Moon Studios founder criticizes Xbox Series S specifications

Thomas Mahler, founder of Moon Studios, has criticized the Xbox Series S, labeling its technical specifications as “frankly stupid” and referring to the console as a “potato machine.” Mahler’s comments follow social media debates where players demanded 60 fps performance on the system, using the upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI as a benchmark.

Mahler argued that expecting high-end performance from the Series S is unreasonable, noting that the console is an older, budget-friendly device with significantly less RAM than even a Steam Deck. He highlighted that Rockstar Games’ ability to run GTA VI on the hardware is an outlier due to their massive billion-dollar budget and decade-long development cycle involving thousands of employees.

Furthermore, Mahler claimed that the requirement to maintain parity between the powerful Xbox Series X and the weaker Series S creates significant strain on developers. He suggested that this technical constraint causes professional hardship and delays, as studios must optimize games for limited hardware, which can impact the work-life balance of development teams.