Gaming | June 22, 2023
Microsoft confirmed that they no longer develop games for the Xbox One, closing one of the most painful chapters in their history in the gaming industry. In an interview with Axios, Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Game Studios, stated that none of their first-party studios are working on the previous generation. The company has decided to fully focus on the Xbox Series X and S, following a three-year transition period.
“We’ve moved on to the ninth generation,” said Booty. The executive confirmed that no internal teams are developing native versions for the older consoles. While we won’t see any more native Microsoft games for the Xbox One, it doesn’t mean that the company will forget about it. Some studios will continue to provide support for games like Minecraft, which has millions of active players on the console.
Another notable point is that all Microsoft games for the Xbox Series X and Series S will be available in the cloud. If you have an Xbox One and want to play Starfield, you can do so as long as you subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate. “That’s how we’re going to provide support,” said Matt Booty.
The tech giant started this transition a year ago with Microsoft Flight Simulator, a game that would be impossible to run natively on the Xbox One. The title is available in resolutions of up to 1080p with a maximum frame rate of 30 frames per second. All features and updates are available to those playing on the Xbox One, an old laptop, or a mobile device, although the experience will depend on the quality of your internet connection.
Microsoft’s decision to halt the development of Xbox One games may extend to other studios. Companies like EA, Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft, and Warner Bros still release native versions for the previous generation consoles. The most recent example is Diablo IV, whose ports for PS4 and Xbox One run at 30 FPS. The same goes for Hogwarts Legacy, a game that was released months after its debut on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Support for previous generation consoles has been maintained for nearly three years. The hardware shortage caused by the pandemic and the chip crisis forced companies to maintain their commitment to the PS4 and Xbox One. While it is now easier to get a PS5, its predecessor has a user base of over 117 million, a significant reason to continue developing versions for that console.
The only drawback is that supporting outdated hardware limits the reach of future games. Studios offering the same title on two consoles of different generations have to ensure a similar experience. A great example is Horizon: Forbidden West, a cross-gen game that performs excellently on the PS4.
Although Microsoft no longer develops native games for the Xbox One, support for these consoles will continue for a long time. The ability to play Starfield, Forza Motorsport, Fable, and other future titles through the cloud guarantees that owners of this hardware will not be forgotten. As for PlayStation, it is unknown whether their new Cloud Gaming service will be available on the PS4.
