Microsoft just made Xbox's best move in YEARS!
Summary
TLDRIn this episode of 'Xbox Ready', Ray discusses the ongoing controversy surrounding the Xbox Series S, focusing on its impact on game development as highlighted by Warhorse Studios' claims that the console's limitations affected the scope of 'Kingdom Come Deliverance 2'. The video explores the community's divided reactions, the challenges faced by developers, and the need for a balanced approach to accommodate both the Series S and its audience, while considering the future of Xbox platform strategy.
Takeaways
- 🎮 The Xbox Series S has been a controversial console since its release, often blamed for limitations in game performance and scope.
- 🔥 The console's critics argue that it holds back gaming progress, with some developers and gamers calling it underpowered and a burden to the industry.
- 📉 Warhorse Studios, creators of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, claimed the Series S' technical limitations, particularly its 10 GB of RAM, affected the scope of the sequel, limiting the game's size increase to 25%.
- 🌐 There's a divide in the gaming community: some blame developers for not optimizing well, while others blame Xbox for releasing a less powerful console.
- 💡 Laran Studios found a new optimization method for Baldur's Gate 3 on the Series S that benefited all versions of the game, showing potential for the console's capabilities.
- 🤔 The video raises questions about the necessity of developing for the Series S, especially when other less powerful consoles like the Nintendo Switch don't receive the same criticism.
- 🛍️ The Series S has been a sales success, indicating a market for a budget-friendly console that can still deliver quality gaming experiences.
- 🛠️ Developers generally dislike creating multiple versions of their games for different platforms, which can be a challenge with the并存 of the Series X and Series S.
- 🔍 The video suggests that Xbox and developers need to find a balance, possibly by focusing on PC game versions that can be adapted for Xbox, to avoid the need for separate console optimizations.
- 🚀 Rumors of future Xbox consoles, possibly including a handheld or a hybrid PC/console, hint at potential solutions to the current challenges faced by the Series S.
- 🔑 The key takeaway is that the success of the Series S with consumers shows there's a demand for a more affordable console option, and the industry will need to adapt to meet these needs.
Q & A
What is the main topic discussed in the video script?
-The main topic discussed in the video script is the ongoing controversy surrounding the Xbox Series S and its perceived limitations in comparison to other gaming consoles, particularly in relation to the development of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.
Why has the Xbox Series S been a subject of controversy?
-The Xbox Series S has been a subject of controversy due to its technical limitations, such as having only 10 GB of RAM, which some developers claim has held back the scope and quality of certain games, including Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.
What was the claim made by Warhorse Studios regarding the Xbox Series S and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2?
-Warhorse Studios claimed that the scope of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was limited because of the technical limitations of the Xbox Series S, specifically citing the console's 10 GB of RAM as a constraint that affected the game's size and scope.
What does the game's producer mean by the Xbox Series S having only 25% more RAM than the Xbox One, limiting the game to only being 25% bigger?
-The game's producer is suggesting that because the Xbox Series S has only a modest increase in RAM compared to the Xbox One, they are restricted in how much they can expand the game's content, implying that the Series S is a limiting factor in the game's development.
What are the performance expectations for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2?
-The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X versions of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 are expected to run at 4K resolution with 30 FPS, although it is not specified whether this will be native 4K or upscaled.
What is the speaker's view on blaming customers for the limitations of the Xbox Series S?
-The speaker is against blaming customers for the limitations of the Xbox Series S, arguing that it is not the customer's fault and that developers and platform holders should adapt to the preferences of their customer base.
What is the role of Squarespace in the video script?
-Squarespace is the sponsor of the video, and the script includes a promotion for their website-building services, offering a discount code for viewers.
What is the speaker's opinion on the importance of having a large map in open-world games?
-The speaker believes that having a large map in open-world games is not always beneficial and can lead to a bloated gaming experience, suggesting that quality and focused content are more important than sheer size.
What is the speaker's suggestion for Microsoft's approach to game development for the Xbox Series S going forward?
