Sony has totally rebuffed suggestions by Microsoft that Project Scorpio will mark a ‘major slowdown’ in consoles. The comments have been made regarding the upcoming release of the updated X-Box One console. This has, once again pitted the 2 rivals against each other.
Why does Microsoft believe there will be a console slowdown?
It has been reported from Business Insider that Microsoft believes that generational consoles might be dying out. Existing technologies are said to be the cause of this console slowdown. Microsoft feels that with the release of the Playstation Pro, and the upcoming release of Project Scorpio, both being updates of an existing console, that generational consoles releases might become a thing of the past.
What does Sony say about this so called console slowdown?
As you might imagine, like the bickering couple they are, Sony completely refutes such a suggestion. Playstations Global Marketing and Sales Jim Ryan has said: “These are probably the same people who predicted the demise of the console in 2012.” He did acknowledge, however, that “tech cycles are getting shorter.”
Sony is arguing that consoles such as the PS4 Pro and Project Scorpio are a necessity as updates based on short-term technological advances. As such, these updates are within the same “family” as their original consoles and as such represent being ‘of’ that generation.
Does any of this really matter? Surely it’s just Sony and Microsoft squabbling again?
Well, that depends on how much you read into it. From my perspective, I feel it is being quite revealing as to the companies plans for the future. Microsoft seems to imply that consoles are falling in line with PCs. Seemingly subscribing to them being a viable option for regular model upgrades following new technologies. Playstation, on the other hand, seems keen to keep church away from the state. PCs and PCs, Consoles are Consoles and never the twain shall meet it would seem.
In fairness, there is a legitimate argument for both sides of this point. Microsofts slow merge of Windows 10 and Xbox, makes it seem only a matter of time before, under the Microsoft umbrella, PC’s and consoles will be closer related than ever.
My God… what will the PC Master Race have then?! Just our multi-coloured systems I guess. At least Corsair has nothing to worry about. For the moment at least.
inb4 RGB consoles
So far the only company releasing consoles and not custom PC’s is Nintendo. I’m not sure what Sony is about. It hardly makes sense right now to switch away from x64, unless Sony really desires to break backward compatibility. So I assume that consoles will continue to use PC tech (though specialised). Therefore I don’t get the discussion of ‘family’. I can’t see Sony doing a PS5 that’s really all that different from the PS4 except in performance.