A Half-Baked Scorpio Could Cost Microsoft the Next Generation

Alex from Twinfinite writes "Scorpio could well end up being a missed opportunity, handing the initiative straight back to Sony moving forward into the next generation.

[zcmilano]

I hope Scorpio becomes more than that... Proper 4k and 60fps is good an all but that sort of power should be used to make games that other consoles cant run.

[Bigpappy]

My expectations for Scorpio is that it will be very powerful (more that 6tf) and quite pricy when it releases. There will be no cheap Monster. The way Phil keeps talking about Scorpio, when asked about pricing, leads me to think that it is going to cost more that people are hoping for. I personally am fine with a higher price if it can deliver impressive power with the latest hardware. He said from the start it will be a premium console and will not be a slight upgrade. He is making sure that all the games can still be played on X1 and he believes that X1 will continue to be the sales leader. I am fine with all of that.
I am more likely to buy and expensive Scorpio that just runs whatever they release on it at max settings, than I am to buy a slightly better Xbox that can do some games in compromised 4k to fall into a competitive price range. I want M$ to make the best console they are capable of making so I can be happy with it for several years. Don't care if PS4 sells more as long as developers still support Xbox.
The truth is, if they make their best console and it is expensive, it will start slow, but will gain in sales as the price drops and support grows. So I agree that Scorpio can not be half baked... but I am talking power.

[Bigpappy]

Scorpio is being built with people like Bethesda and Dice in mind. They are ready to exploit things like DX12 and high powered GPU's that go with it. They can do that on the PS's, but X1 can not handle all the features with that weak graphic card. So Scorpio will be the console that can run these game and the VR games similarly to what you will get with a gaming PC. Maybe not always equivalent, but always competitive.
At E3, expect to hear Bethesda talk up Scorpio and maybe even have a stage demo for one of their game on Scorpio.

[Bigpappy]

oops. I typed PS's... should be 'they can do that on Pc's '

[CrazedFiend]

Gg

[Critic4l_Strik3]

So you want a really powerful console and are more than likely willing to pay premium price for it. Good. Do you want some good exclusive games btw? Thats what it comes down to in the end. Nothing has been shown for the Scorpio of course, but seeing the current/previous XB1 games trend...

[EverydayGuy]

I agree, the disparity between the 2 consoles is allot bigger than the
PS4 and the PS4 Pro, the Scorpio power could be gimp by resolution or FPS to match the Lower spec Xbox One S.

[ShadowKnight]

4K 60fps yeah right 😂

[Aenea]

Well, that's not gonna happen! For one they don't want Scorpio exclusives and second the specs need to be upped way more to achieve 4k@60fps....

[madhouse02]

I could never really quite work out why everyone was so overjoyed at the "shared ecosystem" thing. Because that just means Scorpio isn't going to be as good as it can be. Why not just go all in and make it backwards compatible with the Xbone? They might eat shit for a bit at the start... but that's a proper consumer friendly statement that would put them way ahead of PS4.

[freshslicepizza]

because in the pc space you can still get new games and still push hardware while older generation hardware can still play them. just not with the same settings or performance.

[NXFather]

I want to see you debate with wonderfulmonkeyman.

[LexHazard79]

Its already gonna be bc with Xbox One.
And this notion that there can't be games that take complete advantage of Scorpio is hogwash. A dev can still create an amazing game using all that power. The only things is that it needs to work on Xbox One. Thats where UWP comes in..with the ability to scale back for XBO.

[KillBill]

"Why not just go all in and make it backwards compatible with the Xbone?" - every single game on the Xbox One will play on Scorpio, this has already been announced long ago... why do people still think this is not the case? It has so prominently been stated as such that it will. https://youtu.be/F1dRgWpGeP...

Little different than PS4 to PS4 Pro, in that every PS4 game can be played on PS4 Pro. The same is from Xbox One to Scorpio. Even all the peripherals work with Scorpio.

[gamerpop]

I was pleasantly surprised that Microsoft is being as bold as it is with Scorpio... I actually think it is only a matter of time before it starts to make exclusive content for Scorpio.

[Thatguy-310]

If they do that would be the end of them since this isn't supposed to be a new console generation for them. I hope they're smarter than that.

[XanderZane]

There will be exclusive games that run only on XB1/Scorpio in the future. There probably won't be any Scorpio only exclusives until Microsoft pulls the plug on the XB1. Same thing with the PS4 Pro.
http://www.dsogaming.com/ne...

[gametrotter]

Hope it's got a boost mode :P! Seriously, I don't get the fuss over Scorpio unless it has games.

[DillyDilly]

It will have the same games as the One & the S

[arkard]

So Halo, Forza, and Gears......

