Xbox Chief Says Xbox Series X Games Won't Be Held Back By Cross-Releases

With concerns that Xbox Series X games might be hamstrung by releases for the Xbox One, Microsoft executive vice-president of Gaming Phil Spencer reassured the public that this will not be the case.

Spencer clarified that upcoming games from Microsoft were being developed for both the current Xbox One and the coming Xbox Series X even as his company has been steadily releasing information about the next-gen console including details about backward compatibility.

Unlike rival Sony, Microsoft games will be accessible across multiple devices, new and old. The highly promoted Smart Delivery system automatically optimizes a game for whichever system it's running on. With Smart Delivery, If a player purchases a new release for their Xbox One and later purchases an Xbox Series X, they will receive a free upgrade to the improved version, notes ScreenRant.

Microsoft has promoted the Play Anywhere cross-buy program for years because it allows games to be purchased once, then played on both Xbox One and PC. The new Smart Delivery program will likely benefit Microsoft's Game Pass once next-generation games become available for subscribers.

Still, the crossover has raised concerns among some players that by releasing new games on both consoles, Xbox Series X titles will not be able to reach their full potential.

Spencer dismissed those fears, considering players' concerns over performance a symptom of the ongoing console war and is confident in developers' abilities to produce high-performing games across diverse system specs. Rather, Spencer would like players to think about the opportunities and possibilities offered by cross-gen production and not the limitations, ScreenRant points out.

"We should applaud load times and fidelity of scenes and framerate and input latency, and all of these things that we've focused on with the next generation,” Spencer said. “But that should not exclude people from being able to play. That's our point. How do we create an ecosystem where if you want to play an Xbox game, we're going to give you a way to go play it?"

The reality of the current pandemic might force many gamers to hold off on buying next-gen consoles at launch or immediately after launch later this year. Thus, fans should jump at the opportunity to save money and play new games on older hardware, especially in a time when console prices are set to skyrocket and the global economy limps along.