I am now. Sure, there’s still a little bit of FOMO. Ass Creed Valhalla runs a tad choppy on my One X, and I’d love to be playing at 4K/60. But it’s still better than not getting to play it at all, and it’s weirdly satisfying knowing that I’m getting to participate in the launch even though really… shouldn’t.. be?
It’s like crashing a wedding you weren’t invited to, and its awesome.
