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Xbox Series S Parity Clause Is Staying Put, Phil Spencer Says
- Thread starter SweetTooth
- Start date
RetroGamingUK
Member
I find it hilarious when people say they’ll drop Series S once enough developers just throw in the towel trying to get games running on it.
It would solve the development problem though, just as much as launching a new console next generation next year would.
Seemed like a good idea during the chip shortage though.
Guardian Monkey
Member
I wonder if Switch 2 makes this a moot point now.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
They’ll stick to it because of the Switch 2 and their own handheld that’s coming.
Yep, I'm surprised they haven't already got one with the features missing in some games.
On one hand they'll get more and more cases of Baldur's Gate 3 and Wukong going forward.
On the other those who learn how to downgrade their games well enough will resell the experience for the benefit of other platforms like Switch 2 and the handheld PCs.
Basically the kind of shooting themselves in the foot you expect from Phil Spencer
On the other those who learn how to downgrade their games well enough will resell the experience for the benefit of other platforms like Switch 2 and the handheld PCs.
Basically the kind of shooting themselves in the foot you expect from Phil Spencer
RetroGamingUK
Member
Killjoy-NL
Member
What's the problem? I thought it was just a matter of adjusting a few sliders?
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
I remember when this was the narrative.
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
'Xbox Series S Parity Clause Is Staying During Sex'
The stupidest narrative was that the Series S was more capable and had more headroom at 1080p than PS5/XSX at 4k therefore it would be running higher fps. Now you have games that are stuck at 30fps on Series S. The xbox evangelists aren't very bright.
PeteBull
Member
Yup, even DF got paid to recommend/praise series S, i said got paid coz there is no way they did it from unbiased pov, they knew full well series s will kneecap series X with many games, they are more techsavy than most gaffers and we recognised weakness of series s right away.
Killjoy-NL
Member
This was pretty much confirmed with the leaked emails from Spencer where he stated that he discussed Road to PS5 with DF and they agreed with Mark Cerny.
UltimaKilo
Gold Member
Late 2026 would be an interesting launch for a new console, but there doesn’t seem to be enough runway to make that happen. They really should have added more RAM to the Series S at launch.
I’m surprised they haven’t redesigned the Series S to be even smaller and more efficient.
alphachino
Member
It might have its uses today for there to be a lower-spec target, but it was certainly not a risk worth taking back at the beginning of this generation and can easily be pin-pointed as one of a number of major reasons for xbox's abject failure this gen.
The over-arching theme though is simply bad planning, strategy and execution. It's utterly wild how badly they've failed this gen.
The over-arching theme though is simply bad planning, strategy and execution. It's utterly wild how badly they've failed this gen.
HJuggernaut
Member
Im starting to think phil is worse than matricks
Astray
Member
I think the gaming public needs to understand that they're just plain locked into some things by now. You can't rugpull those Series S owners when we're not even deep into the gen.
Doing away with the parity clause also probably complicates future gamepass deals because now you have to maintain 2 gamepass versions for the same platform.
I would have honestly stuck to releasing something stronger than Series S and undercutting Sony on price, leave the X for later in the gen.
But Phil's inner console warrior couldn't abide letting go of the power crown even temporarily.
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Bernardougf
Member
Nop .. will continue to be ignored or receive shit ports from Third party as usual specially once the next gen kicks in ...
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Astray
Member
Nintendo doesn't throw public hissy-fits when devs don't port to their hardware though.
Don is Canadian which is a plus. Phil is worse by default. Also Don was peak Accolade.
Killjoy-NL
Member
Like it would've mattered.
Orbital2060
Member
Phil looking at the pile of money on the Switch 2 table
SkylineRKR
Member
When I boot it up I absolutely adore my XSS. I like its design and form factor, and its lightning fast. But the kicker is, I never bought a new or current-gen game for it. I did play Halo:I and FH5 via GP, because they were 'free', but I never bought a new retail release that wasn't a remaster of sorts. Its not capable of doing these things, unless you want to settle with a heavily gimped experience for the same price as the XSX and PS5 version. I get it, since that copy also works on XSX with superior perf.
But anyway, the XSS is a double edged sword. If its their best selling SKU it is because it has always been readily available and its cheaper. This means your userbase gave less fucks about your flagship product. Which means MS has a problem because they are forced to scale back to XSS.
All these potential issues, every one of them, could be easily avoided had MS just put a XSX Digital for 399 on the market. They would likely have at least the same shitty sales, but Baldurs Gate, Wukong etc would be on time, there would be less backlash from developers and less bad press around the hardware.
But anyway, the XSS is a double edged sword. If its their best selling SKU it is because it has always been readily available and its cheaper. This means your userbase gave less fucks about your flagship product. Which means MS has a problem because they are forced to scale back to XSS.
All these potential issues, every one of them, could be easily avoided had MS just put a XSX Digital for 399 on the market. They would likely have at least the same shitty sales, but Baldurs Gate, Wukong etc would be on time, there would be less backlash from developers and less bad press around the hardware.
