Microsoft all but ignored its biggest advantages against Sony at E3

Ben Kuchera of Kotaku writes, "Microsoft did a pretty good job talking about why the Xbox platform was going to be better in the future, but why wasn’t the fact that — at least visually — the Xbox One X is the best right now?
It’s true that raw power won’t win a console generation, and it may not even tip the scales. But the difference in power between a PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X isn’t just an issue of numbers on the spreadsheet; players who are picky about performance and resolution are going to want to buy their multi-platform releases on Xbox One X."

[maybelovehate]

They did point out that all the multi-platform games would be best on console on the X.

[Eonjay]

You are correct. Polygon is incorrect here. I mean what did they want them to do: have Digital Foundry come out on stage with 300% zoomed imaged?

[UltraNova]

Funny thing is that I would put money on the table for anyone who could spot an X game running on the same tv side by side with an xb1S...same goes for the Pro/ps4. A fact made abundantly clear to me the other day when I was at an electronics shop where they had both an xb1s and and X on two identical sumsung 4k tvs...

[starchild]

Oh the ol' 300% zoomed-image-is-the-only-way-y ou'll-see-it nonsense. Good job. I was waiting for someone to pull that one out.

It's commonly used to try to downplay PC advantages as well. Unfortunately it's a load of bunk. Anybody with a working set of eyes can easily notice such differences.

[UltraNova]

Star

Funny thing is that when you try so hard to make a fact out of a strictly subjective matter (perceptiple difference between iterative consoles) the joke's on you.

[starchild]

Nevermind. It's not worth discussing. I forgot which site I'm on.

[The 10th Rider]

@UltraNova,

To be fair, it's really going to depend on the TV you've got. If anyone's using anything less than a 55", unless they're using it as a monitor, there's really no need for a Pro or an X. However if someone's got a 75" 4K TV and they've got a viewing distance of like 8 feet, the difference between the base consoles and the premium ones should be noticeable by pretty much anyone who's got a good set of eyes.

[itsmebryan]

It's not just how it looks it is how it runs. 60+ frames per second beats 30 frames in the why the game feels and response. That is another big plus for the X1X you can choose 60 fps and I love that.

[UltraNova]

@ 10th rider

They had two same model/year 55 QLED Samsung tvs side by side. One was displaying gears and the other forza. They switched to forza on both upon request by a couple guys there. Thats what cought my attention. I swear the difference was virtually non existent...

@itsmeryan

I can't disagree with that but since when do all games run at a stable 60fps on the X? I must have missed that.

[The 10th Rider]

@UltraNove,

Yeah, like I said a 55" is about the cutoff point. You really need like a 75" for it to be a stark difference.

[UCForce]

If you want to have a best version on multiplatform, that would be on PC. As for resolutions and performance, the game have to be good. Sea of Thieves and State Of Decay 2 have better resolution and better performance on Xbox One X, but two games are mediocre at best. PS4 Pro is weaker than Xbox One X, but games like God Of War and Detroit Become Human have more visuals appealing than two MS games, but God Of War and Detroit Become Human are also both high quality games. The thing is that MS really need to bring high quality game. I know Forza Horizon 4 is coming this year and I know the game will be great but that’s only one game this year and it’s not enough. Spider Man is coming in September 9th and people have played the game at E3 booth have been impressed.

[PhoenixUp]

Cuz people care more about games than they do specific specs.

It’s not like XOX can run games that base model PS4s can’t

[Jaypi03]

You may have a point, but when the game is multiplatform the first thing people run to is comparing frames per second and graphics, as if it really matters that heavily on console.

[Bathyj]

But the point is why would I spend $650 Australian to play slightly better looking versions of games I can play already?

I wouldn't.

I would only pay that to play awesome games I can't play now. Unfortunately for Microsoft not enough of them exist for me to drop half a weeks pay on a console I don't need.

[yeahright2]

Only the hardcore and fanboys. the vast, overwhelming majority just buy it on the system they already own.

[SurgicalMenace]

Actually they don't. They go to what they already own. These statements are spoken assuming that a person is purchasing a new system with every new game they buy. When a game comes out, the first thing checked is if their system supports it. Specs are for new system adopters, so with the numbers how they are it would seem that specs make up a small minority. If your statement were true, the Xbox 1 X would be outselling the PS4 after its release.

[pyroxxx]

retarded Ms consumers?

