The future of gaming has never been more inspiring. Creativity in games is flourishing. New services empower you to discover more games—and bring you closer to the games and creators and streamers you love. The cloud creates a massive opportunity to stream console-quality games and play with the people you want, wherever you want. And for many of us, nothing is more inspiring than the dawn of a new console generation.
We know you
expect the next generation of consoles to set new standards in graphical power
and processing speed, converging together in games that look incredible and feel
alive. This will be defined by worlds that are visually astounding and
immediately immersive, with innovative leaps in CPU, GPU and storage technology
to give you frictionless access to new stories and new creators constantly.
We’ve
been using Xbox Series X in our internal Takehome program and are energized by
the feedback we’ve been receiving. At Xbox we value being open and transparent
with you, and I’m proud to be able to share details about some of the technologies
we are enabling for the next generation, and look forward to boldly sharing more
as we head towards E3.
A
superior balance of power and speed
Compared
to the previous generation, Xbox Series X represents a superior balance of
power and speed in console design, advancing on all technological fronts to delivering
amazing, dynamic, living worlds and minimize any aspects that can take you out
of the experience. Our job at Team Xbox is to give teams the tools they need to
achieve their ambitions and tap into the console’s power with efficiency, a few
of which we’re detailing today. Raw power is just part of the story:
- Next Generation Custom Processor: Xbox Series X is our most powerful console ever powered by our custom designed processor leveraging AMD’s latest Zen 2 and RDNA 2 architectures. Delivering four times the processing power of an Xbox One and enabling developers to leverage 12 TFLOPS of GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) performance – twice that of an Xbox One X and more than eight times the original Xbox One. Xbox Series X delivers a true generational leap in processing and graphics power with cutting edge techniques resulting in higher framerates, larger, more sophisticated game worlds, and an immersive experience unlike anything seen in console gaming.
- Variable Rate Shading (VRS): Our patented form of VRS empowers developers to more efficiently utilize the full power of the Xbox Series X. Rather than spending GPU cycles uniformly to every single pixel on the screen, they can prioritize individual effects on specific game characters or important environmental objects. This technique results in more stable frame rates and higher resolution, with no impact on the final image quality.
- Hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing: You can expect more dynamic and realistic environments powered by hardware-accelerated DirectX Raytracing – a first for console gaming. This means true-to-life lighting, accurate reflections and realistic acoustics in real time as you explore the game world.
Immersion
in an instant
The next
console generation will be defined by more playing and less waiting. And when
play begins, we know many gamers demand ultra-low latency to be as immersed and
precise as possible. To this end, the team analyzed every step between player and
game, from controller to console to display, and asked how we could make it faster.
- SSD Storage: With our next-generation SSD, nearly every aspect of playing games is improved. Game worlds are larger, more dynamic and load in a flash and fast travel is just that – fast.
- Quick Resume: The new Quick Resume feature lets you continue multiple games from a suspended state almost instantly, returning you to where you were and what you were doing, without waiting through long loading screens.
- Dynamic Latency Input (DLI): We’re optimizing latency in the player-to-console pipeline starting with our Xbox Wireless Controller, which leverages our high bandwidth, proprietary wireless communication protocol when connected to the console. With Dynamic Latency Input (DLI), a new feature which synchronizes input immediately with what is displayed, controls are even more precise and responsive.
- HDMI 2.1 Innovation: We’ve partnered with the HDMI forum and TV manufacturers to enable the best gaming experience through features such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). ALLM allows Xbox One and Xbox Series X to automatically set the connected display to its lowest latency mode. VRR synchronizes the display’s refresh rate to the game’s frame rate, maintaining smooth visuals without tearing. Ensuring minimal lag and the most responsive gaming experience.
- 120 fps Support: With support for up to 120 fps, Xbox Series X allows developers to exceed standard 60 fps output in favor of heightened realism or fast-paced action.
The next
generation of game compatibility
The
benefits of the next console generation extend in every direction, bringing
greater visual fidelity and improved loading speeds to your existing gaming
legacy, in addition to new games. We’re continuing our commitment to compatibility
with Xbox Series X and investing in technology that makes game ownership easier
across generations.
- Four
generations of gaming:
Our commitment to compatibility means existing Xbox One games, including
backward-compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox games, look and play better than
ever before. Your favorite games, including titles in Xbox Game Pass, benefit
from steadier framerates, faster load times and improved resolution and visual
fidelity – all with no developer work required. Your Xbox One gaming
accessories also come forward with you. - Smart Delivery: This
technology empowers you to buy a game once and know that – whether you are
playing it on Xbox One or Xbox Series X – you are getting the right version of
that game on whatever Xbox you’re playing
on. We’re making the commitment to use Smart Delivery on all our exclusive Xbox
Game Studios titles, including Halo Infinite, ensuring you only have to
purchase a title once in order to play the best available version for whichever
Xbox console they choose to play on. This technology is available for all
developers and publishers, and they can choose to use it for titles that will be
release on Xbox One first and come to the Xbox Series X later. - Xbox
Game Pass: In
addition to games from across four generations of consoles, our leading game
subscription service, Xbox Game Pass, will continue to have our first party
games, like Halo Infinite, included at their launch. We look forward to millions of you experiencing
the Xbox Game Pass portfolio and immersing yourselves in a deep library of
high-quality games, playing those you love now and also discovering your next
great adventure.
A
generation with players at the center
Xbox
Series X is our fastest, most powerful console ever, designed for a console
generation that has you at its center. This means a high-fidelity gaming
experience enclosed in a quiet and bold design, with the ability to discover
thousands of games across four generations, all with more playing and less
waiting.
Whether
it’s empowering amazing creators at our 15 Xbox Game Studios, fueling game
discovery with Xbox Game Pass, or expanding what and where you can play with
Project xCloud, Team Xbox stands for frictionless pathways between players and
the best experiences our remarkable art form has to offer. Xbox Series X
represents that same commitment for players who want immediate immersion in
games that also look and feel better than ever.
We can’t
wait to share more details about the new Xbox with you in the coming months.
Related:
This Week on Xbox: February 21, 2020
Take on the Wildest Landscapes in SnowRunner with Your Very Own Customized Vehicle
The Inspiration Behind Thief Simulator, Available Now on Xbox One
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