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

  • Agreed

    Votes: 1,387 77.7%
  • Disagree

    Votes: 399 22.3%

  • Total voters
    1,786
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Rodelero

Member
Oct 27, 2017
11,510
At the top....which is what will matter on non-cherry picked games that have already messy cross gen branding.

"The Medium" will simply say Xbox - Series X or Xbox - Series S for example.

This really isn't that hard or confusing...it's just concern trolling and console warring in disguise.

It is genuinely hilarious that anyone could see those two Call of Duty covers and have the audacity to argue it's not confusing, let alone accusing people of console warring if they think it is.
 
Oct 28, 2017
27,090
No because Activison don't want to support Smart Delivery. If you buy the physical Xbox One version, you can play it on your Series X as if it were an Xbox One game (BC) but you can't upgrade to the Series X version and get all the enhancements like ray-tracing, 120fps etc.

If you buy the Series X version, you can play the Xbox One version in BC if you want.

It's 2 SKUs.



Oooh I see. This is some Activision 1-off horseshit. I thought you were saying that Series X physical games are backward compatible with Xbox One consoles. Cross-Greed versions are just the current gen game for both PS4/Xbox One that will patch to the next-gen version once made available. Do I have that right? Physical Real Series X/PS5 games can not "Link to the Past" consoles.


Xbox Messaging is pretty bad on this.
 
Oct 27, 2017
42,700
Lol, these make the Wii U marketing looking blatantly clear and differentiated from the Wii, in comparison, which is not a good thing
 

HereticGrin

Member
Feb 16, 2018
385
If MS wants to streamline it's ecosystem by dropping the "One" from the top banner, they should only be releasing one physical edition. Multiple SKUS does nothing to streamline this transition and only adds unnecessary confusion. Sell one the "xbox series x" version, basically. Scrap the other, this would also make the transition to next gen more appealing for XBONE owners. As they can simply buy a new system and continue on, with the bonus of added fidelity (you know, adding actual value)
 

lunanto

Banned
Dec 1, 2017
7,648
It is kinda dumb if you haven´t understood Microsoft philosophy yet.

Playstation is Playstation.

Xbox is Xbox.

Reading threads like this trying to confront them again and again is exhausting.
 

Okii

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,189
I just don't think people are as dumb as these threads make them out to be, all those cases shown have clear indicators of what they play on, some even multiple times. Simply reading will tell anyone what system those games play on. This is a complete non issue for 99% of people.
 

TimPV3

Member
Oct 30, 2017
631
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?
Xbox One version plays on Series X with BC, version on the right is Series X but includes Xbox One SKU as well (for $10 more).

Microsoft isn't paying publishers to develop Series X versions, Smart Delivery was overhyped. Activision wasn't the first to skip out on it and won't be the last.
 

Sparks

Senior Games Artist
Verified
Dec 10, 2018
2,879
Los Angeles
If I change the background I still focus in on the chunk of white first. It's a big, solid color on something that otherwise isn't.

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Black case looks so much hotterrrrrr. WEW.

Also made this for fun (throwback PS2 style case):
2020-08-26.png
 

Calabi

Member
Oct 26, 2017
3,484
People think consumers are dumber than they actually are imo.

No they really are dumb, like you would not believe how dumb I work in retail I should know. But this is confusing for anyone if your not confused even slightly then you have incredible powers of perception and should probably become a super hero or something.
 
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DrDeckard

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,109
UK
Does every single member on this forum understand the differences between the two versions of this cod game?

would we all know which one to buy if we wanted the cross gen version?
 

Meatwad

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
3,653
USA
Does every single member on this forum understand the differences between the two versions of this cod game?

would we all know which one to buy if we wanted the cross gen version?

At a quick glance I wouldn't for sure

And really you should be able to tell by a quick glance. Not by having to look for icons or even read
 

Yuntu

Prophet of Regret
Member
Nov 7, 2019
10,669
Germany
No they really are dumb, like you would not believe how dumb I work in retail I should know. But this is confusing for anyone if your not confused even slightly then you have incredible powers of perception and should probably become a super hero or something.