DeltaPolarBear
Member
That is what they NEED to do, in order to escape the mistake that was Series S without getting the mob lynching them. However, launching a new gen early is easier said than done. Do they even have ANY games ready as a launch title? Guess not.
So basically, they only have bad choices left. But all this could have been avoided if Series S had at least more Ram.
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vaibhavpisal
Member
Its making more sense as time passes.
I was expecting it to struggle by now, 4 yrs into the gen, but just now it got properly optimised title for it in Indiana Jones.
With handhelds coming in, I doubt it is least powerful hardware on market. Am sure this model will be adapted by Playstation next gen, either for a handheld or a cheaper alternative to make their consoles more appealing to mass market.
I was expecting it to struggle by now, 4 yrs into the gen, but just now it got properly optimised title for it in Indiana Jones.
With handhelds coming in, I doubt it is least powerful hardware on market. Am sure this model will be adapted by Playstation next gen, either for a handheld or a cheaper alternative to make their consoles more appealing to mass market.
ZiggyPop1991
Member
If the series S is their top selling of the two. Sales for either one have slowed. The Switch 2 right around the corner. What would launching a new console do for them once the diehards and new toy enthusiast buy it? Honest question. I honestly think they would be better off pushing Window and game pass devices such as helds , 3rd party collabs, etc. They scooped up some of the industry biggest names and still sold less than what they previously sold. Which is sad because more competition is how we keep the other competitors in check.
Astray
Member
Ego boost for their execs to boast about in discord calls with the Timdogs of the world.
Also all competitions have an end point, at some point the market chooses and you have to work around that choice.
SkylineRKR
Member
I've always felt something is off about all this.
I bought the XSS at launch day, and it had always been available for shipping throughout the shortages and pandemic. It was even slashed by Amazon to 249 bucks about 6 months after launch. I was never under the impression that it sold really well or was in that high demand. Available XSX stocks would sell out immediately.
Maybe it sold a bit more because it was actually available, but this would mean it was never a first choice. It could also mean the XSX must've sold really, really bad from the day it launched. I think all in all MS is in a very shitty situation they can't get out of right now. The XSS didn't devalue the XSX, yet it supposedly sold better. And outside a vacuum it doesn't sell well at all.
This was the absolute fucking worst. The HDD of the premium was already pathetic and not future proof at 20gb, let alone the lack of HDMI which was kind of stupid by late 2005. But the tard pack? MS held the indie and digital space, which were rising at the time, hostage. Games had to go to what was it, a pathetic 100mb? Even a PSX port like SoTN had its shitty CG scenes butchered. Sony really pressed on, they had no limit afaik and had great digital only games on PS3. MS eventually dropped this mandate, and dropped its shitty proprietary HDD too.
Moriarty1889
Member
Spencer should have realized by now how limited the Series S is and stop being so bullish on it. He created this monster of Series S parity and Gamepass and it has managed to devour the platform while he remains defiant.
Unknown?
Member
This year they will probably be around 4 million worldwide and by 2026, they'd be at even less. Absolutely NO momentum going into new hardware is bad but jumping the gun would be a Atari Jaguar-like situation.
justiceiro
Marlboro: Other M
Praise Phil. The only one who decided to throw us a bone in a sure to disappoint generation. It's nice to own a console and play new games at a reasonable price in this decade.
nush
Gold Member
Go back in time to the chip shortage during the pandemic, it was a lucky accident it sold well out of the gate. It fooled MSFT into thinking their strategy actually worked.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Ding ding ding. Switch 2 will keep 'low powered' console(s) viable for a good few years more.
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Soapbox Killer
Grand Nagus
I'll never understand the narrative that the Series S hindered production in anyway. It's crazy to me.
cireza
Member
Series S was definitely a smart move, and one time MS predicted very well the market.
BlackTron
Member
Pretty much this. I really like my Series S as well, but I don't really buy anything on it except things like the Batman 3-pack for 8 dollars. And my friend uses it to join Halo games I'm playing from PC (2-3 times a year).
It's smaller, quieter and runs cooler than PS4 Pro while offering snappier performance. So it's become my default TV box before changing inputs, but the games have been on my account for 15 years, deep discount crossgen or like 2 Play Anywhere titles.
I don't want to have to add a fan to my TV stand or for it to look like a massive undulating router. With a decent PC I just want the best console I can get without all that crap and the S is right around there. Since Nintendo doesn't like apps, I'll probably continue to use it as my TV box even as Switch 2 and PC hardware progresses. I'll never need a better hardware for 360 titles or to prevent me from having to log into my TV.
Would I have bought it at retail for full price? Heavens no. I'd have just kept a fan blowing on my Playstation and spent less time playing Defense Grid 1 last year.
Guardian Monkey
Member
Mid-90s, they already fought that battle and said fuck it.
Anyhow the series S is fine. If a dev team can’t develop for it it’s due to not managing scope or lack of time. Wukong was a relatively small team considering the large scope of the game. BG3 started development like two generations ago.
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