With E3 2017 a couple weeks out, all of gaming's biggest companies are gearing up to wow the press and fans alike. In that regard, one has to ask, can Xbox and Project Scorpio live up to the hype?
The Next Iteration
For Microsoft and Xbox, the big story going into this year's E3 is the aforementioned Project Scorpio. The system, announced at E3 last year, is basically being pitched as the next iteration in the Xbox family.
While Project Scorpio's physical system hasn't been announced, the specs were revealed several months ago. Even if it hadn't undergone any changes since its reveal, it would still be the most powerful home system on the market. This would make it capable of running VR as well via the Oculus Rift, which was part of the announcement last year.
The other key feature is the built-in backward compatibility with Xbox One. Given the relatively short life span of the Xbox One compared to past systems, Microsoft doesn't want anyone who has the console to lose their games. Project Scorpio would be able to support both Xbox One games and accessories, which could be a big selling point.
With a targeted release window of Holiday 2017, it stands to reason that the Xbox press conference will focus heavily on Project Scorpio, which would likely get an official name at E3 as well. If a set release date is announced together with a reasonable price, it could really swing E3 in Xbox's favor.
Where Are The Games?
One area that Xbox has lacked on, especially in the last few years, has been games. While it did have deals for early access to content and exclusive content for select games, having only a few exclusive IPs - compared with PlayStation and Nintendo - hasn't really worked in their favor.
As of now, the only major exclusive confirmed in development is Crackdown 3. The third game in the series will throw players back into the boots of super-agents trying to take down criminal gangs in over-the-top fashion.
While there are still other series in Xbox's pocket, like Halo, Gears of War, and Forza, with the third most likely having another entry ready to go for the show, there hasn't been any news of the former two having any new entry in development.
That said, with Project Scorpio on the horizon, it is entirely possible that Xbox is keeping everything close to the chest. It's not outside of reason to think that there is a lot planned for the annual press conference, and everyone involved is keeping quiet. If that's the case, it's possible Xbox could steal the show this year, but all anyone can do is wait and see.
