Microsoft isn’t Working on an Xbox Series X/S Mid-Gen Upgrade

Rumours have strongly suggested that Sony is gearing up to launch a PS5 Pro in late 2024, complete with support for 8K resolution, accelerated ray-tracing, and more. But with the current console generation barely having kicked off in terms of developers taking full advantage of the hardware they’re working with, there are some who have questioned the need for a mid-gen refresh. After all, unlike with the PS4 and Xbox One, it’s not like their successors were underpowered by any means when they launched nearly three years ago.

Interestingly enough, it seems Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer agrees with that notion. In a recent interview with IGN, when asked if Microsoft has any plans for a mid-gen upgrade for Xbox Series X/S, the head of Xbox indicated that there are currently no such plans in place, and that the company wants to let developers “settle” with the current hardware and “get the most out of it”- which, according to him, can be done in more ways than one.

“No, no. We’re doing right now the increased storage on the Series S. But no, like I said, we’re kind of at the end of the beginning in my mind,” Spencer said when asked about a mid-gen upgrade for current-gen Xbox hardware. “So I think we need to let devs settle on this hardware and get the most out of it. But in terms of increased frame rate, increased resolution, I just look at what goes on on PC with high-end GPUs, high-end CPU, and it’s not always just about pixel count or frame resolution. I think there’s lighting techniques. There’s a bunch of things that go into what makes a game look and feel great. And we have a ton of headroom as an industry there.”

This isn’t the first time Spencer has spoken about a mid-gen refresh for Xbox Series X/S, and why one isn’t necessary right now. In June, he said that Microsoft was “pretty set on the hardware we have.”

Meanwhile, Spencer has also said that currently, he doesn’t feel an Xbox handheld is necessary either, and stated that he doesn’t foresee a future where Microsoft ends up dropping support for the Xbox Series S.