Xbox Holiday Consoles and new Limited Releases

Xbox has announced three new models within their 2024 Showcase:

• All-Digital Series X in White with 1 TB SSD – €499.99
• All-Digital Series S in White with 1 TB SSD – €349.99
• Xbox Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition with 2 TB SSD – €649.99​

Interestingly enough I read also online (just rumors, no official source) that the standard Series X might be outphasing and the Galaxy Black could be a limited edition (with a quite steep price tag).

Looking then on Amazon, it’s pretty clear that the Series X is not getting restocked very frequently right now since the offer looks here in Spain like this already for several days (and I found similar situations in other countries):

If the all-digital (white) Series X and the Series S are now considered to be the main models by Microsoft, then it’s pretty clear that numbers will move more and more towards digital – which could lead towards a digital-only next generation on Xbox side.

Would be a shame – and I’m still hoping for an external disc drive. Otherwise I could imagine that we see here the last Xbox console with a physical hard drive. What are your thoughts on this?

New Limited Releases

Limited Run Games just announced in their Showcase a decent lineup of new limited releases with several of them also coming to Xbox!

Dark Forces Remaster

What is it about?

Star Wars™: Dark Forces Remaster, revitalized by Nightdive Studios using their KEX engine, offers enhanced gameplay with high-resolution textures, improved lighting, and gamepad support.

Originally released in 1995, Star Wars: Dark Forces set new standards for FPS games with its extensive movement, interactivity, and engaging environments.

Players assume the role of Kyle Katarn, a former Imperial turned mercenary, who joins the Rebel Alliance to uncover the Dark Trooper Project. This series of powerful Imperial battle droids and stormtroopers threatens the galaxy, and it’s up to Katarn and the Rebel Alliance to stop them.

KEY FEATURES

• “The Vault”: A curated collection of development materials and in-game assets.
• First-person combat with ten weapons and twenty enemy types.
• Updated 3D rendering for improved lighting and effects.
• Power-ups including health, shields, and ammunition.
• Combat options like fists, landmines, thermal detonators, and blasters.
• Immersive puzzles and mazes.

Available to preorder (with a nice steelbook) from June 21st to July 21st here: Dark Forces with Steelbook

Lollipop Chainsaw RePOP

The Remaster of the 2012 hack-and-slash highlight includes the following improvements compared to the original release:

Resolution and Framerate

• 4K resolution at 60 FPS.

Shorter Load Times

• Reduced load times compared to the original version.

Improvements

• Chainsaw Action: Enhanced for better user experience while maintaining the original intensity.
• Camera Response: Improved response to stick input for easier enemy and item detection.
• Keystroke Response: Enhanced timing for button inputs, facilitating easier combo execution.
• Attack Speed: Increased with more chained hits for a more thrilling gameplay experience.
• Movement Speed: Faster movement speeds.
• Chainsaw Blaster: Added auto lock-on, auto-fire mode, and increased max ammo.

Combo Actions

• Available from the start of the game.

Nick Roulette

• Nick Shoot: Now hits all zombies on screen, making them groggy.
• Nick Popper: Transformed into a powerful AOE explosion attack.

Beyond Good & Evil Anniversary Edition

Beyond Good & Evil – 20th Anniversary Edition features enhanced visuals up to 4K resolution at 60 FPS, improved controls, and quality-of-life upgrades. It also introduces a new in-game treasure hunt, a Speedrun Mode, and a special anniversary gallery.

Their might be more games coming to Xbox from the Limited Run Games Showcase – but even with those three we have already an awesome lineup for this summer to preorder as physical releases!

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That’s all for today, wishing you a great week!