Bulkhead, the developer behind the upcoming game Wardogs, has revealed that the limitations imposed by the Xbox Series S have influenced certain design decisions, while also presenting unexpected benefits. CEO Joe Brammer stated that the console's lower specifications necessitate mindful development, impacting features like dynamic weather. The upcoming rain system, set to debut in Wardogs Season 2, will be a persistent, match-long downpour rather than a dynamic, changing phenomenon.
Brammer explained that the Xbox Series S represents "very low-end hardware for a game like Wardogs," making performance a key consideration. While dynamic weather is an ambition for the future, it is not currently in development due to these performance constraints. This situation echoes challenges faced by other developers; Moon Studios cited issues with the Xbox Series S when delaying the Xbox release of "No Rest for the Wicked," and Baldur's Gate 3 required Microsoft's assistance to implement split-screen co-op on the platform.
Xbox mandates that games be released on both Series X and Series S or neither, requiring feature parity between the versions. Despite these hurdles, Wardogs studio co-founder Howard Philpott noted that developing for the Series S has an upside: it forces optimization for lower-spec PCs. This allows a broader audience to play the game with their friends, aligning with Bulkhead's goal of maximizing player accessibility.
Philpott elaborated that the focus on the Series S's performance baseline has been instrumental in improving the game's performance on less powerful PCs, a detail not heavily emphasized during pre-release discussions. The desire to enable as many people as possible to play together is a core tenet of Wardogs' design philosophy.
Furthermore, the development of robust controller support, a feature originally considered an afterthought for the PC early access launch, has been accelerated by player demand and the need for forward-thinking design. Senior producer Kane Allard acknowledged that retrofitting controller support was a significant undertaking, prompting Bulkhead to integrate console and controller considerations more thoroughly into its development process moving forward. The studio has even enlisted a professional Halo player to refine the controller experience.