Former Tekken Boss Criticizes the Existence of Xbox Series S

The big Xbox Series S debate is back, and this time, a familiar name from the Tekken franchise is leading the criticism. Former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has openly questioned Microsoft’s decision to release the cheaper console. His comments reportedly came during a developer panel in South Korea, with an Xbox representative in attendance.

Former Tekken boss says Xbox Series S creates extra development work

According to IvenGlobal, speaking at the Console Game Developers Conference 2026, Harada said he wished hardware like Xbox Series S had never been released (via Kotaku). The discussion also featured former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida and CD Projekt Red associate game director Paweł Sasko.

Harada pointed to the console’s limited memory and weaker hardware. He argued that developing for Series S creates additional work because it closely resembles Series X. Developers cannot simply treat it as an entirely different platform.

He also highlighted a problem facing studios after launch. Series S players often complain about lower texture quality and visual compromises. Developers must balance those expectations while working within the console’s hardware limitations.

Interestingly, Harada said the situation becomes especially frustrating in the US. He claimed Series S has more users than Series X in some markets. That makes it difficult for developers to treat the cheaper console as a secondary platform.

CD Projekt’s Pawel Sasko sees another side of the argument

Sasko acknowledged the challenges but offered a different perspective. He said optimizing games for Series S can improve performance across other platforms. Those improvements may also benefit high-end PCs and handheld gaming devices.

He pointed to Cyberpunk 2077’s optimization work following development for Nintendo Switch 2. According to Sasko, improvements made for the handheld helped the team enhance other versions.

Sasko also defended the console’s affordable pricing. Not every player can afford expensive gaming hardware, making Series S an important entry point. That broader audience remains a significant advantage for developers and publishers.

Harada was not convinced by the response. He even joked about Microsoft potentially releasing a weaker successor under the name “Helix S.”

The debate highlights Microsoft’s ongoing challenge with its two-console strategy. Series S expands Xbox’s reach, but its hardware limitations continue creating extra work for studios.

Could Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox avoid repeating the same development headaches? That’s something time will tell.