-The speaker suggests that Microsoft should be more flexible with game development requirements for the Xbox Series S, potentially allowing developers to focus on a single PC version of their game that can be adapted for the console, rather than requiring specific versions for different Xbox models.
What are the rumored future Xbox consoles, and how might they address the current issues with the Xbox Series S?
-The rumored future Xbox consoles include a handheld Xbox and a next-generation hybrid PC/console. These could potentially run PC versions of games, which would then be emulated on the consoles, addressing the issue of having to develop separate versions for different Xbox models.
What is the current market trend regarding the preference for more affordable gaming consoles?
-The market trend shows that there is a significant demand for more affordable gaming consoles, with people continuing to buy the Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, and Steam Deck, indicating that many consumers prioritize cost and portability over high-end performance.
Outlines
🎮 Xbox Series S Controversy
The script opens with a discussion on the Xbox Series S and its ongoing controversies within the gaming community. It mentions how the console has been criticized for its performance limitations, particularly in relation to high-profile games like Cyberpunk, Gotham Knights, Starfield, and Redfall. The video host, Ray, highlights the backlash against the Series S, suggesting that it's often blamed for developers' inability to achieve optimal performance on consoles. However, Ray also points out that some developers have found innovative ways to optimize games for the Series S, as seen in the development of Baldur's Gate 3. The conversation takes a turn when Warhorse Studios claims that the Series S's technical limitations have impacted the scope of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, sparking a renewed debate on the console's role in gaming.
🏰 Kingdom Come Deliverance 2's Development Challenges
This paragraph delves into the specific challenges faced by Warhorse Studios in developing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, particularly in relation to the Xbox Series S. The game's producer stated that the console's 10 GB RAM limitation has restricted the game's scope, allowing only a 25% increase in size compared to its predecessor. The paragraph also contrasts this with other games that have successfully managed to run on less powerful hardware, questioning the validity of Warhorse's claims. It brings up the inconsistency in the studio's messaging, as previous reports suggested a much larger game world was planned. The script also touches on the broader implications for the gaming industry, with developers expressing frustration over the need to optimize games for multiple platforms, including the Series S.
🤔 Developer Perspectives on the Xbox Series S
The script explores various developers' perspectives on the Xbox Series S, highlighting the challenges and complexities of game development across different platforms. It includes an interview with Chrissa Sako, the creative director at Turn 10, who discusses the optimization process for Forza Motorsport, emphasizing that the Series S was never a hindrance to their development. The paragraph also references a Skillup interview that suggests developers are more concerned with optimizing for platforms like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch rather than blaming the Series S for performance issues. The discussion underscores the need for the gaming industry to adapt to consumer preferences for more affordable and less powerful consoles, like the Series S, and the importance of developers focusing on the PC version for optimization.
🛠️ The Future of Xbox and the Series S
In the final paragraph, the script speculates on the future of Xbox and the Series S, considering the need for Microsoft to address the ongoing controversy and developer concerns. It suggests that rumors of new Xbox models, including a handheld or a hybrid PC/console, could offer a solution by allowing developers to focus on a single PC version of their games, which could then be emulated on various Xbox platforms. The paragraph also contemplates whether dropping the requirement for third-party developers to create Series S versions of their games could alleviate some of the pressure and controversy. The script concludes by acknowledging the popularity of the Series S among consumers and the need for the gaming industry to find a balance that satisfies both developers and players.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Xbox Series S
💡Controversial
💡Game Development
💡Technical Limitations
💡RAM
💡4K Resolution
💡Game Pass
💡Optimization
💡Customer Base
💡Squarespace
💡Handheld Xbox
Highlights
The Xbox Series S is often criticized for its perceived limitations, affecting game development and performance.
Warhorse Studios claims the scope of 'Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2' was limited due to the Series S's technical constraints.
The Series S has been blamed for performance issues in games like Cyberpunk, Gotham Knights, and Starfield, despite similar issues on other platforms.
