Xbox Scorpio

Microsoft's Xbox Two could be an Xbox One Slim E3 2016 announcement ahead of Xbox Scorpio

Move over Xbox Scorpio, Microsoft looks likely to unveil Xbox One Slim at E3 2016

Microsoft Xbox

Microsoft could be unveiling an Xbox One Slim during its E3 2016 press conference on Monday at 4.30pm BST.

While many believe that Microsoft is working on two versions of the Xbox One, one codenamed "Scorpio", it looks as if a smaller Xbox One unit has leaked online early. First spotted by NeoGAF users (h/t to Daniel Dawkins on Twitter), Microsoft's smaller console will be 40% slimmer, feature a 2TB hard drive and is capable of 4K video playback.

While Dawkins' Tweet states that it could be a hoax but seems "plausible in its relative conservatism", it looks as if more renders of this Xbox One S console have risen to the surface. An Xbox One Slim also fits with predictions of a price drop on the original Xbox One shortly after Xbox One.

Xbox Two: 7 facts about Microsoft’s Xbox Scorpio ahead of its E3 reveal

Since Microsoft unveiled the Xbox One four years ago at E3 2012, a lot has changed with its big black box. Not only has Microsoft backpedalled on its initial ideas for what a modern games console should look like, it’s been able to secure top-quality releases and gain some ground on Sony’s PlayStation 4.

Now, though, with rumours circulating around a successor to the Xbox One coming far sooner than we think, it’s time to look at what Microsoft is really up to. So, here are all the facts, rumours and hopes that we have for Microsoft’s next Xbox console.

1. The next Xbox isn’t the Xbox Two

Don’t expect Microsoft to call the new Xbox the Xbox Two. Not only does this not fit with Microsoft’s rather erratic naming convention, it seems likely that the new Xbox console coming to market will be little more than a hardware iteration, rather than a generational jump.

Rumours suggest that Microsoft is gearing up to release a slimmer power-friendly Xbox One console for the end of this year. Any new hardware is likely to come in 2017.

2. Xbox Scorpio is likely to be the Xbox Two

While Microsoft may not call the new console the Xbox Two, it looks like the next Xbox is in production under the codename of Scorpio. According to rumours, it will be equipped with a more powerful GPU and could include a larger 2TB hard drive. It’s also likely to be ready for 4K gaming but, as Kotaku points out, it won’t have an upgraded Blu-ray drive, meaning disc-based 4K games could take a very long time to load.
No, we don't mean that Scorpio

3. We should see Scorpio at Microsoft’s E3 conference

With E3 just around the corner, it’s looking likely that we’ll see our first glimpse of Microsoft’s new Xbox hardware during the show. Set to launch sometime in 2017, E3 seems to be the logical place to announce the new console, although it may decide it doesn’t want to overshadow the announcement of a slimmer Xbox One.

4. AMD CEO accidentally confirmed Xbox Two’s existence earlier in the year

During AMD’s earnings call back in April, the company CEO Lisa Su let it slip that Microsoft was working on a new console with improved GPU capabilities. While she didn’t let slip any specifics or dates, she did say the new chips AMD is developing were for “a different console or new console” from each of the major console players. She also said all new devices were expected to come to market by 2017 due to manufacturing “ramping up”.

5. Microsoft is working with Oculus on a VR-ready Xbox

It’s no secret that Microsoft and Oculus have been working together on other projects. Not only did Microsoft assist Oculus in designing improved lenses, but Oculus’ Rift is already compatible with the Xbox One and ships with an Xbox One pad in the box. Unfortunately, the Xbox One isn’t powerful enough to output properly to VR, so a virtual-reality-ready Xbox successor is almost a sure thing.

Despite Kotaku corroborating information on an Oculus partnership, neither Microsoft or Oculus are prepared to comment on the matter.

6. Oculus or not, Microsoft’s next Xbox will support VR

While it’s unconfirmed whether Oculus is working with Microsoft on a VR-ready console, we do know that a “major studio” is hard at work on an Xbox One VR title. Seeing as the Xbox One can’t support VR just yet, this is almost confirmation enough that Microsoft has something up its sleeve.

One NeoGAF user spotted that the E3 website also lists an “Xbox One Virtual Reality” category, with four developers listed. Rebellion, 3DRudder, Maximum Games and Readily Information Company are down as VR developers, but no titles are currently listed. Looks like we’ll find out more during Microsoft’s E3 conference.

7. Xbox Scorpio is the start of a much bigger hardware plan for Microsoft

The Xbox Two/Scorpio is set to be the first in many hardware iterations for the Xbox One. When Xbox boss Phil Spencer explained that he’d like to see consoles take on a PC-like evolution, he didn’t mean that Microsoft would be offering upgradeable Xboxes. Instead, this is the start of iterative hardware releases akin to Apple’s MacBook and iPhone upgrades.

Dubbed “Project Helix”, Microsoft’s dream is to converge Xbox and Windows into a single device over time. This means that, not only will games cross between Xbox and PC, but as Microsoft releases updated versions of its hardware, the games will still run across them but using Windows to scale the title to each console’s hardware capabilities. Essentially, how PC games or mobile apps currently work.


source: www.alphr.com