New Xbox Series X Feature Revealed

Barring any coronavirus-caused delays, Xbox Series X will launch later this year. When it will launch exactly though, hasn't been divulged. In fact, we have very little salient information about the console. We don't know how much it will cost, what type of features it's packing, or the complete list of games that will launch alongside it. However, what we do have is word of a new feature the system will be working with come later this year: dedicated audio hardware acceleration, which should go a long way in making games more immersive and cinematic by improving the audio experience considerably.

Word of the feature comes way of the Game Developers Conference 2020, or more specifically the description of one of its upcoming panels about spatial sound, which will feature Microsoft's Senior Technical Audio Specialist Rober Ridihalgh.

"Learn from the audio designers of Borderlands 3 and Gears of War 5 around how a collaboration between Microsoft, Dolby, and our middleware partners kicked off a revolution with spatial sound that turns any pair of headphones into a multi-dimensional gateway to another world," reads the blurb about the talk. "Attendees will dive deep into the audio design pipeline (Project Acoustics) and the relationship to dedicated hardware-acceleration on newer generation Xbox consoles."

As you may know, Microsoft isn't the only one investing in audio. Sony has already boasted about the improvements that will be made in this area, courtesy of the PS5. In fact, we know the console will be packing a custom unit for 3D audio.

In a time where console generations are more refinements than leaps, it's good to see that both Microsoft and Sony will actually be making meaningful strides towards better audio. Both the PS4 and Xbox One have been lacking in this regard.

Xbox Series X is set to release sometime later this year. For more news, media, rumors, and leaks on the XSX, be sure to take a second and peruse all of our past and recent coverage of the console by clicking right here. Meanwhile, as always, feel free to drop a comment or two with your thoughts or, alternatively, hit me up on Twitter @Tyler_Fischer_ and let me know over there. What new features do you want to see out of the Xbox Series X?