Microsoft has announced the release details for its upcoming Xbox Series X and Series S gaming consoles.
Both go on sale in New Zealand on November 10 at $799 for the Series X and $549 for the Series S, with pre-orders opening on September 22 - less than two weeks away.
These details have been released before those of primary rival the Sony PlayStation 5, which is expected to launch around the same time.
Xbox also announced it is adding access to the EA Play library of games at no extra cost to subscribers of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Game Pass for PC.
Customers who want to pay off a new Xbox console over a set period of time rather than in-full up-front will be able to with Spark using the Xbox All Access scheme from $39 per month - a bit like getting a mobile phone on contract.
This may be attractive to families who would otherwise find it difficult paying a whole sum of at least $549.
"Whether you're upgrading to the newest consoles or joining the Xbox family for the first time, Xbox All Access is the easiest way to get the best of Xbox. [It] provides an Xbox Series X, or Series S, along with 24 months of the full Xbox Game Pass Ultimate experience," says Microsoft.
"We know that price is an important factor for many of our fans... Developing two consoles in parallel from the beginning enables us to deliver the most powerful console ever in Xbox Series X and make next-gen gaming available and affordable to more players on day one with Xbox Series S."
It's unknown if PlayStation will develop a plan similar to Xbox All Access, or when Sony intends to announce the PS5's price and release date.
