Earlier this year, Microsoft teased its plans for its next-generation gaming console, Project Scarlett. Now, it has a launch name: Xbox Series X.
Microsoft revealed the name of the new device, previously referred to as Project Scarlett, in an exclusive interview with CNET's sister site GameSpot. The company also discussed the console's new design, backward compatibility with older games , and how it will work with the internet.
Microsoft said the new name reflects the many ways you can play an Xbox. The new Xbox Series X will support the “thousands” of titles that are already playable on the Xbox One, for example. The device will also support accessories that are already on sale, such as the Xbox Adaptive Controller for people with disabilities.
"We wanted to design a console where form is driven by function," Phil Spencer, Microsoft's head of Xbox, said in an interview with GameSpot. The company made the public announcement during the Game Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Microsoft said the new Xbox will be released before the holiday shopping season next year, though it didn't say how much it would cost.
The new Xbox name and a planned redesign come at a time when gaming is more a part of popular culture than ever before. Titles like Epic’s Fortnite have become so popular that celebrities are recreating the dance moves, known as “emotes,” in the style of The Hunger Games. Streaming giant Netflix has identified video games as its biggest competitor for people’s time and attention.
Meanwhile, gaming on mobile devices like phones and tablets is taking off. In September, Apple introduced Apple Arcade, its first game subscription service, giving customers access to a list of more than 100 curated puzzle, action, and family-friendly games for $4.99 a month. Microsoft has also expanded into subscriptions, offering the $9.99-a-month Xbox Games Pass with more than 100 games. Titles include Minecraft, Gears of War, and Halo.
Amidst all this, Microsoft and Sony are gearing up to release new video game consoles in time for next year. Microsoft's Xbox Series X and Sony's PlayStation 5 have a lot in common, sharing similar graphics, fast storage technologies, and developers like Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, and Take-Two Interactive, all of which are bringing games like adventure games Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, Watch Dogs: Legion, and Red Dead Redemption 2 to consoles .
To make their consoles more appealing, both Microsoft and Sony offer cloud gaming services that let users play games over the Internet, similar to Netflix movies and shows. Even there, both face increased competition from newcomers like Google and Amazon, which have cloud technology that can be extended to video games.
Despite what's at stake, Microsoft has opted for a relatively simple design for the next Xbox. The console features an Xbox logo, a disc , and little else. The design is intended to make the console "disappear" into entertainment , Spencer said.
Microsoft said it will reveal more about the console at the E3 2020 video game conference next June.