???

One box says Xbox One, the other Xbox Series X

its pretty simple, dunno why I need to be a superhero to get that instantly?
 

KartuneDX

Banned
Jan 12, 2018
2,381
Microsoft's whole seemingly indifferent marketing approach to the Series X overall is kinda dumb
 

Deleted member 13077

Attempted to circumvent ban with alt account
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,513
Does every single member on this forum understand the differences between the two versions of this cod game?

would we all know which one to buy if we wanted the cross gen version?

Having read this thread, yes.

If I just walked into a store, I'd take an educated guess, but I wouldn't be 100% confident I hadn't fucked up.
 

calibos

Member
Dec 13, 2017
1,993
It is genuinely hilarious that anyone could see those two Call of Duty covers and have the audacity to argue it's not confusing, let alone accusing people of console warring if they think it is.


The Black Ops cover IS confusing and cherry picked to start a topic and is also not really MS's fault.

The Xbox branding is not confusing against the Xbox One. With there possibly being another next gen system in the XBOX brand, how would you have handled it?
 

HereticGrin

Member
Feb 16, 2018
385
Does every single member on this forum understand the differences between the two versions of this cod game?

would we all know which one to buy if we wanted the cross gen version?
No, not initially, I had to parse all the info, notice the logo which looks like a sticker, get frustrated as a graphic designer at the mess that it is, and feel bad seeing how unfriendly it is for certain individuals.
 

Darknight

"I'd buy that for a dollar!"
Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,805
???

One box says Xbox One, the other Xbox Series X

its pretty simple, dunno why I need to be a superhero to get that instantly?

No, one box says Xbox One and the other box says Xbox. Then they both proceed to say both Xbox One and Xbox Series X in different spots.
 

DrDeckard

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,109
UK
At a quick glance I wouldn't for sure

And really you should be able to tell by a quick glance. Not by having to look for icons or even read

you honestly buy a game with a quick glance you don't read the packaging while you are queuing to buy?

god forbid someone might want to read...lol :) it's not like how we get nearly all of our information on the internet or anything.

also, I would expect any retailer worth anything would say...

.."are you just playing on Xbox one or do you plan to get a series x?"

"oh you're grabbing a series x...well you need this cross gen version"
 

mattiewheels

Member
Oct 27, 2017
5,107
This is getting to be Wii U levels of "average person can't tell this is a new system" between the naming and this stuff.

"XBOX One - XBOX Series X"
"XBOX Series X - XBOX One"

Are they insane?
 

Yuntu

Prophet of Regret
Member
Nov 7, 2019
10,669
Germany
No they don't, one says Xbox and the other says Xbox One at the top, they both say Xbox Series X and Xbox One.

one says xbox one at the top, the other xbox series x ... they both say both systems because its a cross gen game ... but i see where this thread is going and i am out
 

HereticGrin

Member
Feb 16, 2018
385
???

One box says Xbox One, the other Xbox Series X

its pretty simple, dunno why I need to be a superhero to get that instantly?

Top banner says "Xbox _________________Series X sticker-looking logo"

The boxes also say under the main banners:

'Xbox One - Xbox Series X' & 'Xbox Series X - Xbox One', respectively

Same color boxes.

This will confuse customers, there's no reason to think otherwise. It has confused many hardcore gamers in this very thread lol.
 

Darren Lamb

Member
Dec 1, 2017
2,831
If they didn't want to put out two different physical prices I think it'd be fine. They could have one box

As it stands currently, you'd need to see them both side by side to see which one to get, and the Xbox One version also says it is playable on Series X. And it is, but only through BC. If you saw it on its own you wouldn't automatically know it doesn't support any added features for the Series X
 

Meatwad

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
3,653
USA
you honestly buy a game with a quick glance you don't read the packaging while you are queuing to buy?

god forbid someone might want to read...lol :) it's not like how we get nearly all of our information on the internet or anything.

also, I would expect any retailer worth anything would say...