Laran Studios found new optimization techniques for 'Baldur's Gate 3' on the Series S, benefiting all game versions.
Some developers and gamers criticize the Series S for holding back gaming progress, while others defend its role in providing affordable gaming options.
The debate over the Series S's impact on game development has resurfaced with Warhorse Studios' comments on 'Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2'.
The Series S's 10 GB of RAM is cited as a limiting factor for game scope, compared to the 16 GB in the Series X and PlayStation 5.
The presenter expresses surprise at the renewed interest in 'Kingdom Come: Deliverance' and its sequel's development challenges.
Different camps emerge in the gaming community, blaming developers, Xbox, or the customer base for the Series S's impact on gaming.
Squarespace is highlighted as a sponsor, offering an easy way to create professional-looking websites with customizable templates.
The presenter emphasizes the need for a balanced view on the Series S, considering its role in providing accessible gaming options.
Games like 'Cyberpunk 2077' and 'Elden Ring' demonstrate that large, complex games can still run on less powerful consoles like the Series S.
Confusing statements from Warhorse Studios about the game's size and scope between April and the current discussion raise questions.
The presenter questions the necessity of a massive game map, suggesting that quality and optimization might be more important.
Developers' opinions on the Series S vary, with some expressing challenges in optimization, while others see it as a non-issue.
The presenter suggests that the Series S fills a niche for budget-conscious gamers and those less concerned with cutting-edge performance.
Rumors about future Xbox consoles, including a handheld or hybrid PC-like system, could offer solutions to the current challenges faced by the Series S.
The presenter concludes that the Series S is popular among consumers and that its continued support is crucial for Xbox's brand image.
Transcripts
this video is brought to you by
Squarespace it's time for Studios to
admit that Xbox is on to something good
what's up y'all I'm Ray and this is my
channel Xbox ready and today we're going
to be discussing the latest drama going
on in the world of Xbox and it is once
again involving perhaps the world's most
controversial gaming console ever the
Xbox series s now Ray hold up haven't
you already made this video before well
yeah sort of the series s is under Fire
this week and by extension Xbox but this
is far from the only time that this has
happened when the next gen patch for
cyberpunk came around you couldn't get
60 FPS on the series s people called it
trash people called it a potato for some
reason when Gotham Knights came out and
they were like yeah no 60 FPS on
consoles people blame the series s even
though people with the beefiest PCS in
the world couldn't get 60 frames out of
that game when both Starfield and
redfall came out with no performance
mode on Console once again the series s
was to blame and people were left
wondering oh what would Starfield look
like if they didn't have to develop a
series s version and of course when
balers Gate 3 had to the Xbox version of
their game the series s was squarely to
blame but it's not all bad laran Studios
when they were making the series s
version of balers Gate 3 they were like
holy crap we found this like new way to
optimize things that we can use for all
versions of the game not just a series s
truth is there is no shortage of people
over the past four years who have been
critical of the series s and accusing it
of holding back gaming with some people
even going as far to say that it's an
albatross hanging around the neck of
developers and that they wish Microsoft
would drop the required support of the
series s well now the conversation has
started all over again because warhorse
Studios the team behind Kingdom Come
Deliverance said that the scope of
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 was limited
because of the series s during the
ongoing game access event in the Czech
Republic the game's producer said that
the series s technical limitations
namely the 10 GB of RAM have impacted
Kingdom Come Deliverance to scope he
said because the series s only has 25%
more RAM than the Xbox one they can only
make the game 25% bigger he went on to
say that both the series X and the
PlayStation 5 versions of the game will
run at 4K 30 FPS there's no word on
whether that's a native 4K or it's
upscaled in some way I guess you can go
ahead and blame that on the series s to
and now first of all I am amazed that so
many people suddenly care about Kingdom
Come Deliverance I am a huge fan of
medieval games you can see my Witcher
swords hanging in the background I play
freaking hours and hours and hours of
chivalry 2 the most random multiplayer
game to be addicted to I've been playing
through Elden ring I love medieval
fantasy RPGs which is exactly what
