Xbox Series X is finally going to reach its potential – here's why
Microsoft has revealed it's no longer making Xbox One games, which is great news for Xbox Series X owners
Microsoft has announced that its first-party studios are no longer making Xbox One games and will instead focus on Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S from now on.
Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty made the admission to Axios, saying: “We’ve moved on to Gen 9”, meaning we won’t see any more releases from Xbox Game Studios on Xbox One, Xbox One S, or Xbox One X.
That doesn’t mean those consoles will be left behind completely, however. As we’ve already seen with a handful of Xbox Series X|S exclusives, those with older systems will be able to use Xbox Cloud Gaming to stream games. This was the case with Microsoft Flight Simulator 23 and The Medium, which were Gen 9-only releases, and the same will be true of Starfield and Forza Motorsport.
➡️ The Shortcut Skinny: Xbox Series X unleashed
🙌 Microsoft is finally leaving the Xbox One behind
🔎 Its first-party studios are now only focusing on Xbox Series X|S developers
☁️ Those with older Xbox consoles can still play Gen 9 games using Xbox Cloud Gaming
🙅♂️ Big upcoming releases like Starfield and Forza Motorsport won’t run on Xbox One
Microsoft made a commitment to bring its games to Xbox One and its new consoles, but many have wondered whether that was holding the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S back. After seeing the types of games Microsoft is making during its Xbox Games Showcase, it appears as though the shackles of ensuring a game runs well on 2013 hardware are finally coming off.
The Xbox Series X is the most powerful console on the market, at least on paper, though we’ve arguably been waiting to see its true potential. Yes, there are some gorgeous games on the platform, but nothing of the scope of Starfield or the technical fidelity of Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.
Even the new Fable reboot is leagues above anything we’ve seen before – so much so, that people have been doubting its authenticity. That led a developer at Playground Games, which is working on the game, to tweet that “people not believing this [Fable] is ‘real’ or that the game will look like this is one of the best compliments.”
Like Microsoft, Sony has also straddled both generations with many of its first-party releases, such as Gran Turismo 7, Horizon Forbidden West, and God of War Ragnarok. However, we’ve seen far more PS5-only releases from Sony, including Returnal, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, The Last of Us Part 1, and Demon’s Souls.
Here’s hoping, then, that Microsoft can finally flex its muscles and deliver the type of next-gen experiences many have been waiting for by putting the aging Xbox One out to pasture.
If you haven’t picked up an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S yet, Microsoft announced a new black Xbox Series S with a 1TB SDD. It’s out on September 1, just before Starfield’s release date on September 6. Check out the Starfield Constellation Edition and Starfield Xbox controller if you’re excited about Bethesda’s upcoming space-faring RPG.