With the PlayStation 4 Pro set to launch in November, Microsoft realizes it needs to continue selling the idea of Project Scorpio to gamers in hopes they will decide to wait instead of throwing down on Sony's machine.
To keep Project Scorpio in the press, Microsoft updated the landing page recently. It shows a new screenshot with the basic specifications of the console. These are all things we've known since E3 2016, so no surprises here.
The console will have 6-teraflops of GPU power, 8-core processor, and 320 GB/s memory bandwidth. This should, in theory, allow Project Scorpio to deliver true 4K gaming. This will be a key selling point for Microsoft as the Sony PlayStation 4 Pro uses an upscale trick known as checkboard to deliver video games in 4K.
Microsoft is basically saying its console doesn't have to use tricks to deliver video games at true 4K. The company has an entire year to make sure it gets everything right. Still, an entire year can also be used to create a failure.
The company also made sure to note that Project Scorpio will be the most powerful video game console ever, and that all games and accessories will work on the Xbox One. That statement is a bit of a red herring because Project Scorpio is still in development, so as we speak, the PlayStation 4 Pro is still the most powerful video game console ever made.
As for virtual reality, Microsoft is saying Project Scorpio will do it best when compared to Sony's new system. We have no idea of the type VR headset the system will use. Microsoft did say it's not working on a headset of its own, so if that's the case, then chances are the company will decide to work with third-party headsets such as the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift.
In a recent interview, Microsoft's head of Xbox, Phil Spencer, stated that he's not worried about the PS4 Pro's early start. The company is more focused on delivering a solid product come holiday 2017, so there's no need to rush.
It should be interesting to find out how many units of the new console Microsoft hopes to sell in 2017 and beyond. We know the company had intentions of selling over 200 million Xbox One devices throughout its lifetime, but clearly, that's never going to happen based on the current state of the market.
