Having the Xbox Series S on the market is important to Xbox boss Phil Spencer. Speaking to Eurogamer, Spencer was asked about this particular system and its place both in the console space now and in the gaming industry as a whole.
According to him, Microsoft needed a console that was specifically aimed at those who could not (and perhaps still cannot) afford the $500 Xbox Series X. Thus, the Series S meets an important need as an “entry-level price for many new families or players entering the market.”
“Having an entry-level price for a console… it’s good for the industry,” he continued. ” [Nintendo] The Switch was able to do that in terms of traditional plug-in-my-TV consoles. I think that’s important. So we are committed.
According to Spencer, the Series S also allows Microsoft to avoid dropping prices at the same rate as previous generations. He was candid, saying that with the components used to build systems today, “you can’t start with a $500 console thinking it’s going to get to $200.”
In 2021, the Xbox Series X|S lineup (and other consoles like the PlayStation 5) faced supply issues due to component shortages. Spencer noted that “you can’t buy them as a hardware manufacturer anymore because no one makes RAM or other components like this.”
“It’s not like it used to be when you could take a spec and then use it for 10 years and get the prices down. That’s why you’re seeing console prices relatively flat.”
The Xbox Series S will eventually get around to it
During the Eurogamer interview, Spencer was also asked about the possibility of ditching the Xbox Series S and focusing on the Series X. It was noted that in recent years, developers have expressed some frustration with having to develop for two separate Xboxes. , with the S series being the weaker of the two.
Earlier this summer, for example, Larian Studios said it would take time to ship Baldur’s Gate III for the Xbox precisely because of the technological capabilities of the Series S. At the time, Larian boss Sven Vinke said that there were “constraints” that needed to be overcome, which contributed to the delayed release of the game for consoles.
Spencer acknowledged that he had received feedback from Larian (and other developers) about the shortcomings of the Series S. But it was vital to him that the system had the same notoriety as the Series X, saying that they were designed to be similar (despite different goals in terms of performance).
“I don’t see a world where we let the S go,” Spencer said. “I want to make sure that the games are available on both, that’s our job as a platform owner, and we’re working on that with our partners. And I think we will achieve that with Larian. So I’m not too worried about it, but we’ve learned something from it.”
The full interview with Eurogamer’s Phil Spencer, which also covers the upcoming closure of the Xbox 360 Store and the continued growth of Xbox Game Pass, can be read here.