After putting up a worthwhile fight with PlayStation 3, Microsoft’s console was clearly the loser in the last console generation. The PlayStation 4 was the better console no matter which way you looked at it.
However, it seems as if Xbox might be making a return to try and exact vengeance on Sony in 2019. There are numerous rumors surrounding the company and it seems like the company is finally starting to make the right moves again. Maybe 2019 is going to be the year of Xbox.
Today, we will be taking you through some of the rumors and facts that have us really excited about Xbox and everything related to it in 2019. This includes the rumors that there might be a brand new console and a digital version of the current Xbox One.
Xbox 2 – The Brand New Xbox
After PlayStation 2 thoroughly destroyed the Xbox in terms of sales, Microsoft decided to release its new console, the Xbox 360, earlier than the PlayStation 3. Although it was littered with problems such as the Red Ring of Death, Microsoft was able to build a commanding lead over PlayStation 3 before it was released which allowed them to have a fair share of the market during that generation.
It seems as if Microsoft has once again decided to use a similar strategy. If something works, why not continue to use it, right? Although it has not been confirmed as of yet, there is a fair chance of Microsoft announcing its brand new console sometime during this year. It will be interesting to see the hardware that it uses along with other features that could give it an edge.
Services
The main problem with the previous Xbox was the abysmal quality of service provided by the game. Not only were you required to log in at least once a day even if you wanted to play offline games, but you also had the Kinect which made users aware of the massive privacy issues that could arise due to using it.
Perhaps the biggest problem was the fact that Microsoft was not allowing people to buy games, but rather license them. A game that you bought could not be used by your friend on his or her account unless they paid the full retail price. The disks essentially became a delivery system and made many stores such as Game-Stop redundant when it came to Xbox games.
Microsoft needs to understand that having Apple-esque control over their gaming system is by no means a way to go since their business model is not based on having a premium device. They are in direct competition with Sony and they need to gain an edge in every department that they possibly can.
Lastly, Microsoft was also region-locking their last console. There were a total of 3 different regions and games needed to be approved before they could be sold in a certain region. Although this was sort of expected, it would still be great to be able to have a console that works with every game.
Focus on Games
This was another major problem with the way the Xbox One was marketed. Rather than focus on their core audience which was people who wanted to play next-generation games with incredible graphics, Microsoft instead focused on presenting the Xbox One as the de-facto home entertainment system that you would require.
Although there are obviously a lot of advantages of trying to not only have a cutting-edge gaming console but also a very good home entertainment system in a single box, The Xbox was obviously alienating the customer base rather than expanding it.
The major complaint that long time Xbox customers had with the original console was the fact that Xbox was simply not giving a lot of information about the games that would be available for it at launch. Not only that, most of the games that Xbox did guarantee would be a part of their platform were not exclusive and were available on the PlayStation 4 as well.
Since most of the AAA titles are available on both the Xbox and the PlayStation, one of the major ways through which a gaming console can achieve a competitive advantage over its peers can be through the exclusive games that are available for it. Since Xbox did not really announce anything huge when it came to its massive franchises, people naturally gravitated towards Sony for their awesome lineup of games.
Digital Xbox One
It may very well be that instead of releasing a brand new Xbox, Microsoft could release a new version of their older console. There are rumors that there will be a brand new Xbox One made available for sale sometime in 2019, and it will be all digital.
What that means is that the Digital Xbox One will not come with a disc drive. Rather, all of the games that you want to play will be purchased from the online store and downloaded onto the Hard Disk. As for the console, it is expected that the console will be announced at E3 2019, and will be incredibly cheap at around $200.
Along with this, it is also rumored that Microsoft will be trying to encourage users of the current Xbox One to make a switch to the digital version by going through a ‘disc-to-digital’ program. In this program, users will be able to submit their DVDs at a nearby store and receive a download code which could then be used to download the game to the digital console.
The main problem with this is the fact that people who do own large libraries of games generally enjoy the fact that they have a physical disk and cover that they can look at. It is quite similar to people who like to collect books and store them in their library.
If it does turn out that Microsoft is planning to release the Digital Xbox One, then the new Xbox 2 which has been mentioned above will almost certainly be delayed to the next year at the very least. Personally, we would love to see a new console as opposed to seeing a new version of the previous console which only adds convenience rather than new features.
New Games
There are also a ton of games that are going to be released over the course of 2019 for the Xbox One. Although many of these will also be available on the PC and the PS4, they will still be a great addition to the already stellar lineup of games that the Xbox One has amassed.
Anthem
Anthem seems to be the biggest game Bioware has released to date. After screwing up Mass Effect Andromeda, it seems as if Bioware will be working extra hard to ensure this game is playable and enjoyable on release day.
In Anthem, you are a freelancer which explores the jungles of a far-away world and can upgrade your suit in order to suit your needs. The game will have a lot of combat and it seems like something that might be very interesting to play.
Battletoads
Battletoads is a game that was in the rumor mill for a long time. However, it was finally announced by the company at E3 2018 and it seems like it will be released sometime in 2019. The game feature hand-drawn graphics and will allow people to play together. The last game in the series came out in 1994 and it will be interesting to see how the new iteration plays out. As for the details, we have almost none.
Crackdown 3
After numerous different delays, it seems as if Crackdown 3 will finally be released this year. The plot takes place roughly 10 years after the events of Crackdown 2 and has the Agency taking on Terra Nova, a terrorist organization about which we know very little as of now.
The game seems to have a lot of similarities to the Saints Row series with it preferring fun over realism. It is not difficult to imagine that you will probably end up causing more problems for the world in your quest to hunt down Terra Nova than Terra Nova would have caused if they were allowed to run free. However, that is what makes playing this game so fun.
Dead or Alive 6
Lastly, we take a look at the game which is known for catering to the more testosterone-heavy gamers. There will be a brand new edition of the game out and it seems as if the game is trying to encourage new players to try it by making the combat system a lot more simpler than it has been in the previous few games.
We have already been told that there will be at least 23 fighters in the game, and the story of the game will be based on the events which occur after Dead or Alive 5. It will definitely be interesting to see whether or not the series is able to expand its horizons and make it more accessible.
