Baldur’s Gate III, the highly anticipated role-playing game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, has been released on PC and Mac but faces delays on the Xbox platform due to technical challenges. The developer, Larian Studios, encountered difficulties optimizing the game for the lower-powered Xbox Series S console, which has 10GB of RAM compared to 16GB on the Xbox Series X and PS5.
Microsoft’s strict parity requirements demand that games run seamlessly on both the Xbox Series X and Series S, which led Larian Studios to prioritize the PS5 version for an exclusive four-month release, while the Xbox version remains in development. The technical hurdle lies in implementing seamless drop-in, drop-out co-op on the Series S, and the studio hopes to resolve it with an update later in the year.
Baldur’s Gate III’s PC version has received positive reviews, while the PS5 version is slated for a September 6 release. However, Xbox Series X/S players will have to wait until the technical issues are resolved.
The situation has sparked debates about the impact of Microsoft’s parity requirements, with concerns that the Series S might be holding back the potential of the entire ninth console generation. Developers have expressed frustrations about having to optimize games for the lowest-performing console, which could limit the scope and quality of games on the Xbox Series X.
While Sony’s PS5 pitch focused on delivering power, better graphics, and faster loading times, Microsoft has aimed to establish a broader gaming ecosystem with cloud play. Sony’s approach has proven successful, leading in console sales with over 40 million PS5s sold worldwide, while Xbox has over 21 million players on the Series X and Series S.
Ultimately, the Xbox parity requirements have inadvertently created a console-exclusive situation for Baldur’s Gate III, with the PS5 enjoying exclusive access to the game until the Xbox version is ready for release.