.."are you just playing on Xbox one or do you plan to get a series x?"

"oh you're grabbing a series x...well you need this cross gen version"

The design language itself should indicate which console the game you are purchasing is for. This is how it has been for decades across all generations. If you need text or labels in order to know the difference then that is a design fail. Regardless of if I've read the text and understood.
 

Tyaren

Character Artist
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
24,722
And that is exactly why they put so many Xbox Series X stickers on them. ;)
 

andresmoros

Member
Oct 29, 2017
2,468
Houston
It is genuinely hilarious that anyone could see those two Call of Duty covers and have the audacity to argue it's not confusing, let alone accusing people of console warring if they think it is.

I know! How is critiquing something as simple as a box, console warring?? People sometimes take this console war shit to the extremes. Console manufacturers fuck up, they make mistakes (all of them do!), this is something that is easily fixed. No one here is like, "yoooo Xbox is gonna lose this war for having the same boxes LOLOLOL". It's mostly like "yo, we the 'hardcore' took a bit to realize the difference, imagine the casuals. Easy fix". How is this console warring?

Sorry for the vent, I am a graphic designer and I do take design issues personally.
 

DrDeckard

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
8,109
UK
The design language itself should indicate which console the game you are purchasing is for. This is how it has been for decades across all generations. If you need text or labels in order to know the difference then that is a design fail. Regardless of if I've read the text and understood.

i Totally agree but this is activiisions caused problem not anyone else. this is the first game where we Are seeing more than one sku I believe?

i was under the impression other games just work in one series x?
 

ghostcrew

The Shrouded Ghost
Administrator
Oct 27, 2017
30,351
This is presumably only going to be an issue for a handful of games that choose to release two SKUs (most of the crossgen games we've seen so far only have one 'Xbox' version) and only for a short amount of time. This seems more like an Activision issue than an Xbox branding problem. I think the one SKU 'Xbox' versions of other titles we've seen are a pretty elegant solution.

At a certain point, if you want to carry on buying Xbox One games, you're gonna just have to learn to look for that massive XBOX ONE across the top of box. Or buy digitally.

Gotta agree that, in this specific case, they look super dumb though.
 

Jeronimo

Member
Nov 16, 2017
2,377
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.

This exactly.
 

horkrux

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,719
I mean there is one upside to this: You can buy the next gen SKU, play it on your Xbone, and then upgrade the hardware later on and the game gets upgraded along with it.

But boy, is this a mess. The packaging really needs to make things clearer. There is no need to mention Series X on last gen versions, and the next gen cover needs to be more distinctive.

I'm also still not sure what's actually going to end up in that box? Is it a UHD BD, or is it a normal BD so the garbage console can read it?
 

Eoin

Member
Oct 27, 2017
7,103
This is presumably only going to be an issue for a handful of games that choose to relese two SKUs (most of the crossgen games we've seen so far only have one 'Xbox' version) and only for a short amount of time. This seems more like an Activision issue than an Xbox branding problem.
Yeah, this particular case is due to a combination of a cross-generation game that has two distinct versions, dual compatibility on both versions, but no support for smart delivery or any publisher equivalent of it (due to the price difference between versions). It's a result of a collision between Activision's decisions and Microsoft's branding. In the end, a bit of an edge case...but Call of Duty is a hell of a game to have as an edge case.
 

andresmoros

Member
Oct 29, 2017
2,468
Houston
If I change the background I still focus in on the chunk of white first. It's a big, solid color on something that otherwise isn't.

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I personally don't see it that way. Negative space is not just empty space, its intentional and part of the whole design (in my eyes, at least).

I do agree that the PS5 looks meh, but I still don't see the empty space there. Again, my perception at least, but hey, everyone has different perspectives and stuff.
 
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