kingdom come Deliverance was but when
that first game came out in like 2017
2018 at this point I was so excited but
when it launched all my favorite
YouTubers are like this game has a bunch
of bugs and it's just boring it's mid I
wouldn't recommend buying it so I was
like uh now when these types of
headlines come out and they're bashing
the series ass there are usually two
camps of people that emerge from this
one camp that blames the developers
calls them lazy trying to tell them how
to do their jobs and then another camp
that blames Xbox for putting out this
terrible horribly underpowered machine
and ruining gaming the people that claim
that the series s is holding gaming back
that they looted their Village that they
raised their crops and sewed them with
salt and I'm going to throw in a bonus
group of people that emerges through all
of this people who blame the customer
there seems to be a weird Trend going on
in games journalism where they will
blame the Xbox customer customer base oh
developers don't want to ship their game
on Xbox because Game Pass people just
want to play game pass they don't want
to buy games oh Xbox players are buying
the series s and oh now I got to make a
series s version of the game because
Microsoft is making us and I think that
is absolute Bullit man you should never
blame the customer we'll get more into
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to me talking about this stuff I like to
try to take a more evened approach
mostly because I'm not a game developer
I love video games I have a channel
dedicated to Xbox video games I play a
lot of video games all my life so I
don't want to be like these Twitter
developers I don't want to be like a
couch developer telling actual
developers how to do their jobs but
still I think this whole situation is
kind of weird and it's something that
Xbox fans fans of the video game
industry have to deal with every couple
of months so I thought it was worth
talking about so let's examine some of
the things that are going on with the
series s with warhorse with Kingdom Come
Deliverance to warhorse is saying that
they had to scale down their Ambitions
notably the size of the map which is a
little strange to me because there are
games with massive maps that can run not
only on the series s but other less
powerful consoles games like cyberpunk
Elden ring you can play on the series s
which has a huge map it has a huge map
underneath that map and it also has a
huge map above that map in other
dimensions in that game and they're
adding the DLC in a couple of weeks
which will be a whole other huge map in
terms of size Starfield runs perfectly
fine on the series s it may not have the
most content but in terms of like the
amount of planets that are there it's
pretty big I mean come on we live in a
world where Hogwarts Legacy can run on a
Nintendo switch Xbox One consoles and
PS4 but on the other end I know I have
to pump my breaks when it comes to those
comparisons especially with those games
because all of those games that I just
mentioned are made by very well-funded
very well staffed Studios C project red
has like over 1,000 employees Avalanche
has somewhere like 500 from software not
as big as those it's like 350 to 400
warhorse I'm not entirely familiar with
them but apparently they have about like
250 people working on the game so maybe
they could make their full Ambitions
work but they're just not willing to
because of time and money but then there
are some other really confusing things
just a month and a half ago when they
announced Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 IGN
did an article about it where they
interviewed I can't remember who but
they were like oh yeah Kingdom Come
Deliverance 2 the second game it's going
to be huge it's going to be double in
size it's going to be a behemoth of a
game it's going to be the game that we
wanted to make last time but couldn't so
what happened between April and now how
did it go from oh it's going to be
double the size to uh it's only going to
be 25% bigger did they just remember
that they have to make a series s
version are they realizing oh crap we
can't actually deliver on that promise
so let's try to find an easy way out and
as people pointed out the series s may
have a total memory increase of 25% but
memory that you can use for games
specifically it's more of like a 60%
increase like what are they trying to do
with this map in the game they're saying
that they don't want to do map streaming
they want to load it in all in one chunk
when you get into the game which that
sounds kind of insane to me especially
in a game that is set in medieval times
you have only medieval forms of
Transport on foot or by horse maybe if
it was like a Sci-Fi game or like
teleport around the map or like get in a
helicopter and fly across the map maybe
that would make sense but come on you
could play Microsoft flight simulator on
the series s and that literally has like
down to the minute accurate depictions
of real life places in the world and
