This is particularly egregious on the Microsoft side of things: The Series X costs $500, and currently it doesn’t boast a single exclusive that can’t be played on other platforms. Both the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X are technically impressive and tastefully designed, but neither have much of a launch lineup to speak of. That day can’t come soon enough, because this insurgent console generation has already been marred by a lack of content.
Microsoft plans on releasing Halo Infinite, easily the biggest name on its docket, to Game Pass on the same day it’s released at retail in 2021. For $15 a month, anyone with an Xbox or PC gets access to a vast library of video games, pulled from a variety of different publishers, which can all be downloaded for free. Photo-Illustration: Top: Courtesy of Microsoft, Bottom: Courtesy of Nintendo