
Xbox boss and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has talked on a couple of occasions about why he doesn't really feel the need for a PS5 Pro competitor, but this is the first time he's talked about since the console actually came out.
His view hasn't changed though. Speaking to Rolling Stone this week, Spencer told the outlet that times have changed and it's becoming harder to "show the benefits" going from one console to another.
As a result, it's hard to get a "unique" experience - which is what the focus is with new hardware for Xbox fans:
“We think about hardware that can create unique value for our players or creators on our platform. We don’t need to do incremental hardware for our own benefit..."
Spencer kind of referenced the PS5 Pro in a chat with Bloomberg a few days ago as well, stating that Xbox can't grow its market by producing $1000 consoles. Obviously the PS5 Pro isn't that expensive, but it's also not far off!
"We’re not going to grow the market with $1,000 consoles."
We've said this before, but we absolutely agree with Xbox's decision not to create a "Pro" console for this generation, as it just doesn't make enough sense. Sure, the PS5 Pro has a few neat benefits, but we still don't feel like we're missing much as Series X owners, and we'd much rather Xbox focused on what's to come in the next generation.
Of course, that should include a new console and a new handheld... so there's still plenty to be excited about!
But what about you? What are your thoughts on this? Tell us down in the comments section below.
[source rollingstone.com, via bloomberg.com.]
Comments 50
I am loving Xbox this generation.
I think this was a good decision, simply for the fact that they can pour their R&D efforts into the next console to make it a bigger leap forward. Also keeps less different hardware out there easing development for developers who have enough different hardware specs to code to. Finally, it saves me money by not wanting to buy the latest and greatest device. That money will be spent in games rather than new hardware.
I don't agree with everything Phil does, but this was the right decision. The Ps4 Pro and One X solved an existing problem (the base consoles struggled to play games at 4k). The PS5 Pro solves a non-problem (now games that already look really good might look really really good if you sit close enough to your screen...maybe!). It's an enthusiast machine which is fine, but it simply isn't essential. Most games that release today don't even tax the base machines.
That price point for such a small upgrade really defeats the purpose for existing ps5 users.
They can't even outpace the Xbox One with the Series S included so yeah, no point.
The PS5 Pro isn’t a competitor because “It Is an Xbox.”
Phil is so full of himself - what unique experiences has their hardware brought to the table?
The series x is one of the most conservative machines ever built in this space and anything vaguely interesting has been ported elsewhere. Not to mention that the base PS5 has often faired better than the series x despite the power difference - including Black ops 6!
I agree the Pro upgrade is minimal for the price, albeit selling an old console softens the blow considerably. And what you get in reality is truly an incremental upgrade but at the same time I don't see how options are a bad thing.
Sales, growth, costumers, value, distribution, partners, blah blah. Everytime this guy opens his mouth is to talk about bussiness. What a hollow brand has Xbox become.
Nah we dont need another pro version. Series X and ps5 where great enough to hold a bit longer.
I know it isn't needed for me given my GPU already runs circles around the PS5 Pro.
Let's be honest, if Xbox's console sales were in a much better position, then they absolutely would be launching a "Pro" console.
As for the Pro itself, is it needed? Not really, but personally I'm very happy with it. I had started to buy my games on PC as I wasn't entirely happy with the performance/image quality of many console games and the Pro has solved this
@carlos82 came here to say this. If it would make the money, they absolutely would have released one.
Console gamers often want choice of graphics and fps. At least the Pro offers this choice for the more console enthusiasts. But for general consumer of course the base models are good enough.
I agree to a...err, degree. I agree that it doesn't make sense for Microsoft to compete incrementally like this, but had sales been higher for Team Green this generation, maybe they would have done it too.
Personally, graphics aren't everything, and they can only go so far. I do like Microsoft's multi device strategy here, but we'll see if their pivot pays off. I mean, based on the recent marketing, they are all in on this strategy.
@carlos82
"Let's be honest, if Xbox's console sales were in a much better position, then they absolutely would be launching a "Pro" console"
Would there though?
Maybe low Series sales are more of a reason to offer a Pro version?
Also @PsBoxSwitchOwner are you saying that the PS5 Pro is merely a cash grab on base PS5 users?
@GeeForce Yeah the One was doing well so they did a mid gen upgrade to trade on its success, the Series is not selling as well so they will skip.
