Microsoft Considers Xbox Series X a Mid-Gen Upgrade
A week ago, Xbox Chief Phil Spencer revealed in an interview that Microsoft does not have plans for a mid-gen refresh for the Xbox Series X|S. According to Phil, they have not received the feedback that would warrant a mid-gen upgrade for the current generation of Xbox consoles.
To provide further insight into Microsoft’s decision, John Linneman from Digital Foundry shared in the latest episode of DF Direct Weekly that Microsoft considers the Xbox Series X as their mid-gen refresh for the ninth generation of Xbox consoles. John stated,
Microsoft told us this when we first saw the Series X, that it serves as their mid-gen refresh; they simply decided to do it ahead of schedule. You could say that the Series S is what they consider the standard machine.”
From Microsoft’s perspective, their reasoning holds up to some extent. Both the Xbox Series X|S are capable of running current-generation AAA games at reasonable graphics and performance settings, with the Series X being the more powerful variant that can handle games at higher frame rates and resolutions.
In fact, the Xbox Series X is currently the most powerful gaming console available, surpassing Sony’s latest offering, the PlayStation 5, in terms of raw power thanks to its superior hardware. However, it is worth noting that both the Series X and PlayStation 5 occasionally struggle to maintain a stable 60 frames per second at a 4K resolution due to the increasing hardware requirements of newer games.
While Microsoft may not have immediate plans for a mid-gen refresh, reports suggest that Sony is preparing to launch the PlayStation 5 Pro, featuring a detachable disc reader which will be their mid-gen refresh for PlayStation 5.
Microsoft has indicated that they do not see a need for a mid-gen refresh for its current consoles. Right now, the closest thing Xbox fans can get to a new console is the newly launched Xbox Series S Carbon Black 1TB, which was revealed during the Xbox Games Showcase. What are your thoughts about this news? Let’s discuss this in the comments section below.
