Microsoft thought-about releasing Xbox Scorpio in 2016, however firm didn’t really feel it might ship a product that maintained a constant 30fps framerate with elevated decision at 4k.
Speaking in an in-depth interview with Gamasutra, Xbox boss Phil Spencer mentioned one of many downside’s was the silicon obtainable in the marketplace on the time.
“When we designed the Scorpio spec, we specifically said games running at 1080p 30 on an Xbox One — what do we need to put in the box for that thing to run at 4K 30fps,” mentioned Spencer. And that was our design purpose, from the start. To say: similar framerate, elevated decision. Let’s ensure that we are able to go hit that, at least bar.
“We looked at 4K, we said we wanted this generation to incorporate 4K, and we thought we could do it in a way that wasn’t disruptive, and was additive to this generation. And that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Consistent framerate and 4K was one thing Spencer mentioned Microsoft didn’t assume it might promise builders or customers in 2016. Other causes boiled all the way down to timing, worth and the “hardware capability” from its silicon companion AMD, which companions with Sony as properly.
Spencer mentioned the silicon which was obtainable in 2016 wouldn’t have been sufficient to perform the corporate’s purpose with Scorpio, which is why Sony got here out of the gate forward of Microsoft with its 4K console, PlayStation four Pro.
“Sometimes I get in trouble when I talk about Sony too much, but, the choice they made on PS4 Pro, I totally get that choice, from their perspective and what they wanted to go do,” he mentioned.
“I’ve said it publicly and I’ve said it privately, I think they’ve built a good 2016 PS4 Pro. With the silicon that was available, they picked the parts that made sense to go and put together a console in 2016.”
Another consideration for delaying Scorpio was the adoption price for 4K televisions. Microsoft knew 4K would grow to be extra standard inside the similar timeframe as the present technology of consoles, however figured the brand new units wouldn’t get to scale till the mid-generation.
With the entire above in thoughts, Microsoft lastly got here to a spot the place it might confidently carry a console with a constant framerate supporting greater decision to market in 2017 – because of new and the surge in 4K TV adoption.
The interview with Spencer over on Gamasutra is, once more, very in-depth. In it, Spencer covers developer help for the console, VR, his involvement with the console’s design, and the way forward for Xbox.
Xbox Scorpio is slated for a vacation launch, and we’ll discover out extra on the console – title, worth, video games – at E3 2017 in June.
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