Xbox's 'Series S Starter Bundle' Is Now Available

Said it before and I’ll say it again. Including some GPU is a smart move.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner
We have both mentioned this before.
3 months GP get them on board then hopefully a subscription to follow.
Now they just need a simple series x deal.

Ouch. $300 for this? Or $400 for the PS5.

You'd think that given the PS5 is outselling the X+S around 3:1 they'd understand that they shouldn't be raising prices. Then again, they have said repeatedly they don't care about selling consoles, so I guess that makes sense.

Really doesn't matter what they bundle with the Series S. They need it cheaper, if they're to move units over PS5 or even the Switch, that still sells like hot cakes.

@InterceptorAlpha I think for a lot of families - who don’t care about teraflops or GPU etc - will look at a series S bundle and think it’s worth the £150 less.

However the series X will probably need a good bundle as it looks like Sony are giving CoD for free in an upcoming bundle.

@InterceptorAlpha "You'd think that given the PS5 is outselling the X+S around 3:1"

Not 3:1 but 1.83:1, not even twice as much in total.

https://www.vgchartz.com/

Is it an additional controller plus gamepass that's included cause if not its not much of a deal. I paid £189 for the s 18 months ago from smyths..

@PsBoxSwitchOwner
I can't agree. If someone wants an inexpensive console, they'll buy a Switch for the same price with a game from a well loved franchise and Nintendo online, or get a Switch Lite for $200. Even releasing 3 years before the Xbox, it is outselling it roughly 1.5:1 each month.

@Banjo- I was using monthly numbers, as your link seems to corroborate. The reasoning is due to the Xbox having more available stock during the chip shortage at launch. Though it looks for this last month it has dropped to about 2.5:1. I suspect this will equalize as Xbox normally had an early lead that was smashed when releasing at a cheaper price.

I’m aware it’s a cynical take, but:

Bundling in a subscription service instead of a retail game seems like just another way to decrease the objective value the consumer gets from their purchase, as instead of one game being playable for a long, long time, there’s a subscription with a time limit on access, and therefore a limit on the objective value. Not to mention that in the past these Game Pass codes have usually had set expiration dates, and eventually the average consumer is stuck with a normal console that won’t even have value added in the future, since the box is advertising a time-limited offer.

This is an absolute steal of a deal, i use my series S almost as much as my X and love it. $300 dollars out the door for hundreds of games and recent releases? Meanwhile, the new playstation digital is $150 more AND $70 per games? Insane difference in price both short and long term. With the recent ***** going on at sony with layoffs, firings, cancellation ect (especially with the abk deal done) the future of gaming at Xbox looks brighter than bright.

@J_Mo_Money Absolutely, in spite of the persistence of posters predicting its doom for the umpteenth time. Xbox is better value, free cloud saves, more games, better subscriptions and more platforms to play games on. It's not going anywhere.

@Banjo- currently enjoying super Mario wonder and dead space remake (which just got into game pass so i can use the money i saved on xbox to get super mario). Great time to be a gamer.

@J_Mo_Money Dead Space is on my play later list. It's an expensive new game, so it's great to have it on Game Pass!

I will also buy Super Mario Wonder. As a massive (understatement) Super Mario World fan, I hope that it doesn't disappoint me much! I sold my Switch Lite and bought the 2019 v.2 model this year.

@Banjo- super mario world is my favorite mario game of all time, remember getting the snes in 1991 with it. While this definitely has tropes to that i wouldnt say its a HUGE inspiration to it or anything. I’m half way id say and its a great game, but one thing i still miss that they just dont do anymore it seems is the koopa kids.

They defined mario world (and 3) for me and i wish they were in this one.

@J_Mo_Money the negativity on this site is getting to be ridiculous. Not sure why some of these folks don’t just move on from the brand.

As a PS5 owner that has never owned an xbox, this is a very good deal im tempted

@TheGrizMan mighty fine avatar you got there.

@J_Mo_Money Mine too! Super Mario World was the first game that I played and beat, but it still blows my mind. The physics, the controls, the music, the graphics, the secrets... Nintendo hasn't made a better platformer yet. Rare's Donkey Kong Country games are at the same level, though. Retro's platformers disappointed me, somehow. New Super Mario Bros. U is fine, but the other "New" titles are incredibly lumbering and boring compared to Super Mario World and Super Mario Bros. 3. I think that platformer might be my favourite genre, but I'm used to the highest standards.

I also will be missing the Koopalings in Super Mario Wonder. I've read that the boss battles are underwhelming and the levels are fun but easy. The trailer shows tacky music and sound effects. I think that I will enjoy it, but that it will disappoint me somewhat. I'm also a huge fan of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles. Regarding newer platformers, I find Rayman Legends to be the best.

@Banjo- Yeah the boss fights for the castle at each level are pretty much the same each time. In fact, even with Super Mario Odyssey i felt the boss fights underwhelming.

That's one area i'd say I want mario to improve.

@J_Mo_Money Sorry for my late reply before, I wanted to reply on the laptop and not on the phone, as deserved. I don't understand all the praise that Super Mario Odyssey got. It's polished, okay, it's also serviceable, but it's the most boring and least cohesive Mario 3D game, in my opinion. Wandering along those homogeneous areas with little platforming, looking for scattered collectibles without any excitement, shoe-horning a singer, human beings and those rabbit bosses... Feeling that Luigi's online mini-game was the most fun I had in the whole game.

@Banjo- last reported figure Playstation 5 had sold 42 million, Series consoles 21 million. 75% of Series console sales are Series S, only about 5 million Series X sold. You can bet lot of Playstation 5 gamers bought Series S as second console.