As a dedicated gamer who has followed the industry closely since 2023, I've witnessed firsthand how two monumental releases—Baldur’s Gate 3 and Black Myth: Wukong—rocked the gaming world with their staggering sales and innovative gameplay. Yet, beneath their surface differences, both games stumbled over the same unexpected hurdle: the technical limitations of the Xbox Series S. This console, designed to be affordable, has become a thorn in the side for developers, forcing delays and compromises that ripple through the community. Like a delicate spiderweb that traps even the mightiest insects, the Series S's constraints ensnare ambitious projects, turning what should be seamless launches into tangled messes. Or, to use another metaphor, optimizing for it is akin to fitting a grand symphony into a tiny music box—the melody might play, but the richness and depth are inevitably lost. In 2025, as I reflect on these events, it's clear that this issue isn't just a blip; it's a recurring theme that Microsoft must urgently address to keep pace with evolving player expectations.

The Triumphant Rise of Baldur’s Gate 3

When Baldur’s Gate 3 launched in August 2023, I was among the millions who eagerly dove into its rich, immersive world. Larian Studios crafted a masterpiece that sold over 15 million copies, a feat that still amazes me. During early access alone, it moved 2.5 million units, proving its instant appeal. But the excitement was tempered by a frustrating reality: the game's release was staggered across platforms. While PC players like me enjoyed it right away, the PlayStation 5 version was delayed until September 2024, and the MacOS version followed shortly after. The real headache came with Xbox Series X/S owners, who were left waiting due to technical hurdles. As Larian's director of publishing explained, the core issue was getting split-screen co-op to work on the Series S—a requirement for feature parity. Ultimately, the studio had to cut that feature from the Series S version, a compromise that felt like trying to build a castle on shifting sands; no matter how strong the foundation, instability creeps in. This decision sparked sympathy from other developers, such as Remedy’s Thomas Puha, who tweeted that technical limitations must be considered from day one—a lesson many studios are still learning in 2025.

Black Myth: Wukong's Explosive Debut and Delays

Fast forward to August 2024, and I was equally captivated by Black Myth: Wukong's launch. Game Science's title shattered records, selling over 10 million copies in days and setting a new high for concurrent players on Steam for a single-player game. On PC and PS5, it ran smoothly, but Xbox Series X/S users were once again left in the cold. According to the game's FAQ, the studio was "optimizing the Xbox Series X/S version to meet our quality standards," and Microsoft confirmed they were working closely to bring it to their platforms. Rumors swirled—and still persist in 2025—that the delay stemmed from Series S challenges. Developers have openly complained about the difficulty of optimizing for both Xbox consoles, as Puha highlighted to IGN: the Series S shares a similar CPU with the Series X but has a weaker GPU and less memory, making it impossible to simply drop the resolution without sacrificing quality. It's like navigating a ship through a narrow strait; one wrong move, and the whole voyage risks capsizing. 🎮

The Xbox Series S Conundrum: A Developer's Nightmare

From my perspective as a player, the common thread between Baldur’s Gate 3 and Black Myth: Wukong is how the Xbox Series S has become a bottleneck for innovation. Microsoft's console strategy aims to balance affordability with performance, but in practice, it forces studios into a tightrope walk. If they prioritize the Series S, they risk diluting the experience for more powerful systems; if they ignore it, they alienate a segment of gamers. This isn't isolated—other titles in 2024 and early 2025 have faced similar delays, underscoring a systemic issue. Microsoft must weigh developer frustrations against consumer benefits, a delicate dance that often leaves both sides dissatisfied. To illustrate the impact, here's a comparison of the two games' key metrics:

Game	Release Date	Total Sales	Platforms at Launch	Xbox Series X/S Status
Baldur’s Gate 3	August 2023	15+ million	PC, later PS5/Mac	Split-screen cut on Series S
Black Myth: Wukong	August 2024	10+ million	PC, PS5	Delayed for optimization

Key challenges developers face with the Series S include:

• ⚙️ Hardware Limitations: Lower GPU power and memory constrain high-fidelity features.

• ⏳ Development Delays: Optimizing for parity adds months to release schedules.

• 😕 Player Disappointment: Gamers on Xbox feel left out, as seen in online forums.

In 2025, I see this as a call to action for Microsoft. They need to provide better tools or flexibility to avoid future bottlenecks. After all, gaming should be about unity, not division—and as a community, we deserve seamless experiences across all platforms. 🕹️