New Naruto Game Will Let Xbox Series X Players Block Users on Xbox Series S, Bandai Namco Confirms [IGN]

If you’re a Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 player and you don’t want to be stuck with 30 FPS in online fights in the upcoming Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Bandai Namco has you in mind.

The developer is offering a feature to PS5 players to block PS4 from online matching, as well as Xbox Series X players to block Xbox One and, notably, Xbox Series S, as noted in the game’s list of specs on its official website. Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections is set to run at 60 FPS on Xbox Series X and PS5, but 30 FPS on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S – meaning that, if PS5/Xbox Series X players match with PS4, Xbox Series One, or Xbox Series S players, that online fight will be knocked down to 30 FPS.

When reached by IGN for further clarification, Bandai Namco Entertainment America gave us the following statement:

“We implemented a setting for players on new-gen consoles with a 60FPS cap to allow online matchmaking only with players on respective new-gen consoles if they prefer not to play at 30FPS. The setting is completely optional, and if players wish to match with a wider pool of players, they can turn it off.”

So, basically: if you’re the owner of a Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 and you want to stay firmly in 60 FPS when Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections comes out on Nov. 16, turn that feature on. If you don’t mind 30 FPS, feel free to battle that wider pool of competitors in online play.

While the option is nice for current-gen players who want optimal performance, the fact that the game won’t be running at 60 FPS on Xbox Series S highlights an ongoing headache for Microsoft regarding the hardware differences between the Xbox Series X and the cheaper but less powerful Xbox Series S. Phil Spencer recently doubled down on his insistence that games will launch on both the Xbox Series X and S, despite the recent Baldur’s Gate 3 debacle (which, luckily, will seemingly be resolved by the end of the year now that Larian Studios has won a small concession from Microsoft in the feature parity department).

For more on Naruto x Boruto Ultimate Ninja Connections, check out 16 minutes of gameplay out of June’s Anime Expo.

Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.