Xbox Chief Phil Spencer Reaffirms Commitment to Series S Console’s Vital Role

In a recent chat, Phil Spencer, the head honcho at Xbox, shared some insights about the Xbox Series S and its role in game development. While players can enjoy top-tier Xbox titles on both the Series X and S, there’s been chatter among developers about the challenges of adapting games for the less powerful Series S alongside its beefier counterpart. So, hearing Spencer call the Series S an "important design point" is certainly intriguing.

Phil Spencer Highlights a Key Advantage the Xbox Team Has with the Series S

Spencer suggests that in today’s landscape, where portable and less powerful devices are becoming more common, the Xbox team’s experience in developing for the Series S gives them a unique edge. Some developers have previously raised concerns about the difficulties of creating games for the Series S. However, Spencer believes that the Series S is fully capable of delivering a great current-gen gaming experience.

During his appearance on The Destin Channel, Spencer addressed whether Xbox might consider changing its parity clause, which mandates that developers ensure their games work on both the Series X and S. "In many ways, I actually think the opposite," Spencer stated. "With the surge of handheld PCs and introductions like the Switch 2, we’re building across a spectrum of device specifications. From battery-powered, less powerful units to plug-in ones, we’ve adapted our games accordingly."

He elaborated, "The fact that we’ve been targeting the Series S for so long offers us a significant advantage. Our games are versatile enough to run on a myriad of devices. When we encounter gadgets like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally, having an optimized S version of our games aligns well with the specs of many new devices. That, to me, is beneficial."

Moreover, the flexibility of modern game engines allows them to scale impressively— from high-end, ray tracing-capable graphics cards on desktops to battery-operated handhelds. He’s convinced that the Series S plays a crucial role in Xbox’s game library.

We’ve heard about the challenges in equating the gaming experience between the Series X and S before. Remember when there was a delay in the Xbox release of Baldur’s Gate 3 due to hiccups with split-screen co-op on the Series S? Microsoft ended up stepping in to assist, eventually allowing all of us to dive into one of the finest RPGs available on Xbox in years.

Spencer also remarked on gaming experiences, saying, “I’m playing Indiana Jones on the Series S, and it looks fantastic. It’s certainly up to the task of handling modern games incredibly well. Many upcoming games are designed to support a range of devices, and the Series S specs match neatly with what’s hitting the market now. I believe it offers a crucial blueprint for future teams, balancing power with performance.”

What are your thoughts on Spencer’s perspective? How has your journey with the Xbox Series S been so far? Share in the comments! And if you’re exploring Indiana Jones like Spencer, remember that Indiana Jones and the Great Circle will soon be fixing some pesky bugs.