Xbox’s decision to delay the Baldur’s Gate 3 port
Xbox’s decision to delay the Baldur’s Gate 3 port to give the game “the proper treatment” emphasizes why the Series S matters to Microsoft and the broader PC gaming industry. The reduced processing power of the budget-friendly console makes it harder for developers to port games to Xbox, and has led to concerns about holding back current-gen gaming. But Xbox putting its foot down and saying “it’s not good enough” is a good sign that the Series S doesn’t have to hinder the company’s progress.
In a statement to Xbox Wire, Microsoft says that it “can’t commit to a release date” for the Baldur’s Gate 3 port because it wants to ensure that it meets the “quality standards that our customers expect.” It’s an answer that would have been unthinkable on prior Xbox consoles, where Microsoft would have prioritized a release date over quality. But on Xbox, the Series S has forced the company to reevaluate its priorities, and it’s a shift that shows why supporting the Series S is more important than ever.
Xbox prioritizing feature parity over release date means that Series S users aren’t going to be left waiting longer for games that otherwise would have launched on time. Later release dates are almost always worse than missed deadlines, because they can lead to a situation where players don’t get the thing they paid for at all. Xbox saying that it can’t commit to a release date means that players can be confident that the game will actually come out, and that it will be as good as it would have been on a more powerful Xbox console.
Of course, it also means that players will have to wait longer, but waiting is a fact of life, and it’s better to wait for something that you can play than something that doesn’t work. Supporting the Series S is vital because it provides a more affordable alternative to expensive consoles like the PS5 and Series X. A cheaper console benefits Xbox’s bottom line, but it also benefits players who simply can’t afford high-end hardware.
The Series S is a piece of hardware that deserves support not because it’s perfect, but because it makes gaming more financially accessible. Microsoft must continue to be flexible with its policies to maintain consumer satisfaction and support for the Series S.
Game Pass for PC
Game Pass for PC is a fantastic service, but it isn’t perfect. Microsoft must adapt its policies to support the needs of budget-friendly PCs like the Series S.