[Melankolis]

@arkard
Yea, business as usual...

[Kaneki-Ken]

What games? You mean 3rd party or Halo, Gears and Forza.

[EmperorDalek]

"So Halo, Forza, and Gears......"

Plus all the other games they've released, that fanboys tend either tend to ignore, or weren't as good as they should have been. Sunset Overdrive, Ori, and Titanfall 1 are some of the best games this gen. Things like Sea of Thieves and Crackdown 3 look very promising. There's been a few duds like Quantum Break and (To a lesser extent) Recore, but the variety is there. Hopefully the Scorpio does well so we can get a higher quantity of quality releases.

And why is Halo, Forza and Gears looked down upon? Halo 5 has the best MP this gen so far, Forza Horizon 3 is by far the best racing game this gen, and arguably the best overall game so far. Gears 4 was solid. It's not a bad combo at all, and it's not like MS are only looking to stick with these three... It's just the new IPs they tried haven't been successful (Which is disappointing.)

[Yukes]

Think the console itself will be a monster, but without a stellar exclusive lineup to rival the PS4's, I can't see it mattering. Sony are just too damn strong at the moment.

[Bigpappy]

PS4 was selling boat loads long before UC4, Nioh, Horizon...

[Overload]

Phil Spencer just said on Unlocked that he expects Xbox One S to be the main seller between it and Scorpio.

[Yohshida]

Ps4 didnt offer anything Killer from 2013-2015

E3 2013 was the reason I bought a Xbox over a ps4. They just had too many good games coming while Sony had Killzone and knack

[JackBNimble]

Lol... Now look at you, you got yourself an xbone and 3rd party games and the ps4 has all the exclusives.
I bet you feel stupid now... don't you? 🙃

[Skillz1215]

wth are you smoking?

[Yohshida]

As of tomorrow I own every console yet again. Mostly play on PC and C
Xbox. And yet after all these years, ps4 doesnt have a single multiplayer title worth playing. I was hoping no mans sky would have been that, but I was disappointed.
I did enjoy ratchet. Until dawn and Uncharted. But I could have played all those in a week and would have been done.
Im not into any JRPGs you guys are
Theire is nothing wrong with that. I just prefer playing with friends.

[Why o why]

First it was about games....then flipped it to friends.....I mean, its not too impossible but you must be dissatisfied with the meagre offerings on the x1.. your friends must be very loyal lol

[Yohshida]

What? I play multiplayer games with friends. Xbox offers the best mp games while ps4 aint got none. Its all about games.

[Ceaser9857361]

Videogamelab
Lol what? Good Morning Bruh!!
I bet you are defending your purchase.. Lmao!!
Though i have to admit i have the X1 but i prefer my Pro. Not that X1 is bad but the best exclusives are with the PlayStation. And Exclusive sales.. Scropio need to step up and not rely on Halo only, Forza only and Gears only. I feel MS should launch Crackdown 3 along with Scorpio..

[PhoenixUp]

People are seriously getting too worked up over an iterative console

[basilboxer]

I agree with the article. I think Microsoft has already missed the boat with the iterative console for this generation. Pro is really all you need, especially now it has boost mode. Why would I rush out and get Scorpio? I might if there were games... but if it's just better 4k and more consistent 60fps, who cares?

I'm quite happy to wait another 18 months for Sony to announce PS5, which will in turn be better than Scorpio with its own exclusive games.

[dkp23]

Doesn't matter what it is if they keep cancelling stuff and recycling old IPs. No new IPS, the story will be the same which is PS4 dominating.

[ElementX]

In a couple years, Scorpio will be the base model of the next gen. Xbox One support will be dropped. Scorpio will play next gen games at 1080p and upscaling but a more powerful iteration will come out for more native 4k support

[MecheSlays]

no it won't they guarenteed 10 years. i think they're gonna stick to it

[feraldrgn]

That's if the Scorpio is next generation or this generation, they haven't said yet.
Whether they're not saying anything because they want a head start, or because it's an Xbone upgrade like they more or less said earlier is anybody's guess.

[DillyDilly]

It will be the same with the PS4 Pro nothing is really special about either & both will not have exclusive games & split their own audience up it'd be stupid both companies

[_LarZen_]

Allot of wishful thinking around when it comes to Scorpio. It is basically a PS4Pro but a bit more powerful.

It won't be a 60 fps 4K beast as some so sadly believe.

Hopefully it will achieve native 4K more often then the PS4Pro. But in games the PS4Pro has 1800p with upscaling. Or 2160p checkerboard. The difference will be for the average consumer minimal.

But all this won't matter if Xbox don't start getting new exciting exclusive games. I can hardly believe anyone would buy a more powerful Xbox to play old games as that seams to be their focus lately. Except the core Xbox fans that is.