regions we can ask all the questions we
want we can make all the arguments we
want but at the end of the day they said
what they said they can only make the
game 25% bigger because of the series s
ultimately I don't think that's going to
be much of an issue as we have seen in
the past especially other open World
Games it is not always a good thing to
have a super big bloated map I feel like
Starfield is a good example of that over
on the PlayStation side I loved ghost of
tsushima but when I got to act three I
was like I'm just going to blow through
the story and finish that I'm kind of
tired running around and checking off
these boxes and the open world system as
much as I like my series s this is a
recurring issue that keeps popping up in
the new cycle but what do other
developers besides warhorse have to say
about the series s and to be honest it's
kind of hard to get a straight answer I
think number one it's very very clear
that developers above all else do not
like to make multiple versions of their
game in a perfect world they would make
one version of the game whether it's
Playstation Xbox PC and call it a day
but as we know financially that doesn't
always make sense when Forza Motorsport
came out I got to interview Chrissy saki
turn 10's creative director and it was
right around the time when everyone was
talking about how balers Gate 3 couldn't
come to Xbox because of the Series S and
I was like hey man like what do you
think about this whole situation this
whole discourse around the series s are
can you speak a little bit about what
it's like to develop such a visually
impressive game for not just one Xbox
but two Xboxes and PC what's that like
um very challenging yeah well not in
terms of um can we make this work on
Series S that wasn't the challenge right
the challenge is how good can we make it
look right cuz it's all like we we
always knew it was going to run
fantastically on the series s um or any
platform that we were were develop we
actually prototyped um a lot of the
early physics and Ai and um we
prototyped on the previous gen Xbox
right so okay you know because we didn't
have a lot of the environments built up
yet that took advantage of all the new
rendering and all the new power of the
the new Xboxes so um to to think that
the series s would have helped this back
in any way is just is completely
incorrect right okay um I mean we've
we're so good at optimizing we're so
good at making sure that whatever we
build in terms of rendering in terms of
our physics that it can run on a variety
and range of of of U platforms obviously
because of PC right um we wanted to make
sure the lower end of PC could really
handle a lot of the stuff that we're
doing did a ton of optimization to make
sure it looked great and place great
across everything um so yeah I I I it's
unfortunate we've got caught up in this
narrative around the S um in some in
some way but um I I assure you like I
I've spent so much time on the series s
i um it it plays wonderfully it looks
great um and in no way do I believe that
the series s is a um lesser version of
Motorsport um I mean it's my preferred
way of playing anyway on the on between
the two just because I love the console
but I can't help but wonder I'm like is
he just saying that because Xbox is his
boss and if he said yeah the series s
sucks he would be in really really big
trouble skillup recently interviewed a
bunch of devs about the Xbox platform
and one of them straight up said that
developing a game for Xbox isn't really
the problem in a world where the targets
for optimization are the steam deck and
Nintendo switch which I think is very
interesting because no one ever blames
the switch or the steam deck for holding
back gaming just the series s but I get
it the series s is not as powerful as a
PlayStation 5 it's not as powerful as a
series X it's not like a true nextg
console if that makes sense it's like
something in between it's way more
powerful than a 1x digital Foundry just
did a whole comprehensive comparison on
that no matter what the answer is Xbox
Studios they need to figure it out
because we're four years into this
generation and the customers have spoken
people are interested in a low budget
slightly lower spec console and that's
not just a series S no people continue
to buy switches people continue to buy
the LCD screen steam decks there is a
good chunk of people out there that
don't care about performance they don't
care about Graphics they don't care
about huge massive maps and games I mean
look at Spider-Man 2 versus Miles
Morales in that first Spider-Man it's
not like they tripled the size of New
York City they were like no let's add
Brooklyn and some other areas and call
it a day and people were still like yeah
this is dope Xbox has had a rough couple
of years they've done a lot of
questionable things but one of the
things that they've done right and I
will probably get a lot of flack for
this is releasing the series s we live
in a world where things are getting so
