Xbox - The Official Magazine - UK (2019-12 - Christmas)

are thinking more about scalability
between the current and upcoming
consoles than they were back then.

Dave: Whether it’s because of Scarlett
or not, I don’t think there’s any doubt
this is one of the worst years for
triple-A titles in Xbox history. It’s
worrying when the GOTY is a remaster
of a 21-year-old survival horror title.

Chris: Shh, don’t spoil next issue’s
Game Of The Year feature. Don’t forget,
there have been some big games
released that were disappointments as
well. I’m looking at you, Anthem.

Dave: My body is ready for Scarlett.
Admittedly, I’m obsessed with 4K, and
the Xbox One has enjoyed a good run.
It’s been six years since it launched!

Adam: I wouldn’t be surprised if the
strategy for Scarlett is to make a big

statement with a huge amount of
games. The Xbox One’s launch offering
was pretty dire, so Microsoft is going to
want to hit the ground running.

Chris: If Scarlett can launch with at
least four or five exclusive crackers, it
should hit the ground running in the
battle for console supremacy.

Dave: If devs really are holding back
games in the here and now to ensure

Scarlett ports are all they can be, I can

accept that.

Drew: I’d rather play the full-fat,

delicious Scarlett version of a game

as a bombastic introduction to a new

generation, rather than a last hurrah

for the Xbox One.

Dave: I think the one thing we can all

agree on is that console generations

have changed for good. Microsoft sees

Xbox as a cross-platform brand now,

so weird gap years like 2019 might

becoming increasingly common in the

age of iterative hardware updates.

Adam: I think the straddling of console

generations will be a thing from here

on out. Microsoft has already been

clear on the fact Halo Infinite will be on

both Xbox One and Scarlett.

Chris: Games are bigger now, too.

Games-as-a-service mean you’re not

done in a month and hungry for the

next big thing. Maybe developers are

aware of this now.

Dave: That’s a good point. Whenever

Scarlett comes out, you can be

damn sure people will still be playing

Destiny 2. Xbox Play Anywhere shows

Microsoft is increasingly happy for

gamers to play on whatever piece of

hardware suits them best.

Chris: I think that’s key to its strategy.

It’s not about triple-A sales anymore;

Microsoft is playing the long game now.

Drew: While it might seem like a

lacklustre year, there’s a lot of good

stuff cooking for the future. And it’s

not like we’re wanting for things to play

right now. I’m only just about to start

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey!

Chris: I’m really excited for new games

and hardware in 2020. I just hope we

don’t see titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or

Avengers bumped back to Christmas.

Dave: This is admittedly wrapping

things up on an overly ‘glass half full’

attitude, but at least 2019 being such

a disappointing year will make us

appreciate 2020, right? Right? Q

Project Scarlett is due for release at

some point in late 2020.

HOT TOPIC INSIDER

“One thing we

can all agree on

is that console

generations have

changed”

Chris Burke

Editor

Chris is hugely

excited for Project

Scarlett... he’s just

hoping it has more

than Halo Infinite up

its sleeve on launch.

OXM

PANEL

Dave Meikleham

Games editor

OXM’s 4K madman

just wants Scarlett to

have all the graphics,

so he doesn’t mind

a couple of games

being delayed.

Adam Bryant

Staff writer

After feeling a little

let down by E3 2019,

Adam suspects Xbox

One’s time is up and

is ready for Scarlett

to shine.

Drew Sleep

Production editor

With a pile of shame

roughly the height

of K2, Drew isn’t

likely to be ready for

Project Scarlett until

some time in 2029.

“I would rather play now.

Halo 4 was a well-

utilised 360 game and it

came out just a year

before the Xbox One.”

Nelson Lee

“I’d have rather had

games last year, too.

Also, considering

Scarlett’s still a while

off, we should definitely

have games now. No

one should be holding

back for Scarlett, that’s

how you lose fans,

making them wait

that long.”

Alastair Cann

“I would rather wait for

Scarlett. I feel like Xbox

One has had a solid run

but it’s time for the

games to evolve and I

feel Scarlett will be that

evolution we all need.”

Adam Parezo

“Dude, I just bought the

Xbox One X. Give me a

break, the console is

just now coming into

its own.”

Böbby Lee

“This year has been

decent. DMC5, Kingdom

Hearts III, Crackdown 3,

Borderlands 3 and

Gears 5 have been

pretty good. For now,

I’m happy with the

releases of the year,

and the absolute gems

that indie devs create.”

Joshua Felix Heap

Agree with the above? Have

your own ideas? Tell us at

facebook.com/oxmuk

HOT TOPIC

WOULD YOU RATHER PLAY

A NEW GAME NOW, OR

WAIT FOR SCARLETT?

More Xbox news at gamesradar.com/oxm THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE 017