The gaming community has become accustomed to changing the seasons of game releases. The course is a bit short, with technical challenges and platform-specific issues. Enter Baldur’s Gate 3, the GOTY frontrunner from Larian Studios, that spotlights the challenges and considerations of next-gen consoles, particularly the Xbox Series S.

It’s official. The Xbox series S is a huge miss for Microsoft.

After discussing Microsoft’s insistence on playing performance in both the Xbox S and X, Larian Studios confirmed that Baldur’s Gate 3 would be arriving to the latest console by the end of the year.

A tweet from the studio’s founder, Swen Vincke, which was posted after a significant discussion with Xbox’s Phil Spencer revealed the plans. The games rejoiced at this announcement, but were also disappointed in it. And frustration due to the revelation that the series S version would have missed an incredibly popular and successful feature: a split-screen co-op.

All improvements will be achieved: split-screen coop on Series X. Series S will not feature split-screen coop, but also cross-save progression between Steam and Xbox.

Swen Vincke? (@LarAtLarian) August 24, 2023

It is the core of this problem: the challenge for the Series S as a demanding feature. As such, split-screens require that console renders graphics, physics, AI, and other gameplay elements in two simultaneous areas, a task deemed too expensive despite the series S’s capabilities.

For those who don’t know, Microsoft introduced the Xbox Series S as an affordable yet weaker version of the X. This meant compromises, especially in demanding technical features. Despite its limitations, Microsoft always expressed their commitment to supporting this system. However, the Baldurs Gate 3 situation showed that as games become more technically demanding, difficult decisions and concessions might need to be made.

This challenge resembles Microsoft’s approach to feature parity. As per the published rules, games on Series X and S should be compared to the standard of game. The issue of a split screen challenge posed by Baldur’s Gate 3 may challenge the directive to change this directive. Michael Douse, Larian’s director of publishing, previously said the technical challenges, not exclusivity agreements, were the reason for the delay on Xbox Switch. Douse reiterated that the hurdle to achieve split-screen success was significant. In spite of the popularity of this game, it appears that Microsoft was willing to bend the rules.

If Microsoft ever had to break the rules only for one game, Baldur’s Gate 3 would be the top of the list.

The question was asked about: why is Baldur’s Gate 3 so popular that it may end up winning the Game of the Year award over The Legend of Zelda? The Tears of the Kingdom? What about Halo Infinite, which dropped from the semi-seat menu? Was it due to the Xbox Series S’s hardware also? Don’t forget that a developer was effectively silenced last year for calling out the potato GPU of the Xbox Series S, so was he right all the way?

It’s already showing signs of recovery on Steam, but the damage has already been done. After all, 343 Industries had to concentrate on releasing the game as well.

The release of Baldur’s Gate 3 on the Xbox Series X has effectively planted the seeds.

This is a shame that the Xbox Series S gets much flack, and the idea for the console makes sense on paper.

For what it’s worth, Microsoft is right to fight and make a so-far sole exception for Baldur’s Gate 3. Larian Studios’ magnum opus is one of the most-played games on Steam and topped the list on Sony’s PlayStation Store, although it’s limited to pre-order. Even though a split-screen omission on the Xbox Series S will hurt the console, it can at least prove that Microsoft is willing to bend if not break the rules. The frank’s gate 3 is just the tip of the iceberg, and other games could face similar challenges on the S Series, causing further delays.

Why does this leave us consumers? The new generation console grows, and the games push the technical boundaries further, so Microsoft may revisit and even revise its stance on feature parity between the X and S. While many players and developers echo similar sentiments, it remains unclear how this is going. As games tend to evolve and demand hardware more, the industry is needed to navigate these waters carefully, so that gaming players should meet their expectations with respect to the nature of the game.

Xbox is not expected to do that now that it has all but admitted the Xbox Series S is a “weaker” console.

Now, CRPG fans can rejoice knowing that Baldur’s Gate 3 will be available on all current-gen platforms by the end of the year.