The Console Game Developers Conference 2026 brought some very big players into the same space to discuss the current and future state of console games in Korea.
At the panel on global track, Shift Up CTO DongKi Lee, Too Kyo Games CEO Kazutaka Kodaka, CD Projekt Red Associate Game Director Paweł Sasko, Ludeon Studios CEO Tynan Sylvester, and VS Studio CEO Katsuhiro Harada led the discussion. Katsuhiro Harada, the former Tekken Director and current VS Studio CEO, shared some of his thoughts on the XBOX Series S console after noting there was a senior XBOX official attending.
Harada’s Honest Feelings on Developing for XBOX Series S
In a translation provided by Inven Global, it shows the panel was asked, “What are the clear advantages of console platforms compared to PC, or the practical challenges you face during development with specific examples?” After first addressing the advantages of a console, the rest of Harada’s response did not hold back any frustrations.
“That said, there’s something I really want to say while I have the floor. Since a senior Xbox official is actually in attendance here today, I wish hardware like the ‘Xbox Series S’ wouldn’t be released (laughs). I want to ask Director PaweÅ‚ personally—honestly, weren’t you upset inside because of Series S?”
Pawel Sasko of CD Projekt Red responded,
“It constantly throws challenges at us and forces us to optimize our code very cleanly.”
Harada then goes further into the issues it causes.
“You just used a very polite and elegant way to say “Xbox Series S sucks,” right? (laughs) Low memory is an issue, but the hardest part is that it’s a device so similar to Series X while having awkwardly lower performance. When porting to Switch 2, developers can shift their mindset to “Switch 2 is a distinct device for Nintendo fans!” But with Xbox, after delivering your absolute best output, it feels like having to do extra work for a slightly weaker child.
Furthermore, in markets like the US, there are more Series S users than Series X users, so we can’t just cut corners. Yet after launch, Series S users direct their complaints at us developers rather than Microsoft, asking “Why is texture resolution lower only on Series S?””
Sasko agreed that the visual quality difference causes friction with the players who use the console and the developers, but also stated the advantages the console has for gamers.
“Harada speaks a lot of truth. Players don’t fully understand the technical context behind why fewer characters appear on screen or why visuals are downgraded. However, intensely optimizing for lower-spec platforms definitely brings the benefit of making the game run significantly better across all platforms—including PS5, high-end PCs, and handhelds like Steam Deck and ROG Ally. Recently, with Cyberpunk 2077 Version 2.5, we applied optimization breakthroughs gained while preparing the Switch 2 launch title (which involved a team of 80 to 100 people for over a year) back to all other platforms with great effect.
And the biggest advantage of Series S is that its affordable price makes it accessible. Not every gamer can buy expensive high-end hardware, so from a developer’s perspective, even if the strict constraints are painful, there is a silver lining in expanding market penetration to deliver the game to more players.”
What are your thoughts on consoles like the XBOX Series S? Let us know in the comments below or on the Insider Gaming Discord.
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