According to a report today from OXM, Microsoft will not require Xbox One game developers to create games that run at native 1080p resolution.
The clarification comes after Microsoft Devices and Studios Group chief of staff Aaron Greenberg cause an uproar after he wrongly claimed the Ryse: Son of Rome will run at native 1080p when, in fact, the title will run at native 900p.
Microsoft cleared it up in a statement, saying the Xbox one will be designed to support the “best blockbuster games today and for the next decade” and will support games and entertainment up to 4K resolution.
But that doesn’t mean all developers will be required to create games at that resolution.
“… We've left the decision up to individual developers to determine what resolution best fits their own design goals. Xbox One will present all titles at 1080p either natively or upscaled by the Xbox One," Microsoft told OXM in an email.
Xbox One engineer Andrew Goossen told Digital Foundry that Microsoft learned from the Xbox 360 release, when they mandated all developers create games at 720p.
Because some games work better at lower resolution and higher-quality pixels, and vice versa, Xbox 360 eventually got rid of the Technical Certification Requirement.
"Game developers are naturally (incentivized) to make the highest quality visuals possible," Goossen said. "And so will choose the most appropriate trade-off between quality of each pixel versus number of pixels for their games."
