Key Takeaways
- Former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has openly criticized Microsoft’s Xbox Series S, saying he wishes hardware like it had never been released.
- Harada believes the console’s limited memory and significantly weaker performance create additional optimization work for developers targeting both Xbox Series X and Series S.
- CD Projekt Red associate game director Paweł Sasko acknowledged the challenges but argued that optimizing for weaker hardware can improve performance across all platforms.
- Microsoft’s Xbox certification requirements mandate support for the entire Series X|S console family, including identical game modes and shared multiplayer functionality.
- Harada joked that Microsoft might eventually release a lower-powered next-generation console called the Helix S, although no such device has been announced.
Xbox Series S has been a controversial console among game developers since its launch in 2020, and now one of the industry’s most recognizable developers has added his voice to the debate. Katsuhiro Harada, the legendary figure behind the Tekken franchise, has openly criticized Microsoft’s more affordable Xbox console, arguing that its weaker hardware creates unnecessary headaches for development teams.
Harada made the comments during a panel discussion at the Console Game Developers Conference 2026 in Seoul, South Korea. What made the discussion particularly interesting was the presence of CD Projekt Red associate game director Paweł Sasko, who was directly asked about the difficulties of developing games for Series S.
Harada didn’t hold back, describing the console as a device that requires developers to put in additional work despite having substantially lower performance than the Xbox Series X. He even joked that he wished Microsoft had never released the hardware in the first place.
However, Sasko offered a slightly different perspective. While acknowledging that the console creates technical challenges, he argued that optimizing games for less powerful hardware can produce benefits across other platforms, including PS5, high-end PCs, and handheld gaming devices.
Katsuhiro Harada Says Xbox Series S Creates Unnecessary Development Challenges
The discussion took place on November 9 during the global track of the Console Game Developers Conference 2026. The panel was moderated by former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida and included several prominent industry figures, including Harada, Sasko, Shift Up CTO DongKi Lee, Too Kyo Games CEO Kazutaka Kodaka, and Ludeon Studios CEO Tynan Sylvester.
During a conversation about console development and the challenges of supporting different hardware configurations, Harada noticed that a senior Xbox representative was attending the event. He then used the opportunity to share his thoughts about Microsoft’s lower-powered console.
Harada jokingly said that he wished hardware like the Xbox Series S would never have been released. He then turned toward Sasko and asked whether the CD Projekt Red developer had secretly been frustrated by the console during development.
Sasko responded that the hardware constantly presents challenges and forces development teams to optimize their code extremely carefully.
That wasn’t quite enough for Harada, who jokingly interpreted the response as a much more polite way of saying the Xbox Series S was terrible. He then explained what he considers the biggest problem with Microsoft’s hardware strategy.
According to Harada, the biggest issue isn’t simply the console’s limited memory. It’s the fact that the Series S is so similar to the Series X while offering significantly lower performance. Developers must essentially build the same game for both machines while making considerable adjustments to accommodate the less powerful hardware.
He compared the situation with developing for Nintendo Switch 2. When working on Nintendo’s console, developers can approach it as an entirely different platform with its own audience and hardware characteristics. With Xbox, however, the Series S and Series X belong to the same generation, creating additional expectations around delivering a consistent experience.
Harada described the experience as having to do “extra work for a slightly weaker child.” The comparison was certainly unusual, but it clearly communicated his frustration with the additional optimization requirements.
Harada Says Series S Players Often Blame Developers for Visual Downgrades
Harada also highlighted another problem associated with releasing games across the Xbox Series family. Developers cannot simply ignore the Series S because of its comparatively weaker hardware, especially in markets where it has a substantial player base.
He specifically pointed out that there are more Xbox Series S owners than Series X owners in certain markets, including the United States. This makes optimization particularly important because developers need to ensure that their games remain playable on the less powerful console without compromising the experience too heavily.
The problem, according to Harada, is that some players don’t necessarily understand why the two versions look different. When Series S owners notice lower texture resolutions or reduced graphical details, developers often become the target of complaints rather than Microsoft.
This puts development teams in an awkward position. They need to balance the technical limitations of the cheaper console with the expectations of players who still want their games to look and perform as well as possible.
It’s a particularly challenging situation for large-scale games featuring demanding visuals, complex environments, and numerous characters on screen. Developers may have to reduce graphical settings, adjust environmental details, or modify certain systems to maintain acceptable performance.
Cyberpunk 2077 Director Paweł Sasko Offers a More Balanced Opinion
While Harada was clearly unhappy with the Xbox Series S, Sasko was more careful with his response. The CD Projekt Red developer acknowledged that the console can create significant technical challenges, but he also explained why optimizing for less powerful hardware isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
According to Sasko, designing games around lower hardware specifications can force developers to create more efficient systems. Those improvements can eventually benefit every version of a game rather than just the console that originally required them.