[Jaypi03]

- He says from his Windows PC. (probably)

[JackBNimble]

He could be on any number of devices other then windows or pc.
Good job assuming though... Lol
I also disagree with his statement.

[Jaypi03]

Yeesh, I expected more from Polygon than console war flaming articles.

[Inzo]

Really??? You expected more from Polygon??? I am just surprised Polygon didnt criticize MS for its lack of diverse representation and that MS is being offensive to feminists because X stand for to(X)ic masculinity.

[KickSpinFilter]

Man you butterflys are just as bad as the snowflakes.

[AK91]

*sigh* Ben Kuchera Huh?

[Inzo]

Its funny watching the reaction of Xbox fanboys a few days after MS's press conference. Just when the conference ended there was a lot of chest beating from them especially on YouTube. Now that enough time has passed for the conference to sink in they are now all up in arms.... again, about what went down. Some of them are upset about the new Gears exclusive to Windows, others are upset about the new Halo claiming it will only be on the next gen console but all in all the general consensus is the lack of gameplay footage for the new games and the lack of new IPs. Funny how much can change in a few days.

[The 10th Rider]

Where did you hear the things from that "general consensus"? I haven't heard those things expressed much anywhere. Microsoft had gameplay footage of Ori, Crackdown 3, Forza Horizon 4, and Gears 5 . . . the only two exclusives that didn't are Halo Infinite and Battletoads.

[Inzo]

No more than 3 hours ago I listened to a podcast from CrapGamer and earlier to BMG, two Xbox channels voicing their grievances and quite rightly so.

[The 10th Rider]

So two podcasts = The general consensus? Lol

Let me try this:

Sony's E3 was a letdown . . .
http://n4g.com/news/2179256...
http://n4g.com/news/2178516...
http://n4g.com/news/2179928...

Gee, three articles? I guess that's the general consensus

[Tross]

I would assume it's because the power advantage hasn't had nearly as much of an impact as MS was hoping for thus far, and they are finally coming to the realization that games are what sells systems first and foremost.

[mrmikew2018]

MS just needs to release some "exclusives" to compliment the power of the X or maybe their next Xbox platform.

Unfortunately for them, the X is really not making any significant moves for them and MS realize that.

I honestly think that's why they put the bug in everyone's ear that the next Xbox in the development, they're cutting their losses with the XBO.

[yeahright2]

My fear is that their "exclusives" are there to compliment game pass, not the X. Seems that way anyhow if their last two are anything to go by. "what? one's broken and the other unfinished? no worries, you only paid $10 right? but re-up next month when patches and dlc will solve some of the issues. Who knows? we might fix more issues the following month."

[dreue]

Wow, i though consoles was all about exclusives, lol my pc puts my ps4 pro on q corner, i will not even bother to get the x, my 1080 with i7 and 32 ddr4 makes xbox x and ps4 pro like little babys, but the only thing ps3 is better is that that dam god of war looks so but so good that i cant recall a game on my pc that is close to it, as with grwphics, gameplay and story... So in the end of the day you guys can try hard to make ot sound that consoles are more than a place to play games, but they are not i love my psř because of rhe games ans that's it.... If i want more stuff i gave the pc but man thiae exclusives from so y are just killers.... And if a person downplay sony vecause of the games, than that person is no gamer but a fan brat....

[Takwin]

I only buy exclusives on my PS4 Pro and Switch (which is a LOT on both), and anything on XBOX we can just play on our PCs. There was no need for them to do much different, they had a good showing at E3 even though there weren't any exclusives. That ship has sailed forever.

[yeahright2]

They've hammered the point of the X being more powerful home for months, well over a year. It was the main selling point even before it came out. even last E3 they gave out the T-shirts with "I witnessed the world's most powerful console" and just us over the head with the power argument and it did nothing. They're still in last place month after month, multiplats still sell best on PS4 by a wide margin. The argument has been made and it's been judged by the consumers to be just plain not a strong reason to go with xbox.
And you want them to double down on this? No. looking to next gen and cutting their loses here while keeping the loyalists happy with halo/gears/forza is the right move.

[KickSpinFilter]

People who are truly picky about performance and resolution play on PC.

[Snakeking33]

Because they have no games to prove it what ever they show at the time Sony would slap them with god of war

[Germaximus]

That's what they did last year and people hated it cuz they didn't have the games to show for it.

Why have another year saying how good a console is when it doesn't matter if there's no content?

Also, they never failed to repeatedly mention "plays best on Xbox One X."