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.

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