Series X covers looking almost exactly like Xbox One covers is kinda dumb

[vestan]

I see what Microsoft are going for here but it just looks weird in practice and will probably lead to a lot of confusion. It already has with me and some others in the CoD thread.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, with the next-generation, Microsoft are sticking with the general look of the physical XBO covers. I'm not really a fan of it personally but it is what it is. The big thing here is that while cross-generation games are still a thing, Xbox One and Xbox Series X physical SKUs will be out in the wild.

I can easily see the average joe get confused as to which physical version they should get, what with XBO versions working on Series X and the packaging looking the same and all at a glance.

What makes this worse is looking at the PS4 and PS5 physical versions side-by-side, the messaging couldn't be any clearer.

It is silly imo, but as the XBO starts to get phased out, it won't matter as much. Still, couldn't they have changed the color to make the Series X version more obvious at a glance? Quick edit in Photoshop.

 

[Lant_War]

Imagine the next gen cover if they hadn't removed the Optimized badge.

 

[Lord Fanny]

By and large, it's not that confusing since it's clearly stated what system(s) you can play it on so I don't think it's an issue. The COD situation is just messed up in general with how they've done it

 

[Terbinator]

It's about par for the course with the Series X naming and Series 2 controller names.

 

[Tagg]

Honestly I think the PS5 cover looks too similar to PS4 as well. They should have used a different color for the case other than blue.

 

[get2sammyb]

I'm still waiting for them to change this. I refuse to believe they'll ship like this.

 

[Chief Malik]

Activision should stop being terrible and allow all XB1 versions to get the series X version and that wouldn't even matter.

 

[zombiejames]

I had no idea there were going to be two seperate boxes. I thought the idea was there would be one SKU that would work on any Xbox with SmartDelivery?

 

[Forearm_Star]

The flip flop on the black bar is dumb. It should just say the one console. Unless it doesn't matter at all which disk you put in and the game will automatically supply the next gen version.

I had no idea there were going to be two seperate boxes. I thought the idea was there would be one SKU that would work on any Xbox with SmartDelivery?

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Can't do that when you charge more for next gen

 

[YamchasRevenge]

PS5 needs to change too. Blue/White clashes bad.

 

[Bear]

Counterpoint: The white PS5 boxes look bad.

 

[Quellyford]

On one hand, I agree and wish they looked different depending on Xbox console. On the other hand, I kind of understand it since their whole idea is that you can play one game on any Xbox platform for the forseeable future.

 

[AegonSnake]

It's by design. The controller is the same, the UI is the same, the boxes are the same. It makes sense when you consider their strategy for gaming going forward.

 

[Bigfellahull]

It has a big series x in the corner. Physical stores will have them separated. I don't think this will be a problem.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

It's weird, like why both of them have the "Xbox One - Xbox Series X" or "Xbox Series X -Xbox One" thing?

What's the supposed difference?

 

[Wise]

This reminds me all of the wii u for some reason

 

[VonGreckler]

I had no idea there were going to be two seperate boxes. I thought the idea was there would be one SKU that would work on any Xbox with SmartDelivery?

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Call of Duty is not using Smart Delivery unfortunately.

 

[Vintage]

But these are the same game that you can play on the same consoles with Smart delivery? What's the issue then?

Call of Duty is not using Smart Delivery unfortunately.

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Hm, ok, but then why does it list both consoles?

 

[nekkid]

It's by design. The controller is the same, the UI is the same, the boxes are the same. It makes sense when you consider their strategy for gaming going forward.

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It's also a temporary "concern"

 

[zombiejames]

PS5 needs to change too. Blue/White clashes bad.

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Plus, how do we know the PS5 game will work on the PS5 when it's only written on the box once?

 

[Yuntu]

Makes sense to me.

It's weird, like why both of them have the "Xbox One - Xbox Series X" or "Xbox Series X -Xbox One" thing?

What's the supposed difference?

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What consoles they run on.

 

[Deleted member 43]

It's not the final Xbox design.

 

[Wise]

Counterpoint: The white PS5 boxes look bad.

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At least it isn't confusing

 

[Kittenz]

If you go to an online store, like Amazon, it'll ask your platform.

If you got to a retail store, they'll be in divided sections.

Not an issue, IMO.

 

[Uzupedro]

I bet that it isn't the final design, it's impossible to be.

 

[carlsojo]

Agreed, but maybe it's part of their "we don't believe in generations" thing.

 

[Patriiick]

Don't care. Haven't seen the front of a boxed game in a decade.

 

[Rodrigues solitaire]

It's not the final Xbox design.