E3 will be the first sign to see if they will turn this around. It's basically: no new exciting exclusives = game over

[Fist4achin]

A half baked anything will cost any company at this point.

[WelkinCole]

The problem with Scorpio are many

1. It will not have many exclusive content like the PS
2. It will most likely be more pricey than the PS Pro

These two alone makes it really tough for Scorpio. If we have learned anything. Games and Price are two of the biggest factor in winning. However there is more

3. Scorpio will come out when the majority of console gamers are still using 1080p TV as not many have upgraded. Point is that extra horse power will not matter much if one has only a 1080p display. Mass adoption of 4k sets will not be until 2019 which is just in time with when Sony might be looking at announcing the PS5.

4. PS4 Pro will hit its strides when the Scorpio is just finding its feet. Basically the difference will be negligible owning not only to more mature PS4 Pro dev kits and more experience by devs but of course Sony's 1st party will make it sing. Imagine GOW, TLOU2 and Days Gone come out and we see much less difference if any between top of the notch PS games compare to 1st gen Scorpio launch games couple with much cheaper console and already much larger catelog of better games. Which do you think casuals and new gamers will choose for their console?.

5. Transferable market share. This is something that people are not talking about much but I think it will be critical to devs especially 3rd party ones. You see by the time Scorpio launch the PS4 would most likely be at 65-70 million. This is a huge base that 3rd party will still focus on the PS4 as the lead cosnole because its where the money still is. Now contrast with MS. Many I believe will abandon the X1 and purchase the Scorpio instead to many core xbox fans the huge power difference will be worth it. Basically 3rd party devs can still rely on stock PS4 base to buy their games.

[OhMyGandhi]

I feel microsoft is releasing Scorpio with the ultimate goal being to have the best performing third party games on their system.

[BenRC01]

They just don't care about software. Buisness model is all wrong. Never been a fanboy always had multiple console but I'm done with Microsoft consoles. Just like I'm done with lg phones. Both were hugely disappointing for me and I will not be supporting them any further.

[R6ex]

Instead of Scorpio, MS should start next gen ahead of Sony.

[krypt1983]

This is the 1st console under phil he knows what he is doing and is about to change the landscape believe that

[Raiden]

If anyone has seen my comments before, I nickname the PS4, lone station, it may have multiplayer games from 3rd parties, but Sony don't do multiplayer games they leave it to 3rd parties, I like the PS4 and the X1 as they have games I won't find on elsewhere, look at the cost of games, I feel CHEATED every single time, I don't want to pay for a game that I complete ONCE and has nothing to bring me back to it, look at COD, no one plays that game for the storyline but for the MP, I love the presentation of PS4 games, but they leave me feeling empty, I wanna play HZD, but will wait for the price to go down. Anyway I have more fun with X1.

[Takwin]

We need $300 and $600 systems. I won't buy one, but I do hope it succeeds and to do that it needs to be absolutely no less than $500. No skimping.

[Orpheo]

I agree with this article's end paragraph. I think Microsoft has a brilliant Trojan Horse system with the Scorpio.

It has been seen that games near the end of a previous generation are at least somewhat comparable in quality to the launch games of the succeeding generation. Microsoft's X-Box One Scorpio is essentially strong enough to be considered next - generation. For launch and the rest of this year I can see Microsoft sticking with its mantra of all games working for all versions of X-Box One. But late into next year, though they may be revealed as early as E3 2018, we'll see Microsoft and select partners "experimenting" with games that can only run on Scorpio. The more time goes by the more of those experiments there will be until they are commonplace. Microsoft will have essentially created a "half - generational leap." Around this time Sony may aim to compete by releasing its PS5. Despite most assuredly being a stronger system its launch games will appear on - par with Scorpio's. This will be the result of game makers having more experience developing for Microsoft's hardware. How long this software parity will last remains to be seen.

I believe Microsoft's plan with the Scorpio is to pace itself by buying time to allow Sony to play its hand with the PS5 and then launch its own true successor. In this way Microsoft can come behind Sony's launch with a 'true' next - generation platform being more powerful than Sony's PS5 and it will tout and try to leverage that power difference as much as possible in its marketing and with its games.

This may upset some Scorpio owners that their new system will be replaced in only a few years but many will transition to the new hardware anyway. Sony really has no response to this strategy than to stay its course and do its own thing in its own time. If Sony feels rushed and releases PS5 early, then Microsoft will release its true next - gen system shortly after and it will be more powerful. If Sony thinks of stretching out the PS4 life cycle, than they are only giving gamers more of a reason to upgrade to Scorpio.

Microsoft has played a very clever hand and I await Sony's response.