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Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Weighs in on Higher Frame Rate Vs. Larger Resolution
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has weighed in on the eternal debate between higher frame rate versus larger resolution, and his answer is telling about where Microsoft's Xbox division has placed its priorities during the development of the upcoming Xbox Series X. Early adopters of the next-gen console will likely be quite satisfied if what Spencer says is still true at launch time.
Although the Xbox One series of consoles has been knocking it out of the park on the software side of things with its incredibly well-received Game Pass program, this generation has been one of considerable compromise on the hardware front for each of the big three console manufacturers. The portable nature of the Nintendo Switch has more or less absolved the hybrid console of gaming enthusiasts' ire, but the Xbox One and PS4 were such a small step-up from the previous generation's hardware that each got midlife upgrades in the form of the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro. Halo 5 is a prime example - though visually stunning in 1080p and 4K, its beauty came at the cost of significant workarounds to maintain 60 FPS, such as distant enemies having their frame rates halved and split-screen multiplayer being excluded entirely.
This time, Microsoft Game Studios VP Phil Spencer claims that the beefier specs of the Xbox Series X will allow games to play as fluidly as they look, allowing developers to deliver jaw-dropping experiences with less compromise than ever before on home consoles. In a Stevivor interview, Spencer says that he and the Xbox team are valuing higher, more consistent frame rates over "just throwing more pixels up on the screen." He acknowledges the graphical strides that have been made in the platform's titles since the debut of the Xbox One X but insists that next-generation games should "feel as amazing as they look," further explaining, "We don’t have that in today’s generation, mainly because the CPU is underpowered relative to the GPU that’s in the box in order to reach a feel and frame rate and kind of consistency or variable refresh rate and other things that we want."
From a certain perspective, Spencer's statement's simultaneously suggest that the next generation will perhaps be even less revolutionary in terms of graphical improvements. However, in the era of photo-realism, that really shouldn't and probably won't bother even the most hardcore of console gamers. Xbox One players (especially those who have opted to leap into the Series X rather than make a mid-generation hop up to the One X) are likely burning up inside waiting for a console that can free them from stuttery menus and beautifully rendered character models uncannily jittering about in otherwise immersive worlds, and it sounds like the Xbox Series X could be that machine. It's been a tough generation for Xbox players as much as it's been for Microsoft, so Spencer's transparent optimism is very reassuring.
The Xbox team and Microsoft Game Studios have been innovating for the betterment of the industry since Phil Spencer took the helm, but it's undeniable that Microsoft still has a major disadvantage in its eternal PR war with Sony. Anything can happen in the ever-changing gaming market, though, and the Xbox Series X could ultimately turn the blue tides green come holiday 2020.
