Microsoft is no longer making new games for the Xbox One
Players who are hanging onto the older console can still access Series X/S titles via cloud gaming.
Almost three years into the Xbox Series X/S lifecycle, Microsoft says it is no longer making games for the Xbox One. While the company will continue to support ongoing previous-generation titles like Minecraft and Halo Infinite, no Xbox Game Studios teams are working on new titles for the older console. "We've moved on to gen 9," Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty told Axios, referring to the Xbox Series X/S consoles. The company also makes its games for PC.
This move had to happen at some point to avoid newer and more complex games being hamstrung by the hardware limitations of the decade-old Xbox One. Still, it'll be possible for those clinging onto an Xbox One to play Series X/S titles such as Starfield and Forza Motorsport through Xbox Cloud Gaming. “That’s how we’re going to maintain support," Booty said.
The news comes in the wake of a strong showing for Xbox at its big annual showcase last weekend. It announced new titles such as Compulsion's South of Midnight and InXile’s Clockwork Revolution, while providing fresh looks at the likes of Fable, Avowed and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II.
The move away from Xbox One will free Microsoft's teams from the shackles of the previous generation. However, some third-party developers have raised concerns that the Xbox Series S, which is less powerful than the Series X, is holding them back too.
Booty conceded that making sure games run well on the Series S requires "more work." Still, he noted Microsoft's studios (particularly those working on their second games for this generation of consoles) are now able to better optimize their projects for the Series S.