The not needed arguement is a silly one as its entirely subjective based on individual choice. You could say the Series X is not needed as the S exists. The 4090 is not needed as a 4080 / 4070 exists. The Pro Max 16 is not needed as the 16 exists.
The only question is if someone personally finds value in something.
@carlos82 Its not about it being a cash grab, Its the size of the user base this generation. The serie console sales are low so less potetial for sales of a new model. Basically its not worth the R&D or production costs. EDIT: Tagged the wrong people the worng way round
Xbox are in a slightly different position to PlayStation due to their games releasing day and date on pc and, in addition to steam, being available through gamepass or Xbox market place.
They could argue that their “pro” option is a 4090 high end pc - a system that offers the definitive experience for all their games by virtue of being the most powerful consumer level system in the market. Xbox caters to every level of system through pc - entry level, mid range and high end.
As it stands, Sony only provide 2 options for their exclusive portfolio at launch - base system and pro. In pc terms entry level and mid range, they have nothing to rival a 4090 or soon to be 5090 from a power perspective.
@Medic_alert
"The series x is one of the most conservative machines ever built"
How so?
Great backwards compatibility and enhancement (a PS5 Pro is needed for that on PS), Dolby Atmos & Vision, development mode option, HDR, Auto HDR.
Edit: Not to forget 1440p and VRR (and with a good lower range)
Well I want an and Xbox series x Pro.
It’s a dam shame Microsoft and Phil the dodo are not offering us one.
If you are an Xboxer console user only it would have been great to have the choice.
This way you would be playing any Xbox exclusives and third party games at their optimum.
It’s another crap show of Microsoft not to be offering a Pro console version.
They are self righteous *****. The only reason they are not producing is because they don’t care about Xbox console gamers.
I absolutely ducking hate Microsoft and what they have done to us xboxer console owners.
@GeeForce you could argue that and ironically enough that was one of the big reasons they made the One X as it was. The problem today is that Xbox have a decade worth of sales data that tells them that they won't recover that gap to PlayStation
@GeeForce and yet backwards compatibility started on the Xbox one. You've been able to get higher frame rates and resolution on PC forever, HDR was on the PS4 pro and dolby atmos is just connecting to another service - hardly innovation.
And none of that creates a unique or special experience.
@Ilyn I was wondering when I was reading that and yeah, it's just like the GPU market and what the price vs performance is worth for yourself
@Medic_alert
What features would you have seen as less conservative and more innovative?
If they charge $600 for the old Series X tech with no disc drive and 2tb ssd, imagine what they would charge for an improved version. Of course they wouldn't make one, it's unlikely they would get many sales....
I'm happy with the Series S and the Series X over the last 4 years. They have offered me good value and some very enjoyable experiences since switching from PS4. I got a PS5 Pro but I returned it because It really didn't offer anything near the kind of upgrade I would hope for £700. I don't have a 4K TV so I couldn't even use the PS4 AI upscaler. Even with a 1080p TV the difference between my PS4 and PS4 pro was night and day.
I think MS need to develop their own PSSR to untap the 12tflop GPU and give Series S more 60fps games.
It’s not necessary but I would love the option of getting to decide for myself if I want to spend more for a higher resolution/frame rate option the same way PC gamers can decide if they want to spend more for a better GPU.
@OldGamer999 bloody hell, calm down mate. Go play some games and take your mind off things.
@Scrubchub
Yeah I know, shall play dragon age, always good for a fight. 🤣
I'm glad Microsoft is waiting for the next gen as Series X is a perfectly good console this gen. The first party output has been sluggish but it's still a decent generation overall (I think we've all become rather entitled as gamers but we've never had more choices/games). The focus should be on AI upscaling tech to push 60fps minimum with graphics/resolution that is still cutting edge. If GTA VI releases at 30fps, I might just have the patience to wait for the inevitable better version a few years later. Or not. Time will tell!
@OldGamer999 sounds a plan! Good game.
@GeeForce that's an interesting question albeit one I think is difficult to answer because I can't say what is technically possible and almost certainly don't have the idea generation of a combined team of MS engineers!
However, I think I'd highlight the controller as an example of how little innovation is being pushed by Xbox. That controller has had so little changed about it since arguably the 360 when it went wireless. The latest one added a clicky d-pad circle thing and a capture button and called it a day. They are the only major console without gyro aiming - on a console traditionally with a big market in shooters. The controller feels very iterative.
I just don't think the Series X does anything special, it is solid enough but what makes it special?