so expensive not just video games but
everything else food gas just just being
alive in this generation Xbox came out
and they were like hey if you don't want
to blow a ton of money but want to play
the latest games here's the series s it
starts at like 300 I bought mine for $
250 and for
$250 I am not going to be doing a lot of
complaining and their customers have
really responded to it people are buying
more Series S consoles than series X and
you could say a bunch of stuff about
that oh well there was the console
shortage the series s was available the
series X wasn't but at the end of the
day people are still buying and so now
Xbox is in this position where they got
to figure out hey how can we get these
people the console that they want at the
price they want but also make developers
happy that is the challenge for them and
if your Xbox you don't want these
headlines to keep popping up every
couple of months it's just not something
that you want associated with your brand
so what can they do going forward to
change that well we've seen that Xbox
Microsoft they can be a little bit
flexible when it comes to game
supporting certain features on the
series s we've really only seen a
compromise from them with balers Gate 3
laran Studios when they were like okay
you don't have to put split screen on
the series s version of your game drop
it just get balers Gate 3 on Xbox for
features like that I think that is a
totally fair compromise because again
people are buying this thing knowing
it's not the most powerful console ever
this is something that Studios and
platform holders have to pay attention
to customers are saying that they want
more affordable consoles they want to
play their games a certain way like
through Game Pass and Studios platform
holders Executives they need to stop
with this whole thing of like oh God I
got to develop a series ass version I
got to freaking put my game on Game Pass
that's not the customer's problem
they're telling you that they want to
play and experience their games a
certain way so the businesses are the
ones that should figure that out and K
to that and while all these things we've
been hearing about the new Xboxes coming
out are still rumors at this point the
handheld Xbox the next gen Xbox that is
more like a hybrid PC kind of console
thing that could be the perfect solution
for this whole mess from Microsoft going
forward they should absolutely continue
to have two different Xboxes one that's
a little bit cheaper not as powerful
maybe a handheld that you can take with
you on the go and then a powerful one
and the most interesting rumors that I
hear about the handheld Xbox or the
techn Next Generation leap thing that
Sarah Bon keeps talking about is the
possibility that they' be running PC
versions of the game emulating them on
some sort of Windows arm situation for
the handheld or even on the standard
Xbox NextGen console because then you
kill two birds with one stone you still
have that more affordable console that
fans want and you're not asking Studios
developers to make another version of
their game they just have to focus on
the PC version and ultimately that's why
people don't blame the steam deck for
holding back gaming even though some
other people are like yeah that's our
Target for optimization because no
studios out here making a steam deck
specific version of their game it's not
happening they're making the PC version
of their game and then they're saying
hey valve now you get to figure out how
you run our game on your hardware and
ultimately that's exactly what I think
Xbox should do they need to change their
approach here they need to stop saying
hey if you want to ship on the Xbox
platform you have to have Future parody
between the series X and S you got to
ship on Game Pass you got to do this
this and this Xbox should be the one
saying okay how can we get your game to
work on our platform so our fans can
play it but that's all in the future
right Xbox at least for the next couple
of years is going to be obligated to
support the Xbox series s and third
party Studios too I would say what at
minimum they have to keep making Series
S versions of the game for the next 6
years and as long as that is happening
this is going to continue to pop up for
Xbox so should they drop the requirement
for third-party Studios to make a series
s version of their game is this going to
be a problem for bigger titles coming up
in the future like the next Grand Theft
Auto the next Elder Scrolls the next
Fallout I don't have the answers but
it's something once again that Xbox
needs to figure out Studios need to
figure it out because at the end of the
day people like their Series S and
that's all that matters anyways guys
that's all the Xbox stuff I have to talk
about today thanks so much for joining
me for another edition of Xbox ready if
you made it this far into the video if
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consider subscribing thanks again for
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