Microsoft Announces The Most Powerful Console Ever

Microsoft’s Project Scorpio is the firm’s next console and “the latest addition to the Xbox One family”. Before E3, rumours were circulating about this device and its astonishing graphical throughput with 6 teraflops of horsepower. Given the company’s release of a new slim model, it was uncertain if the Scorpio would make an appearance. Saying that, Phil Spencer promised fans this would be a very special E3 which raised people’s hopes about new hardware being shown. Microsoft’s E3 press briefing was packed full of exciting games and ended with a tease about Project Scorpio. While the console itself wasn’t shown, a dramatic segment discussed the Scorpio and Microsoft’s plans for the future. Phil Spencer proudly proclaimed:

“We believe in hardware innovation without sacrificing compatibility,”

“The next step change for gamers and developers must deliver true 4K gaming and high-fidelity VR. I’m really excited to share what we have been working on.”

Spencer also added:

“We believe it’ll be the most powerful console ever built, with 6 teraflops of power, this will be the console to lead us into true 4K gaming,”

"Today marks the beginning of a future […] where we can all play without boundaries" — @XboxP3 #XboxE3 pic.twitter.com/EvU1Wvlubt

— Xbox (@Xbox) June 13, 2016

This is a huge announcement and it seems like Project Scorpio can cope with games while using a 4K resolution. Unlike the Xbox One, Microsoft doesn’t appear to be compromising and wants to create the best possible console on a technical level. In an interview with The Verge , Phil Spencer explained:

“The important thing for Scorpio is that it’s a dramatic step up for us in terms of hardware capability,”

“Because as we saw 4K gaming and really high-end VR taking off in the PC space, we wanted to be able to bring that to console. Project Scorpio is actually an Xbox One that can natively run games in 4K and is built with the hardware capabilities to support the high-end VR that you see happening in the PC space today… when it ships it will be the most powerful console ever built.”

Microsoft’s decision to launch another console relatively soon after the Xbox One is brave because they’re bound to receive a backlash from some fans. However, I applaud this move because it’s adapting to the modern market and giving players the freedom to select a console which suits their budget. Not only that, all Xbox One games will remain compatible with the Scorpio which makes the initial investment a bit easier. Sadly, Microsoft didn’t disclose information about the console’s price but it’s expected to launch in Holiday 2017.

Image courtesy of VentureBeat