I'd argue, not much...
One of the rare great decisions by MS. Devs already struggle with 2 different xboxes and adding a PRO into equation would complicate things more.
And I do agree with commenters above that PS5 PRO is solving non-existent problems. I feel like its just a test drive of new tech that will be polished on the PS6. And they want us to pay a ridiculous premium for that. New xbox could come as early as 2026 and that will be the new gen and not an upgrade. Or if it sucks we just wait for PS6.
@Millionski
It’s definitely a smart test drive for sure.
I think if we had better optimised games then it may have not been a need.
But lots of developers are pushed to get games out and console optimisation is definitely not been great this generation.
I think it’s smart for Microsoft to avoid a pro this gen, I also think they’re not in the position to release one and for it to be successful.
I certainly ain’t paying £800 for an upscaler from Sony either. I’ll let others guinea pig that technology until a PS6 comes along.
@InterceptorAlpha you're a robot???!!!! I knew this day would come 😢
@OldGamer999 yeah i get it but from all tests that I watched improvement is too minor for me and the pricing is unreasonable. Maybe it will be more impressive in newer games in couple of years but if I am not buying it this or next year, i am not buying it at all as ps6/nextbox comes out soon
@Deljo Just wait until you find out we're powered by Ryzen.
AMD just holding out the AI tier chops on y'all.
Most people that want the best graphics and/or frame rates will buy a PC and if they have a PC, certainly wouldn't buy an Xbox to play games that 'look' more like the PC version without having to tolerate 30fps game-play.
The point of Xbox was to make an 'affordable' way for people to play games. The market is 'limited' for Xbox as PC gamers aren't buying Xbox - even if they do an 'enhanced' refresh that now offers slightly better visuals. The Series X isn't as popular as the Series S and I can't see a 'better' Series X selling enough to warrant all the costs to bring one to market. If people weren't satisfied with their Series X, they'd likely be playing on PC instead anyway...
If Microsoft thinks cheaper consoles sell better why do they keep raising the prices of their systems.
@Medic_alert It might be on the conservative side, but it's exceptionally well engineered for a console, and the one innovation it does have is a big deal for me, and makes the SeriesX my #1 choice for multiplatforms, over a powerful PC and PS5.
It's extremely quiet, whisper quiet for starters, I can't even hear it unless I put my ear to the machine. In contrast, the PS5 sounded like a UFO until I replaced the fan, and even then the SeriesX is much quieter.
And the main thing is actually quick resume. It's unique, and innovative, and I find it very convenient to be able to switch between games and pick up exactly where I left off. Neither the PC or PS5 offer this, which is why the SeriesX is my go to machine.
Yeah that's great, but when Gears E-Day, a sequel to an important Xbox franchise comes out, not only is Xbox Series X not going to be the home of that game (it'll be a fully multiplat release, with a slight time exclusivity for Xbox/PC) , the Xbox consoles won't even have parity with PlayStation because the Pro will have the best resolution/frame rate. At least with base PS5 the performance and visuals were usually almost identical but now they'll probably implement better raytacing, more solid frame rates if not outright a higher frame rate mode like 120fps and higher resolution.
If Gears would be a UE5 showcase with 60fps and great graphics and only on Xbox and PC, it would show that the Pro is meaningles because you can get great graphics on the base console, but now even if visuals are impressive, it just prompts the question, how much better it looks/runs on the Pro?
@Raffles OK, but I'd argue that none of that leads to a unique experience.
Intriguing what you say about the noise your PS5 makes because both of mine are silent if not using the disc drive - which is an abomination.
It isn't innovation though. The original Xbox one is virtually silent, my Switch never makes a sound, in fact the only console I've ever had that is loud was the PS4.
Quick resume is cool and an underrated feature when it works.
I don't use it that often to be fair because it messed up too many games and lots just ping you back to the main menu, but a nice idea.
@Medic_alert I wasn't arguing the quietness was innovative exactly, that was more just an example of it being exceptionally well engineered, and the quietest powerful machine I've experienced.
But I do honestly think Quick Resume is a better innovation than anything else this gen, and therefore really underrated.
It's more low key and less flashy than say, the PS5's controller innovations, but ultimately it's something I appreciate much more, and really does make it more appealing than the other platforms to me.
