Xbox boss Phil Spencer confirms support for Xbox Series S
Xbox boss Phil Spencer says the company will continue to support the Xbox Series S despite recent setbacks that affected the launch of the RPG game Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox. The console’s lower power contributed to the delays, causing them to be worse than on PC and PS5, where the ports debuted. Despite this, Microsoft says it’s willing to compromise, acknowledging that Series S ports may have poorer graphics and reduced framerates but will still be available on the platform.
Delays and challenges with Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox
The issues with Baldur’s Gate 3 on Xbox are multifaceted. Originally, the port was planned for Series S, but Microsoft later pushed it to Series X. This led to delays, with the PC and PS5 versions arriving while Xbox players had to wait.
The issue, Microsoft says, is that the game’s features require more power than the console offers, meaning that some features had to be cut to make the game available on Xbox at all. Xbox head Phil Spencer says this isn’t a problem and that the console’s lower power won’t affect future port plans.
“We’re not dropping Series S,” Spencer says when asked about the console’s future. “I know that’s a thing out there, but we’re not. We’re really bullish on where we can go with Series S.”
Spencer acknowledges that Microsoft was willing to compromise regarding the console’s ports, as seen in the removal of couch co-op for Series S players in Baldur’s Gate 3. Despite this, he says the Xbox team isn’t overly concerned about developing games for both consoles, but the situation with the RPG has helped the team learn.
“Certainly there’s a learning,” Spencer says. “We’re not going to stop doing [Xbox] ports, we’re not going to stop supporting Series S. But I think out of this we’ve learned and we’ll do better.”
Debate over the value of Xbox Series S
The uncertainty around Baldur’s Gate 3’s Xbox launch sparked a debate about the value of Series S, given that it costs more than the cheaper console but isn’t always comparable to its more powerful counterpart. Microsoft and Larian Studios have both responded to claims that Series S is holding back the more powerful Series X, saying that it’s up to developers to use the extra power and that Microsoft isn’t holding back features for the more expensive console.
Microsoft will release a black model of Series S with increased storage on September 1, with a $50 price increase. The Series S remains a budget-friendly option, priced $150 below Series X.
The Xbox team’s commitment to Series S suggests it will remain in the market for the foreseeable future, with Microsoft looking to avoid launching Series ports after PS5 releases going forward.
Featured imageCredit: Microsoft.
