This article was published on May 25, 2016

Microsoft could update Xbox One this year, drop new console ‘Scorpio’ in 2017


Microsoft could update Xbox One this year, drop new console ‘Scorpio’ in 2017

The rumored PS4.5 PS4k Playstation ‘NEO’ is going to be a 4k gaming beast, but Microsoft is reportedly planning a couple big moves of its own. One will just be a smaller and cheaper version of the Xbox One, but another — codenamed ‘Scorpio’ — is set to have a more powerful GPU reportedly capable of handing an Oculus Rift.

The report — by Kotaku — also suggests Microsoft is exploring a deal with Oculus that could make this a reality.

Microsoft is holding its cards close, but it’s believed that the new version — expected to release in 2017 — should have at least a 2TB hard drive, which is double the capacity of its existing hardware and a GPU capable of handling 4k and VR but the same I/O transfer speed which could lead to hellish load times for gamers.

People familiar with Microsoft’s plans (a request for comment went unanswered) believe this new approach could lead to a PC-like evolution of iterative console releases rather than huge updates every five to seven years. Of course, a lot can change in that time frame, and maybe Sony and Microsoft quickly realize that the money is in bigger — not iterative — releases rather than backwards-compatibility and a shorter update cycle.

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We don’t know for sure, but expect the big reveal from Microsoft at this year’s E3 in mid-June.

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