He specifically mentioned the benefits of optimization for PS5, high-end PCs, and handheld devices such as Steam Deck and ROG Ally. Making a game run efficiently on weaker hardware can help improve its overall scalability, allowing it to perform better across a wider range of systems.
Sasko also highlighted CD Projekt Red’s experience preparing Cyberpunk 2077 for Nintendo Switch 2. He explained that the port required a team of approximately 80 to 100 people working for more than a year, with the optimization breakthroughs eventually being applied to other versions of the game through Cyberpunk 2077 Version 2.5.
However, Sasko also acknowledged that the Xbox Series S has one major advantage that shouldn’t be overlooked: its affordable price.
Not every player can afford an expensive gaming PC or premium console. By offering a cheaper entry point into the current generation, Microsoft has allowed more people to access games that might otherwise be outside their budgets.
From a developer’s perspective, that larger potential audience can make the extra optimization work worthwhile. Sasko essentially argued that the hardware restrictions are frustrating, but the opportunity to bring games to more players is a meaningful benefit.
Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and Series S Feature Parity Rules Remain Controversial
One of the biggest reasons the Series S debate continues to attract attention is Microsoft’s approach to supporting both Xbox Series consoles. Since their launch, Microsoft has expected games targeting the Xbox Series generation to support the wider Series X|S hardware family.
Microsoft’s official Xbox developer requirements reinforce this approach. Under requirement XR-130, games targeting a console generation must support the entire device family. Developers must also ensure compatible saved games, avoid separating online players based on console model, and offer identical game modes across the same generation.
This doesn’t mean that Series S games must deliver the same resolution, graphical quality, or frame rate as their Series X counterparts. The two consoles have different hardware capabilities, so visual and performance compromises are expected.
However, developers still need to make their games work across both systems while maintaining the required gameplay and multiplayer functionality.
Baldur’s Gate 3 became one of the most famous examples of these challenges. Larian Studios struggled to implement split-screen co-op on Xbox Series S, resulting in a delay to the game’s Xbox release. Microsoft eventually worked with the developers to find a solution, with split-screen co-op removed from the Series S version to allow the game to launch.
More recently, the developers of Wardogs also discussed how Series S hardware limitations were restricting the implementation of certain features.
Players interested in Microsoft’s official requirements can read the Xbox game development and certification requirements for a clearer explanation of what developers must support across the console family.
Harada Is Worried Microsoft Could Release a Helix S
Harada wasn’t finished with his criticism after hearing Sasko’s more positive assessment. When the CD Projekt Red developer explained the advantages of optimization and the accessibility offered by cheaper hardware, Harada joked that the Xbox representative attending the discussion seemed rather pleased with the response.
He then expressed concern that Microsoft might take the positive comments as reassurance and eventually release another lower-powered console alongside its next-generation hardware.
Harada specifically joked about a possible Helix S, referencing Microsoft’s upcoming next-generation Xbox currently known as Project Helix.
Microsoft officially introduced Project Helix in March 2026, describing it as a next-generation system designed to play both Xbox console and PC games. The company has also confirmed that alpha versions of its hardware are planned to reach developers beginning in 2027.
However, Microsoft hasn’t announced a lower-powered Helix S model. Harada’s comment was clearly a joke rather than a report about Microsoft’s future hardware plans.
For more details about Microsoft’s confirmed next-generation hardware plans, players can visit the official Project Helix announcement on Xbox Wire.
Will Xbox Series S Controversy Affect Microsoft’s Next Console Generation?
The debate surrounding the Xbox Series S highlights a difficult balancing act for console manufacturers. Releasing two consoles at different price points allows companies to reach a wider audience, but it also creates additional work for developers who must account for different hardware configurations.
Microsoft clearly benefited from having a more affordable option alongside the Series X, particularly among players who wanted access to current-generation games without spending as much on hardware. However, the development challenges raised by Harada and other studios show that the decision has also come with some compromises.
Sasko’s comments demonstrate why the situation isn’t entirely negative. Optimization work can improve games across multiple platforms, and a less expensive console can help developers reach players who might otherwise be unable to purchase their games.
Whether Microsoft repeats the same strategy with its next generation remains unknown. Project Helix is already being developed as a much more powerful system, but there is no confirmed information about whether a cheaper alternative will accompany it.
For now, Harada’s comments have reignited a debate that has followed Xbox throughout the current console generation. The Series S has undoubtedly made modern gaming more accessible, but developers are still dealing with the consequences of supporting two machines with significantly different capabilities.
And judging by Harada’s reaction, at least one prominent figure in the industry would prefer Microsoft not to repeat that particular experiment with its next console.
