Xbox’s two console strategy sounded like a great idea when it was first revealed. The Xbox Series X would be the flagship console with the high specs, while theXbox Series Swould be targeted to more casual gamers and used almost like a Game Pass machine. However, various developers eventually came out saying that the Series S feels more like a hurdle.
Thanks to Microsoft’s Series X - Series S parity policy, devs have been finding it hard to make their games run on the lower end console. Recently, thedevelopers behind Black Myth: Wukongas well asex Naughty Dog and Rocksteady employees have said that making current-gen games on the console is a pain. However, Xbox boss Phil Spencer is adamant on the policy.
Developers Will Have To Deal With The Xbox Series S
Xbox has been recently changing a lot about how it does business. This even includesshipping previously exclusive titles on PlayStation. However, this outcry hasn’t seemed to phase Spencer, who recently reiterated the company’s console parity policy in an interview with YouTuberDestin Legarie(thanks,VGC).
When asked if he has changed his position after the Series S has received so much backlash from developers, Spencer said that the rise of the handheld console category has cemented the Series S' place as they have a first mover advantage towards porting games to consoles with lower specs.
“In a way I think about it in almost exactly the opposite way right now. With the rise of handheld PCs and even the introduction so far of the Switch 2, as developers we’re building on more device specs, from lower powered—because they’re battery powered devices—all the way through things that plug into the wall. I actually think we have a real advantage because we’ve been targeting S for quite a while, that our games have been built and they’re portable across many different specs.
“So when we look at something like a Steam Deck or ROG Ally or something, we’ve got this S version of the games, that are more tailored to the device specs of a lot of devices that frankly are getting introduced right now, and I think that helps us.”
He continued saying that he has been playing Indiana Jones and The Great Circle on Series S and it looks and runs great. So, when it comes to playing current-gen games, the console acts as a great benchmark when compared to released and upcoming handheld consoles.
“So I think it actually is an important design point for teams going forward, that kind of power performance mix that you see in the Series S.”
Xbox Series S
Launched in 2020 along with the more powerful Xbox Series X console, the Series S is the full-digital version of Microsoft’s premier gaming platform.
