Microsoft acknowledges ‘performance issues’ in some Xbox Series X games compared to PS5

Microsoft has acknowledged “performance issues” in several multiplatform Xbox Series X games compared to their PS5 equivalents and said it’s working with developers to improve them.

As reported by The Verge, recent analysis videos by VGC’s network partner Digital Foundry have found that several multiplatform games run more consistently on PS5 in certain situations, despite Xbox Series X boasting – on paper, at least – more powerful system specs.

Devil May Cry 5’s high framerate mode runs noticeably better on PS5 compared to Series X, Digital Foundry found, while Dirt 5 has both improved image quality and resolution on Sony’s console.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – a game Microsoft prominently marketed alongside Xbox Series X – is another game which surprisingly has a more consistent framerate on PlayStation 5 in its current form.

Considering Xbox Series X’s slightly more impressive tech specs compared to Sony – Microsoft claims its consoles is capable of 12 teraflops of GPU performance vs. PS5’s 10.28 teraflops – it’s perhaps surprising to see Sony’s console coming out on top with some launch titles.

According to The Verge’s sources, the situation could have been caused by the late issue of Xbox Series X development kits, which developers indicated had arrived far later than PlayStation’s.

In a statement issued to the publication, Microsoft acknowledged the comparison videos and claimed it was working with developers to resolve the issues.

“We are aware of performance issues in a handful of optimized titles on Xbox Series X|S and are actively working with our partners to identify and resolve the issues to ensure an optimal experience,” a spokesperson said.

“As we begin a new console generation, our partners are just now scratching the surface of what next-gen consoles can do and minor bug fixes are expected as they learn how to take full advantage of our new platform.

“We are eager to continue working with developers to further explore the capability of Xbox Series X|S in the future.”

In its Devil May Cry 5 comparison, Digital Foundry’s Richard Leadbetter said he did not have an explanation for PS5’s higher performance but said that he felt there was “something up” with the Xbox Series X versions of the game.

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“The [framerate] dips look really strange to me, and it kind of suggests to me some kind of API limitation on the Xbox side where the GPU is being held back by something,” he said.

On the game’s ray tracing mode, which appears to run comparatively across both platforms, he added:

“I don’t really have any technical explanation for it, except the sense you’re getting here is that PlayStation 5 spec wise is punching above its weight, and something is up with Xbox — which on paper at least should be significantly ahead.”

On Wednesday, Ubisoft confirmed that a new Assassin’s Creed Valhalla update would introduce the ability for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players to choose between graphics and performance modes.