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Oh?

 

[Matzpxl]

"Xbox One game playable on X series''
"Xbox Series X + Xbox One games included"

Just imagine a dad or mom with no previous next gen console knowledge (or videogames in general) reading this and NOT being confused. What a mess

 

[Lobster Roll]

This place goes so deep on discussing physical game covers.

 

[Knight in Shining Armani]

Ideally and in most cases there won't be two versions though. Still horrible branding.

 

[Man Called Aerodynamics]

Disagree, for the most part this is not confusing and plays right into MS's Smart Delivery strategy. The specific issue here is Activision choosing to bypass Smart Delivery and having to come up with a scheme to allow them to charge an extra $10.

Besides, the PS4 version also plays on PS5, and the PS5 version includes a PS4 version... exactly like on Xbox. The only difference is none of that info is on the front of the box.

 

[platocplx]

It's not the final Xbox design.

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oh thank god. lol

 

[vestan]

It's not the final Xbox design.

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Thank fuck

 

[Biosnake]

It's not the final Xbox design.

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Surprised the final design wouldn't be out yet.

 

[Dyle]

How many cross-gen games will have separate Xbox One and Xbox Series X boxes rather than the 1 unified box? It seems like there are only different boxes here because CoD has the extra expensive Series X version which I assume will be a pretty rare occurrence

 

[Chettlar]

I honestly reallllly like the gray. Idk why. I feel like I should think it's bland.

 

[Perkin_Warbeck]

So if you buy the one on the left, do you get the Series X enhancements or will it merely work on a Series X? If that's communicated somehow, I don't see it.

 

[Fisty]

This reminds me all of the wii u for some reason

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At least those covers/cases looked different

 

[zYuuKwn]

I don't think the idea is confusing at all... Until you factor activision's stupidity in the mix.

And in all seriousness, the person confused with Box arts normally already confuses the game system they are buying already (Some parents and grandparents of friends of mine buying PS games instead of Xbox and vice versa iare a gem to remember)

 

[vestan]

So if you buy the one on the left, do you get the Series X enhancements or will it merely work on a Series X? If that's communicated somehow, I don't see it.

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If you buy the one on the left, you don't get the Series X enhancements and you can't upgrade to it either. Series X version works on XBO.

 

[Komo]

It's pretty obvious that the green one is for the xbox one and the other is for the series x.

 

[Eoin]

It's weird, like why both of them have the "Xbox One - Xbox Series X" or "Xbox Series X -Xbox One" thing?

What's the supposed difference?

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The Xbox One version will play on Xbox One, and is backwards compatible on Xbox Series X (so it will play on XSX, but without any XSX upgrades, graphical improvements, etc). You can't turn it into the Xbox Series X version.

The Xbox Series X versions will play on Xbox Series X (with all the XSX improvements) and putting it into an Xbox One will cause that Xbox One to download the Xbox One version.

 

[logash]

It's weird, like why both of them have the "Xbox One - Xbox Series X" or "Xbox Series X -Xbox One" thing?

What's the supposed difference?

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The $60 SKU runs on Series X but it's not optimized for it. Meaning it will be the BC version.

Edit: Beaten

 

[Lord Fanny]

But these are the same game that you can play on the same consoles with Smart delivery? What's the issue then?



Hm, ok, but then why does it list both consoles?

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Because you can still play that disc on either a Xbox One or Xbox Series X.

 

[gofreak]

Oh?

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I imagine it couldn't be with Series S still to come. There'll have to be something more elegant/simple than just tagging on another label.

 

[VonGreckler]

But these are the same game that you can play on the same consoles with Smart delivery? What's the issue then?



Hm, ok, but then why does it list both consoles?

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You can play the Xbox One version on Series X with BC
The Series X version includes the Xbox One SKU as well.

It's a very weird choice, but I guess they want to charge 60 for current gen and 70 for next gen, and smart delivery means they can't do that

 

[NightmaresHunter]

I will take a good old cover over bad new cover

 

[The Riot Inside]

Since I've decided to start getting physical games again, I kind of appreciate this because with back compat, I don't need to worry about creating a separate space for series x titles. They will just slide right into my existing Xbox one library.

 

[Deleted member 23893]

The bar up top with the system order reversed, lol. Ya'll are giving people too much credit.

You gonna have a lot of casual folk playing the X1 version on their new Series X, thinking they have the right version. TBH I could even see un-initiated Best Buy employees getting it wrong. Order for in store pickup, they go to the back and grab one that happens to say "Series X" on the black band, when in reality its the Xbox One version that just happens to play on the Series X.

What a mess.