The list of game developers who’ve criticized the Xbox Series S’s lower-spec hardware and the limitations that it poses has grown longer and longer with time. From Baldur’s Gate 3 to Black Myth: Wukong, several Xbox ports have also suffered delays because of the machine. However, it seems like Microsoft has no intention of dropping mandatory support for Xbox Series S.
In a recent interview with Destin Legarie, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer stated that the company has no plans for Xbox Series X-exclusive releases. Spencer pointed to the “rise of handheld PCs” and the upcoming launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, stating that support for varied spec devices will continue in the industry.
“I think about it almost exactly the opposite way right now,” Spencer said (transcription via Pure Xbox). “With the rise of handheld PCs and even the introduction so far of the Switch 2, as developers, we’re building on more device spec. I actually think we have a real advantage because we’ve been targeting the Series S for quite a while. So, when we look at a Steam Deck or a ROG Ally or something, we’ve got this Series S version of the games that’s more tailored to the device specs of a lot of devices that frankly are getting introduced right now. And frankly, the scalability of engines today allows them to scale.”
“I’m playing Indiana Jones on the Series S, and it looks great,” he added, “so it’s definitely capable of playing current-generation games in a great way, but most of your games that are going to be out there are going to be supporting these different devices, and the Series S spec actually maps pretty well to the devices that we’re seeing introduced right now. So, I think it’s actually an important design point for teams going forward – that kind of power/performance mix you see in the Xbox Series S.”
The cheaper of Microsoft’s current-gen machines has certainly proven controversial since its release in 2020. However, it also clearly has its own unique advantages, especially for more casual buyers.
Of course, with leaks claiming that a next-gen Xbox console is targeting a 2026 release, it will be interesting to see how long Xbox Series X/S remain actively supported.
