The Xbox Series S is not an especially impressive next-gen machine. With a relatively small internal SSD and weaker specs than the Series X, it's not the best choice for experiencing the future of the gaming industry. However, it's still an incredibly impressive and important machine. The Xbox Series S offers incredible value and the unique opportunity to experience the majority of Microsoft's console history through a modern, accessible lens.
As great as playing classic games on original hardware is, it's a pretty big inconvenience. Not only is tracking down and setting up retro systems costly, but it's also inefficient, especially when a machine like the Xbox Series S exists. Through the Microsoft Store and Game Pass, many of the best original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles have been repackaged and made once more accessible through the Series S. Not only are these games readily available, but they're much more playable than before.
How the Xbox Series S Makes Old Games Accessible Again
Many of these benefits are due to the Series S itself. Due to its SSD and internal horsepower, it cleans up older games stunningly well. Take, for example, Star Wars: Battlefront II, which released in 2005. When played on Series S, its load times are completely unobtrusive, taking only seconds to get into the game. Visually, everything has been smoothed out and brought to a crisper resolution. Plus, its original DLC has even been bundled into the digital release, making this the complete way to experience a fan-favorite Star Wars title. While the authentic fuzziness of an original Xbox outputting through a CRT television is nostalgic, the Series S allows for these games to be played in a more comfortable, modern format.
Of course, the lack of an optical disk drive and limited scope of Xbox's backwards compatibility program does hinder the Xbox Series S. However, when looking beyond these shortcomings, the value is unmistakable. Between its relatively affordable $300 USD price tag and the low monthly price of Game Pass, the Series S becomes a tough proposition to pass up. Before even buying older titles like Battlefront II individually on the Microsoft Store, a simple Game Pass subscription offers more content than one can feasibly experience, content that spans from original Xbox games to Series S|X titles.
Because of this, Series S owners can affordably experience the bulk of Microsoft's twenty year history. When refocusing the appeal of the Series S to being about access to the wider gaming landscape and history, it's suddenly a much stronger device. Its weaker components and smaller SSD aren't ideal for 2021 titles, but they're more than enough to clean up and store dozens of older games. The gaming community, industry, and media get so hung up on what's new and upcoming that the rich legacy of the medium is often overlooked.
The System's Unique Place in the Market
The Xbox Series S' ability to reconnect players with that lineage is a strength that can't be ignored, especially since it's something the other systems lack. Nintendo Switch Online is a half-step in that ecosystem toward legacy content on Switch, but it's far from ideal. Similarly, PlayStation 5 has access to limited PS2 classics and PS3 games through PlayStation Now, but like Nintendo's solution, this is far from ideal. Of course, for a bit more money, an Xbox Series X provides this appeal, a larger SSD and even better specs.
As the Xbox Series S is now, it's an excellent secondary system. At its price point with a Game Pass subscription, the Series S is an incredible value. And, it's a uniquely important system. Modern gaming and the future of the industry are incredibly exciting. However, it's through an understanding of the industry's evolution that the future becomes so engaging.
Expecting people to track down original hardware to experience the influential masterpieces and evergreen fan-favorites of the past is a tough proposition. Retro gaming is becoming more expensive and inconvenient as time passes. While the Xbox Series S isn't a perfect replacement, its modern affordances make it the definitive way to look back and play generations of classic titles.