Microsoft presently has no plans to launch a mid-generation Xbox Series X
In the previous generation of gaming consoles, both Microsoft and Sony elected to introduce mid-generation upgrades, leading many to speculate that a similar approach would be adopted for the current generation. However, in a recent interview, Phil Spencer, the executive in charge of Xbox, refuted such assumptions.
Spencer articulated that Microsoft presently has no plans to launch a mid-generation console upgrade, citing a lack of feedback from players demanding enhanced console performance and expressing that Xbox’s game development team is highly satisfied with the existing console hardware. Nevertheless, Spencer did not entirely rule out the possibility of a mid-generation upgrade in the future, though there are no such plans in the immediate term.
Despite the Xbox Series X being theoretically the most potent next-generation gaming console, it appears slightly inadequate when faced with many upcoming AAA titles, given that it has already been on the market for two years. For instance, the Xbox exclusive, ‘Starry Sky’, set to launch officially on September 6 this year, has been announced by the company to run at a locked 30 frames per second on Xbox Series X|S, to ensure the fidelity of the game’s visuals and a stable framerate.
In contrast to Microsoft’s approach, competitor Sony seems to be perpetuating the strategy from the previous generation, actively preparing for the “PlayStation 5 Pro”, though specific details remain unclear. Rumors suggest one of its objectives is to improve ray tracing performance. Previous reports have suggested Sony’s “Pro” model is planned for a fourth-quarter 2024 release, with development kits to be dispatched to first-party game studios in the upcoming months and also set to be delivered to third-party game studios within this year.
More pressing than a performance upgrade, players appear to be clamoring for increased storage space. Although Microsoft did not announce any mid-generation upgrade for the Xbox at yesterday’s press conference, they did reveal a new black edition of the Xbox Series S, with storage space enhanced from the original 512GB to 1TB, set to launch on September 1 this year. Due to the expanded storage, the new product’s pricing has been increased by $50 to a total of $349.
