In an interview with Windows Central Rhys Elliott, an analyst from MIDiA Research, suggests that Microsoft could leverage the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6 to give the Xbox Series S a final push in the market. Elliott points out that the Xbox Series S, with its lower price point, could be positioned as the most accessible way for budget-conscious gamers to experience GTA 6.

While PlayStation has dominated this generation in terms of hardware sales, it's also no secret that there's still a sizable number of users who haven't upgraded to the latest consoles yet. The current economic climate, marked by rising living costs and financial uncertainty for many consumers, could make the prospect of a competitively priced gaming option particularly appealing.

Elliott proposes that Microsoft could potentially offer the Xbox Series S at a sub-$200 price point as part of a promotional campaign tied to GTA 6's release. Such a move could attract cash-strapped gamers who are eager to play the highly anticipated title but may be hesitant to invest in more expensive hardware.

However, capitalizing on GTA 6's release is not without obstacles for Microsoft. The most significant challenge is the likelihood that Sony will secure the marketing rights for the game. Historically, PlayStation has often been the preferred marketing partner for the Grand Theft Auto franchise, and this trend is expected to continue with the sixth installment. The marketing advantage could sway undecided consumers towards the PlayStation 5, potentially limiting the impact of any Xbox Series S promotions.

Despite this hurdle, the release of GTA 6 still presents an opportunity for Microsoft to reinvigorate interest in its current-generation consoles. The Xbox team could focus on highlighting the Series S as a cost-effective entry point for playing GTA 6, even without official marketing rights.

As the current console generation matures, Microsoft has shifted its focus towards a more software and services-oriented approach, with initiatives like Xbox Game Pass and cloud gaming taking center stage, but a successful hardware push around GTA 6 could provide valuable data and insights for Microsoft's future console plans.

Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, even if Xbox does push the Series S as the budget-friendly alternative to GTA 6, doing so might harm the brand. A stark contrast to the PlayStation 5 Pro, the Series S is aimed at letting gamers enjoy the latest titles without breaking the bank.

However, the console has a bad reputation among developers and analysts. Many have called the Series S out as a console that adds to the burden of optimizing modern AAA titles as its significantly weaker hardware forces developers to find ways to make the game run well on the Series S without compromising the performance on the PS5 and Series X.

Most famously, Digital Foundry's John Linneman expressed doubts back in August that the Series S could run GTA 6 at a 1080p resolution, which is considered a bare minimum for today's titles. Of course, the RAGE engine and Rockstar Games do have a history of optimizing titles well for weaker platforms. With Rockstar San Diego and Rockstar Australia both likely helping out with the development of GTA 6, the game's performance on the Series S might come as a surprise, and we mean that in a good way.

We'll find out more for sure if Microsoft will actually invest in pushing the Series S later this year once Take-Two Interactive starts allocating more money into marketing its upcoming games, including GTA 6, the frontrunner for this year's GOTY award.