The Xbox Series S has been a point of contention for many in the industry since pretty much the moment it was first unveiled, if not before that. The console offers a surprisingly cheap new-generation alternative to prospective buyers, but that cheaper prices comes at the cost of significantly reduced specs as compared to the Xbox Series X. While many have claimed that the console’s lower specs will prove to be detrimental in the long run, especially for multiplatform developers who will have to build all of their games with the low-spec machine in mind, others have insisted that that won’t be the case, and that the console is a very capable machine in and of itself.
Another developer who falls in the latter camp is Tommy Refenes, co-creator of Super Meat Boy and lead designer on its recently released sequel, Super Meat Boy Forever. Speaking recently in an interview with GamingBolt, Refenes said that though the console will suffer from sacrifices in terms of image quality in some areas, having games running at 1440p and 60 FPS (which is what Microsoft have been touting for the machine) is still a good deal, and that by the time the Xbox Series S becomes weak enough to not be able to keep up with the demands of game development, the current console generation will be nearing its end as it is.
“Yeah, I think it will,” said Refenes, when asked if the Xbox Series S will hold up for graphically intensive ninth generation games. “I mean you may have a few less effects, some crustier looking shadows and puddles and stuff but overall having a game run at 1440p at 60FPS is pretty great. It might make a difference in 5-8 years but I imagine by then even the Series X and PS5 will be nearing the end of their life cycle if they haven’t already been upstaged by their respective bigger, better versions.”
Microsoft themselves seem supremely confident in the Xbox Series S and what it will be capable of. The company has insisted that the machine will not hold back new generation games on a technical level, while Xbox boss Phil Spencer has stated that Microsoft expects Xbox Series S to be the more successful Xbox Series model in the long run.
Super Meat Boy Forever is out now for PC and Nintendo Switch, and is also due out for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, and Android. Our full interview with Refenes will be live soon, so stay tuned for that.
