Don't Buy Scorpio If You Don't Have 4K, Says Microsoft Boss

[Something Amyss]

You mean a niche product designed for specific markets isn't something you should buy unless you're interested in those markets?


Why are people reacting like they are? Did we really not figure out what this was months ago? Even the rumours said it was all going to be the same platform, just 4K. And even then, most of them said video only, not games.

Did I miss an agreement to just...forget the last several months? And confirmation from Microsoft?

 

[MoltenSilver]

Considering that one of the top reasons I hear many people prefer consoles over PC is to avoid the gradual, module, and murky slide forward in technology (as opposed to the occasional large complete jump with a single architecture every developer is working on) I can't help but wonder how long until people who bought an XBox1 feel like they got demoted to red-headed stepchild, and backlash over it by abandoning (Yeah yeah I've heard the claim the Xbox1 won't be left behind and the 'choice can be pro-consumer' argument but this is Microsoft, they get 0 benefit of the doubt)

 

[josemlopes]

This sounds an awful lot like it's still going to be limited to 30FPS, even at 1080p.

The only difference being that it can run at 4K resolution, with the same graphical settings as the Xbox One.

I think that is the point, my prediction is that its a system to run 60 fps/4k but with the same graphical settings to the Xbox One, meaning that you can have the game running properly on both consoles, not one that ends up running ok on one console and like absolute shit on the other (Dragon Age Inquisition on 7th gen/8th gen).

To what was said the point of having this is to have the current gen games running in the best possible way (since we do still get games running at low framerates), not a new gen or a more powerfull console for more powerfull games.

I think its good for anyone that bought an Xbox One since it doesnt mean they will be left behind, the whole thing that Nintendo did with the 3DS was shit with some games running merely ok on the upgraded system and barely running on the old one when both systems were part of the same gen.

Like when the PS4/Xbox One was announced, no matter how well you run the games if you keep pushing their visuals sooner or latter it will run like shit, I still remember that whole period where every game announced had someone confirm that it would run at 60 fps and at 1080, something that now isnt as present because of the whole graphics vs performance thing.

So yeah, if Scorpio offers better graphical settings then it wont run the game as well (turning null one of their key points) and the Xbox One version would be a noticeble downgrade (turning null the other key point they made).

PS: Isnt the S version for people that still dont own the Xbox One? I think that is what they are trying to get. Not selling it for people that already own the first one.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

It sounds like they're desperately trying to convince us that it will run games at 4k 60fps. We know it won't. So what's the point?

 

[votemarvel]

I've got a Xbox One and I don't see the point in buying the Slim version either, what's the point when I don't have a 4K TV to take advantage of its UHD blu-ray drive?

Plus if I didn't already have a One, why would I buy the Slim with the full knowledge that it'll be outdated in a year and a half. Why wouldn't I just put the money I'd spend on it aside and start a Scorpio buying fund.

Phil Spencer is trying to put across reasons why you should buy a One now but Microsoft have pretty much killed sales by announcing when the Scorpio will be out, a more powerful machine that will play all the current Xbox One titles

I have my PC as well and they are providing pretty much all their first party exclusive games to that, so they've just given me another reason not to buy a Slim. I'm not that desperate for shelf space.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

You know, I'm sensing a pattern here. First, M$ said if you didn't want the always online that the XBone was going to be, they said to NOT buy the XBone and buy, or in most cases already play, the 360. Initial consoles sales? Absolute shit.

Now, with Project Scorpio, they're saying that if you don't have 4K, then you should buy the XBone S, or as I shall now call it - the XBullShit. Prediction for both initial console sales?

ABSOLUTE SHIT, because people that don't learn from history make for excellent viewing material from a safe enough distance.

 

[Quellist]

This reminds me of the assfuckery SEGA did in the final days of the Megadrive/Genesis...Hey buy a MEGACD! Hey buy a 32X! Hey forget all that megacd/32x rubbish, why dont you buy this brand new console that combines all 3! No we really aren't going to render it all worthless in a couple of months! Oh wait, now Hey buy the Saturn, all that old shit is worthless now!

Fuck you M$, Fuck you!

 

[Bobular]

I get the feeling the Scorpio is going to be more aimed towards rich guys with too much money on their hands, the guys who will spend thousands getting the stereo system perfect in their home theaters, with expensive 'gaming chairs' and an entire wall turned into a TV and as such I don't see the Scorpio as being a mass market console, the average gamer is actively unwelcome this is just for those of you who like the finer things in life.

 

[RJ 17]

This can only end badly. I don't know if they've released any price points for these things, but even $600+ cards have a hard time handling 4k by itself. Forget 30fps, unless it's a $500 upgrade (assuming this upgrade involves fully replacing the video card, unsure of how else to do it), you'll struggle to get even that.

I predict at least $800 for project scorpio

And I predict it faceplanting harder than the Xbox 1 if that is indeed how much they end up charging for it.

 

[thethain]

Yeah. The issue with the statement "1080p will see no difference" is that unless it specifically has limiters built into it to only use x% of the hardware, then there will be differences. Even if the framerate is locked at 30, there are games which in certain scenarios stutter less than that.

My guess the reason for the statement is obviously to dissuade people from ignoring the xbone S to save for scorpio. And also to fight the image that people who pay more will have an inherent advantage. The second of which is obviously a battle against the truth as the scorpio will be in 4k, which beyond looking prettier does provide an advantage in seeing things.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

so what I'm reading between the lines here is the performance upgrade is just to be used for resolution and not frame rate? that's kind of a weird decision to make... (Re)Designing a whole new console, just for uping the resolution to 4k is just...

