Xbox boss: the best argument against the Xbox Series S was Sony

Microsoft’s Xbox Series S wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret, but the company’s decision to make a second, next-gen Xbox to take on the PS5 wasn’t an easy one. Ultimately, Microsoft’s decision to build two next-gen consoles came from the company’s desire to reach a larger audience than Sony was targeting.

The Xbox Series S doesn’t have the raw power found in the larger Xbox Series X or the PS5. Many wonder why Microsoft created two very different next-gen Xbox consoles, while Sony focused on a single powerful PS5. Some Microsoft employees were even questioning the decision, and the company’s Xbox chief revealed to The edge that “the best argument against [two next-gen consoles] was Sony.

In an interview with The edgeMicrosoft’s head of games, Phil Spencer, says the idea of ​​an entry-level Xbox Series S “has been challenged on a number of occasions internally.” Despite reservations and Spencer having “a ton of respect for what Sony does,” Microsoft persisted in creating the $ 299 S-Series as a more affordable entry point into next-gen games, knowing that Sony won’t. was only looking for high end hardware.

Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge

“It was really that inclusion: how to include more people in the euphoria and the hype of the launch and everything that is going on, and make it so accessible to [as many] more people as possible, ”says Spencer. “We want to think about how we get more people into the funnel, more people to experience this art form that we love,” says Spencer. “The repression against [doing one console] has always been, but we want to grow, we want to find new customers. “

The Xbox Series S complicates the next generation of gaming a bit. Sony’s approach was to create two PS5 models with the same hardware specifications, and one without a disc drive. “The way I would phrase it, the best argument against [two-next gen consoles] was Sony, ”Spencer reveals. “We didn’t think they were going to do it.”

The Xbox Series X and Series S are hard to find and buy right now, and it’s a situation that will likely last for months to come. “We started manufacturing at the end of the summer,” reveals Spencer. “We were a bit behind the competition because we were expecting specific AMD technology in our chip. We were a little behind where they were, where Sony was, in terms of building units. “

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge

This decision to hold for a full implementation of AMD’s RDNA 2 technologies will likely mean Sony will have more units to ship this holiday season. Microsoft hasn’t revealed the benefits of full RDNA 2 support for the Xbox Series X over the PS5, or why the company is willing to maintain and impact its shipping plans. It’s a decision that could play into what’s supported in games in the months and years to come.

For now, you’ll likely see more Xbox Series X devices available over the next year than the S Series. While the Xbox Series S is positioned as the entry point, Spencer revealed that Microsoft is still making more than Xbox Series X consoles than the S series to meet demand. “We figured that on our first vacation, and probably our second vacation, you would see more high-end SKUs, the X-Series sold,” says Spencer. “We’ve built more X-series than S-series. I think when we go into the spring and summer we’re probably going to moderate that a bit. In the long run, in most cases, the price wins. “

You can read or listen to Nilay Patel’s full interview with Phil Spencer here.