In context: We know quite a bit about Microsoft and Sony's upcoming next-gen consoles now. We've seen detailed breakdowns of their internal hardware, several of their first-party exclusives, and we've heard about their many software features, such as Smart Delivery.
With all of these core details set in stone by this point, fans of Sony and Microsoft are now eagerly waiting for details on pricing and a potential release date for the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5.
While Sony is remaining tightlipped on both topics, Microsoft has chosen to be a bit more open today. The company announced that the Xbox Series X is launching this November across the globe with "thousands of games" available.
Obviously, that doesn't mean thousands of new games – Microsoft is mostly referring to backward compatibility. Xbox games released across four console generations will be fully playable on the Series X, but they won't necessarily be any better on the upcoming system.
However, there will be "50 new games" releasing in 2020 that will take full or partial advantage of the Xbox Series X's capabilities. These games include the likes of Watch Dogs: Legion, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and Dirt 5.
Though supported functionality will vary from title to title, you can expect to see support for ray tracing, high framerates, and faster loading times across several Series X-optimized games.
We can probably expect Microsoft to finally pull back the curtain on the Xbox Series X's specific release date and price tag sometime over the next couple of months. Or, perhaps the company will wait for Sony to reveal its hand first – only time will tell.