For example if my girlfriend is nagging me to go to bed, I can switch the machine off, then pick up exactly where I was a few days later (within seconds), even playing other games in between. That is incredible imo, and in its own backgroundy way, feels more next gen than anything the PS5 or PC offer. It's worked perfectly for me on every game I've tried it on apart from Judgment just recently. Which is a bit annoying, as again it's the main reason I bought it on the SeriesX rather than PC or PS5
The PS5 noise is a weird one, it seems there is a fan lottery, and coil whine is very common. Mine came with a Foxconn fan, that sounded like a UFO with this horrible high pitched wharbling sound. Extremely distracting and noisy, so I had to spend another £40 to replace it with an NMB fan. Thankfully it's much better, but still not as quiet as the SeriesX.
My SeriesX is quieter than my Switch and Dreamcast for example, pretty nuts for a machine of its power.
@Raffles I don't disagree with what you are saying about about quick resume, it may have improved over time but when I was playing more on Xbox it just didn't work on loads of stuff and the lottery meant I stopped relying on it.
Weird things like Shadow of the Tomb Raider just losing all sound when resumed. And then there are things like Dark Souls which have a server connection and so it doesn't work.
My og comment was in relation toa new console needing to provide a unique experience and to me the Series X really doesn't even try and provide a new experience, rather refining what was already there.
@Medic_alert Weird. I know you're not alone, others have cited issues with quick resume too.
I got my SeriesX in October 2021 and it's worked perfectly for me in everything apart from Judgment. Even 360 games like Fight Night work perfectly. Judgment simply doesn't get added to quick resume btw, rather than being glitchy.
I'm not sure if it's got better, or if I've just been lucky with almost everything I've played being very quick resume compatible.
Regarding your OG comment - I see. I was actually going to mention, there's another big innovation I like about the SeriesX, that I can't believe I forgot - and that's FPS boost and resolution boost. Retroactively enhancing 360 games is incredible, stuff like Sonic Generations going from 720p30 to 4k60 is like an automatic remaster. But that is the very definition of refining what is already there
And again a reason I generally choose SeriesX over PS5 for multiplatform games. Sleeping Dogs for example, is only 30fps on PS5, but 60fps on the SeriesX.
Quick Resume in its own low key way, does provide a new experience for me though, and feels next gen, being able to seamless switch between games within seconds at the exact point you were in. That is unique, and something that is not possible on any other platform.
So what is it about the PS5 that you feel is a new experience, the haptic triggers or?
@Raffles I don't necessarily think the PS5 offers much new either, the rumble is basically the same as Nintendo's, the triggers are fine but not a game changer.
For me when you talk about unique experiences it means a console that can do something in games that has not been done before. PS promised big but didn't really deliver anything new.
The most unique console experience they have is VR but unfortunately they are rubbish at supporting it and the adoption is poor but it is a truly transformative experience.
My comments are more about the statement from Phil itself which I think is a load of cobblers to off set any disappointment from Xbox fans because there is no pro equivalent and just doesn't ring true.
@Medic_alert Oh I see, OK that's fair enough. I agree, they don't really offer anything new, compared to some of Nintendo's machines, or of course VR like you said which is REALLY different.
I do like both of them though, they're certainly much faster and more refined than any other recent consoles.
Incidentally, I know I said the Xbox is exceptionally well engineered, and it is, but what you said is true - it's a weird situation in that the PS5 often outperforms it, despite the SeriesX having every spec advatange. 20% more TFLOPS, 25% more memory bandwidth, and even a slightly faster CPU.
I'm still not sure why it is exactly, it has to be developers prioritising the PS5 or Sony having developed a more efficient graphics API.
@Raffles I wonder whether that is just down to a different design philosophy.
It could almost parallel American and Japanese car design too with a grunt vs efficiency philosophy respectively. And in the end raw grunt just does pan out as well.
It could also be that Sony has way more experience in hardware than MS
I think this makes sense with MS already having two tiers of console power in X/S. A third would be too confusing.
@Titntin I was just thinking that. PS5 Pro is an amazing deal compared to that 1TB Series X considering the much stronger GPU, new AI upscaling tech, etc. That's a lot for $100 more than what Microsoft is offering.
@Medic_alert
A considered reply there.
Quick Resume is a decent feature and the Series X is also AI upscaling ready but as yet not utilised.
Not amazing, but still.
Agree regarding the controller.
I've even got stick drift with the Elite 2 and have now went 3rd party for a simple wired effort with hall effect sensors.
Edit: can see you and @Raffles have already discussed Quick Resume, so skip that.
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