The next-gen Xbox console, called Project Scarlett for the time being, has received as much coverage as the PlayStation 5 lately. Not only did Sony make several PS5 announcements in the past few weeks, but we’ve seen plenty of PS5 leaks, including an actual image of a PS5 prototype for developers.
Microsoft has managed to keep its Xbox Scarlett plans secret so far, aside from the hardware revelations the company itself made several months ago. But the company just unveiled a deal that might make it easier on your wallet to score the Xbox Scarlett about a year from now when it launches.
The next Xbox and the PS5 will essentially share the same CPU and GPU, and they’ll likely offer similar performance. We’d expect both to be priced similarly in the 2020 holiday season, and both should be more expensive than their predecessors. With that in mind, Microsoft has one way of making the console seem more affordable, and that’s the Xbox All Access deal that was just announced, which includes a limited time offer covering an Xbox Scarlett upgrade.
With Xbox All Access, you get a brand new Xbox console that you can pay off in up to 24 equal installments of as low as $19.99 per month, a 24-month membership to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (Xbox Live Gold, and over 100 games on console and PC), and the option to upgrade to Project Scarlett a year from now.
The deal saves players over $100 if they had purchased everything separately instead, Microsoft says, even though it can’t be bundled with other promotions. The limited offer, available in the US, UK, and Australia, does have to be paired with the Xbox One X, though. Here’s some of the relevant fine print:
We realize buying a console is an investment, and some players are waiting to make the jump to the next generation with Project Scarlett when it launches in Holiday 2020 alongside “Halo Infinite.” This is why as a limited time offer this holiday season, players in the U.S. and U.K. who purchase an Xbox One X with Xbox All Access through December 31, 2019, have the option to upgrade to the next Xbox console in as few as 12 months and once Project Scarlett has officially launched.
Buyers will have to be in good standing with their financing partner, purchase Xbox Scarlett with a new Xbox All Access purchase from the same retailer, and return the Xbox One X. Players have until December 31st to take advantage of the deal. If you’re looking for a similar option for the cheaper Xbox One S All-Digital Edition, you should know that you’ll have to pay an upgrade fee if you opt to get Project Scarlett next winter.
