Crytek engineer retracts claim that PS5 is easier to develop for than Xbox Series X

Xbox Series X Teardown
Xbox Series X Teardown (Image credit: Microsoft)

What you need to know

  • Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 specifications were revealed a few weeks ago.
  • The Xbox Series X features a more powerful CPU and GPU.
  • A Crytek developer recently said that the PS5 was "better" because it was easier to program for.
  • Now he's retracted that statement.

Ever since the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 (PS5) specifications were revealed, there has been a lot of debate about which console is "better." While the Xbox Series X has a raw power advantage that should result in better in-game effects and possibly resolutions, the PS5 has a faster solid-state drive which should help games load a little faster.

However, there's another debate raging about which console is easier to program for. A few days ago, a Crytek engineer by the name of Ali Salehi said that the PS5 was "a better console" because "developers are saying PS5 is the easiest console they have ever coded on to reach its peak performance. Software-wise, coding for PS5 is extremely simple and has so many abilities."

In the original interview, Salehi said that DirectX 12 hadn't been updated for a long time, and curious omitted any mention of DirectX 12 Ultimate. It's unclear if he's had any time with the Xbox Series X development kit, which is regarded quite favorably by the industry judging by our conversations. It also came across as odd, given that Salehi made no mention of DirectX 12 Ultimate, which was announced just recently. It's unclear when the original interview was recorded, but since then, Salehi hasn't commented DirectX 12 Ultimate.

Yesterday, GamesRadar+ said that Salehi had retracted his statements as stated by the outlet that interviewed him, Vigiato. GamesRadar+ wrote the following.

A Crytek engineer... Salehi, reportedly argued that PS5 is easier to program for than Xbox Series X in a recent interview with Persian site Vigiato, but that claim has now been retracted. Some of Salehi's quotes were archived on ResetEra and by Tom's Guide... However, Vigiato has seemingly pulled the interview, and the aforementioned Twitter user most recently affirmed that 'Ali Salehi doesn't confirm the content of the interview anymore due to personal reasons.'

It's unclear what these "personal reasons" are, but as a multi-platform third-party developer, it's unlikely that Crytek wants to be seen as favoring either company, particularly before kits have even shipped to third parties, and particularly given that Salehi made no mention of how DirectX 12 Ultimate and other new features may impact development pipelines.

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Asher Madan

Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.