But that's what consoles have always done. Up the resolution while targeting 30fps.

The real problem here is that it's impossible to get 4k 60fps performance out of an affordable console. It just won't happen. Even the new GTX 1080 which retails for $599 on its own isn't going to give you rock solid 4k performance 100% of the time. My best guess is this box is going to come out with 4k video playback for movies/videos and 1080p 60fps for games. 1080p 60 is doable on pretty affordable cards at this point as long as the settings aren't cranked to the max.

 

[pilouuuu]

Don't buy Scorpio. Period.

Microsoft loves to screw their costumers, so why buy their consoles when you can get a PS or a PC?

 

[Jonando Rose]

"by far the most exciting annoucemnt" ...............

 

[Stewie Plisken]

thats just devs continuing to be stupid and locking the framerate. There is no way Scorpio wont benefit 1080p if it can do 4k unless the 4k is actually just an upscale, which would be the biggest scam microsoft ran so far.

Pretty much this, but chances are that even if games run better, the thing will be too expensive to justify purchasing for the casual/average user. Unless they somehow manage to cut the cost of production, this is going to target roughly the same audience as the PC gaming enthusiast. Chances are this is preemptive damage control, for when the price is revealed.

Of course none of this really matters, as it will all depend on how developers utilize the new hardware and how well they optimize their games for the existing XBOne/S. If in two years game developers are pushing Scorpio to its limits, the existing boxes will find it difficult to keep up and owning a 4K display will hardly matter at that point.

It also says that Microsoft isn't convinced that VR has legs to stand on for the average user. They either view it as a high-end user demand or a fad.

 

[COMaestro]

I have no intention of ever purchasing any form of Xbox One, but I still think a lot of posters here are being overly harsh. Though Spencer has come out and said that even without a 4K television there could be benefits to having a Scorpio, but those benefits are not what the machine was built for. Really, they are just looking to develop games the same way PC game developers have been doing it for years: with a minimum spec, recommended spec, and then whatever the machine running the game can handle.

From gamesindustry.biz [http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-06-15-why-scorpio-and-xbox-one-s-sales-dont-actually-matter]:

GI.biz: Right, I get that, but we've seen some Twitter reactions from developers saying, "How can we afford to support yet another console?" And if they're building out a game that takes advantage of Scorpio's much greater power, how do they make that same experience at the same time for Xbox One? Do they have to water it down?

Spencer: That's a great question. When we were talking to people about the design point for Scorpio, we talked to the people in the PC community because the PC community has been doing this for a while. And frankly, we know this. There's no developer out there today, except for in maybe a first party, that's only focused on one platform. Some are still going PS3, 360, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. When you say PC there's probably a minimum [spec], a recommended [spec], and then an uber-config that they're focused on. So what we've been talking about for the last couple of years is how do we unify that PC and console development ecosystem on Xbox so that if I'm a DirectX 12 developer they run on both consoles and Windows. If I'm using Xbox Live, that's available on console and Windows. So my social connection, my graphics layer all works. The engine and middleware providers are almost all on console and Windows. We're continuing to grow the capability of the Universal Windows Platform to literally allow you to build one game that would run on console and on PC. So that's an enabler. You still have a scenario of whether the different configs [and resolutions is something you'll support] and I think that will all be part of install base size.

 

[votemarvel]

But the point of a console is that everyone gets the same experience whether you buy it at the start, midway, or at the end of its life cycle.

That's not going to be the case with what Microsoft is doing here. Even if all the difference boils down to is prettier graphics or a higher resolution, that is still a different experience over what is technically still the same console generation.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

Man, Microsoft is just terrible when it comes to launching consoles. Past the Original XBox, they've always screwed up with it; the Red Rings of the 360, the invasive and anti-consumer policies of the XBone, and now pulling a PS3 "This console isn't for everyone" stunt with the "Scorpio". And just like with the 360 and 1, they're gonna have to go back on basically everything to get consumers to buy the "Scorpio". Honestly, at this point, it seems more like they want to leave the Console market then stick around, with most of their "Exclusives" also being on the PC, and releasing both a remodel and a new console around the same time (which almost never works). Either that or they're very incompetent.

 

[RikuoAmero]

Whoever is at the head of marketing at Xbox has got to be fired. How are they going to sell Xbones to people who don't already have the console?
Consider myself. I have a PS4, Xbox 360 and first generation PS3 at the moment (the one with 4 USB ports and native PS2 hardware). I also have a gaming PC that I'll be upgrading within the next few months. I have a decent 40 inch 1080p TV.
So...how are you going to convince me to buy an Xbox?
Should I buy an Xbox now? No, I say to myself. There's announcements of two new boxes coming out relatively soon.
Which one should I buy?
The Slim? Why should I get that one, when there's a new more powerful box coming next year that'll obsolete that?
Scorpio? But as Spencer says, I'll need a 4K TV and while I do like better resolutions, that's not at the top of my list of things to buy.
Given that the Xbone has sold like crap, what exactly are they doing to try and get people who don't currently have an Xbone to buy?

 

[Azhrarn-101]

Also keep in mind that even if MS were silly enough to fit the Scorpio with something equivalent to an nVidia GTX1080 it still won't give you 60 FPS at 4K, it'll easily do that at 1080p obviously, but it seems that MS definitely doesn't want people to realise that.

Is it me, or is Microsoft actively trying to sabotage their own console and reputation with moves like this?