With the next generation of gaming systems on the brink of arriving, there is a lot of talk of the features, abilities, and technical specifications of the machines. With that comes a lot of new terminologies that gamers need to get accustomed to and familiar with. However, as we wrap our heads around what these systems are actually delivering, the folks over at Microsoft are adding extra homework as they constantly invent new words for us to learn and get accustomed to.
On July 23, Microsoft offered a look into their next console, the Xbox Series X. More specifically they offered a deep-dive into the games that will be running on the system. This included footage from the highly anticipated Halo: Infinite. While the footage was an exciting look at the next installment in the popular series, the terminology surrounding the game got a bit confusing.
In an interview with IGN, Halo: Infinite studio head Chris Lee explained how this new addition to the series would not be a live service like other titles, but instead adopt the technique that Halo: The Masterchief Collection has where everything is collected under one title. This is simple enough to understand; but is coining the game a "10-year platformer" necessary? Is this just an unnecessary way of letting gamers know that Halo: Infinite will expand using DLC's instead of sequels? If so, why not just say that? Why invent an entirely new concept and term?
Halo: Infinite's "10-year platform" is not the only term Microsoft wants players to learn: there's also "game previews". Though, this one is at least what it sounds like. Xbox's "game previews" are the fancy name they have given to a title's early access or beta. Recently, Grounded received such treatment where players gained access to the game through an Xbox Game Preview. This can get confusing because the term "preview" isn't as conventional as the already established terms "beta" or "early access". Therefore, many players may not know that these previews are for titles still in development and may have bugs not yet fixed by the developers.
Then, as with all new systems emerging onto the market, there is the curiosity of which games from previous systems will work on the new ones. Well, Microsoft implemented their "smart delivery" for games which will allow games that are purchased on one Xbox system to transfer over to another, if it is a "smart delivery" title. There is no denying that this is a great feature of the system and one that others may want to look into, but did we need yet another term to learn in our already thick dictionaries of Microsoft words?
With no concrete release date for the Xbox Series X, it is hard to tell how many more terms and phrases Microsoft will come up with to build excitement. Hopefully, the system and its titles make up for the hours of homework these new terms come with.
Source: IGN