If Top Gear’s former host Jeremy Clarkson were to design a video game console, it’d probably wind up being very similar to the Scorpio device that the Xbox division is working on right now. Because that is one device which just oozes “bigness”. With enough hardware to double as a Borg cube, the Scorpio is Microsoft’s best attempt at emulating the flexible power of a PC with the convenience of a console.
It’s a console designed to surpass current systems, especially if you’re rocking the right kind of 4K TV for it. And Microsoft really wants to confirm that previous Xbox One games will be 100% compatible on it. “Scorpio will be 100% compatible with all Xbox One titles and there will be no Scorpio exclusive games, pending any potential unique accessories such as VR,” Xbox platform chief Mike Ybarra said in a Windows Central interview via GameSpot.
One possible other hurdle for future games? The fact that developers will need to consider juggling visuals for multiple devices so that their games look decent on either platform. That’s a bit of an arduous task, but Ybarra said that some developers already had experience with creating games for differently-speced systems. “Experienced developers who make PC games or ship their titles on multiple platforms are very familiar with the development process of targeting multiple performance configurations,” Ybarra said.
We see this today, with developers authoring content at 4K resolution or higher to take advantage of high performance PCs, and then scale the content accordingly for systems with different spec ranges.
This enables them to easily target multiple performance profiles without significantly increasing their content production costs. We expect developers to do similar with Xbox One vs. Scorpio titles,. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for developers to target multiple devices including Xbox One S, Project Scorpio, and the full breadth of Windows 10 devices.
Make no mistake, the Xbox Scorpio is going to charge a premium price for all those bits of terraflip-flops under the hood, when compared to the PS4 Pro which offers a more budget-friendly mid-cycle upgrade at an RRP of $400. But for those people looking to play with power? Microsoft says that when the Scorpio releases next year, the differences in performance will be properly obvious.
That, and this is turning into a magnificent pissing contest between the two brands already.
Last Updated: September 30, 2016
Pieter Kruger
September 30, 2016 at 08:03
Scorpio to rule them all! Scorpio > Xbox One S > PS4 Pro or PS4 Pro…blem! Duct taping 2 PS4’s together, charging for an optical port on it and NOT including UHD Blu-Ray player and still just up scaling to 4k is just STUPID! Rather wait for the REAL PS5 unveiling coming E3 2018!
Grimsupanoob
September 30, 2016 at 08:11
But will the PS5 support mods for games like Xbone does?? Or crossplay…
Pieter Kruger
September 30, 2016 at 08:17
Probably not sadly, seems to be a Sony policy thing… ????????????
Alien Emperor Trevor
September 30, 2016 at 08:16
“This enables them to easily target multiple performance profiles without significantly increasing their content production costs.”
Remember this.
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
September 30, 2016 at 08:21
So in turn it will be compatible with Windows 10? Thanks Xbox chief
Darren Peach
September 30, 2016 at 09:36
Microsoft are slowly unin-venting the video game console…….
Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0
September 30, 2016 at 10:05
They’re trying their damndest it seems
Pieter Kruger
September 30, 2016 at 08:56
I’m not too worried about pricing, as Phill explains “So I wouldn’t get people worried that this thing is going to be unlike any console price you’ve ever seen. We didn’t design it that way. That said, the opening price point for the Xbox One S, and the different hard drive sizes that is a critical part of this whole product. When I think about it as a product line, you should expect the pricing to kind of be in line with that.”
Darren Peach
September 30, 2016 at 09:30
Microsoft are aloft in spirit now that they think they have one over Sony…. Hey Microsoft, I am going to buy a pro at some point and all your boasting and self righteous ramblings are not gonna change that, Although I might just buy a Scorpio if it is legit.
iusedtobe(a)regular
September 30, 2016 at 09:33
Thats all good but the what happens when Xbox1 cant support a game developed for the Scorpio? And you are fooling yourself if you think that it wont happen.
Bottom line is that the PS4 and Pro will always overshadow any xbox console simply because of its superior exclusives.
TruthSpoketh
October 1, 2016 at 12:19
Wha ha ha, bwha ha ha ha, Hahahaha! ROFL! This guy!
Darren Peach
September 30, 2016 at 09:35
Overall, This generation has proved to be very average, regardless of which camp you are in.
Fox1 - Retro
September 30, 2016 at 10:36
Indeed.
miaau
September 30, 2016 at 10:13
Should the statement not be: Games made for the Scorpio well work on Xbox One?
pinkfluidlive
September 30, 2016 at 19:49
All this talk of 4K gaming and TFLOPS is becoming a bit boring, I’m looking forward to both consoles but not because of visual fidelity or framerates but because I hope that developers out there start delivering games that scream innovation and freshness, this generation has been very poor when it comes to both in regards to AAA titles, there is too much focus on looks and not enough on substsnce