Xbox One X, the first true 4K video game console, is launching worldwide today. Microsoft even got a peek at what it’s like to be Apple, with lines of eager customers snaking outside of its retail stores overnight.

“With 40 percent more power than any other console, Xbox One X is where console gamers can play the best versions of games,” Microsoft’s Will Tuttle writes. “The new console launches with the largest games lineup in Xbox history, with more than 70 Xbox One X Enhanced titles coming in the first week and more than 50 available on launch day.”

Overall, Microsoft can point to more than 1,300 titles in the Xbox One games library, of which over 220 are exclusives. And some hot new titles are on the way, including PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, which will be an Xbox One console launch exclusive on December 12.

I’ve already published a number of hands-on overviews of the Xbox One X, including most importantly my article, Xbox One X First Impressions: The 4K Era Arrives. But this week, the real work begins, as Microsoft has flipped a switch that will enable far more Xbox One X Enhanced titles, with 70 more coming in the next several days. So my final review should be ready by the end of the coming weekend; I’ll be watching the availability of Xbox One X Enhanced updates very closely.

For those who haven’t tried Xbox One X yet, it’s the real deal, offering true 4K gaming with HDR at frame rates of up to 60 fps. But Xbox One X works well on 1080p displays (and, soon, 1440p displays) too, and will enhance any Xbox One—and Backward Compatible Xbox 360 and original Xbox—games, regardless of the display, and regardless of whether the developer did any work specifically for the new console. These enhancements can include superior graphical fidelity and/or faster load times.

Starting today, Xbox One X is available in 35 markets around the world for a price of US$500. And additional markets are coming onboard soon, Microsoft says.

Tagged with Xbox One X