Microsoft’s Xbox is struggling with acceptance among developers – and now wants to find out the reasons why.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series consoles have been selling significantly worse than the competition in the form of the PlayStation 5 since their release – neither company can even come close to the sales figures of the Nintendo Switch.
In the case of Microsoft, however, there is another acceptance problem: the Xbox Series – specifically the S version – is also extremely unpopular among developers.
This is sometimes reflected in significantly delayed release dates; Baldur’s Gate 3, for example, came out around four months after its original release on Xbox consoles. The reason for this was the split-screen mode, which caused problems on the Xbox Series S.
“I wish the Xbox Series S had never existed”
Something similar is currently happening at Capcom: The game collections “Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics” and “Capcom Fighting Collection 2” are being released “after technical discussions with Microsoft.” coming to Xbox platforms next year. Curiously, this release is explicitly only intended for the last-gen console Xbox One – Capcom doesn’t say a word about the Xbox Series X/S.
Even in direct words, numerous developers have already expressed negative opinions about the Xbox Series S. In one Interview with VG247 Funcom’s Chief Product Officer Scott Junior explained that developing Dune Awakening specifically for this console “will be a challenge.”
Naughty Dog’s ex-developer Del Walker, who is now employed by Rocksteady, chose more drastic words on X/Twitter: “I wish the Xbox Series S had never existed.”
Link to Twitter content
“Xbox Research”: Developers are more involved
The signals seem to have arrived at Microsoft. At least that’s what Dr. promises. Deborah Hendersen in her role as lead researcher at Xbox in a new post on the Microsoft Game Dev Blogannouncing a new initiative.
The console manufacturer’s department called “Xbox Research” has previously focused primarily on feedback from players. Developers should now also be able to express their needs to Microsoft as part of this work.
It’s about giving game developers what they need to feel supported by Xbox.
Dr. Deborah Hendersen via Microsoft Game Dev Blog
Hendersen also explicitly addresses developers who do not or no longer develop for Microsoft consoles. The Xbox researcher also relies on the experiences that the developers have had with “competitors’ products”; after all, they probably offer a great perspective from which Microsoft could learn. This is intended to avoid an “echo chamber”.
Registration for developers in the new Xbox Research Program should be possible immediately. However, the status of the article publication is only spoken by US developers. It is still unclear whether there are plans to expand the initiative on a global level.
