Microsoft announced Project Scarlett at E3 2019, the next generation of Xbox, which promises 8K games. Here is our complete document about the next Xbox through announcements, rumors, and leaks.
Microsoft is preparing the next generation of Xbox consoles under the codename Project Scarlett. This new Xbox with an unknown name will replace the Xbox One X and face Sony’s PlayStation 5. Expected by the end of 2020, Scarlett will represent an impressive technological leap.
Power: 8K, Raytracing, and SSD
Microsoft promises that the Xbox Scarlett will be the most significant performance leap ever made between two generations of Xboxes. The company even goes so far as to promise that Scarlett will be four times more powerful than the Xbox One X in processor performance.
More precisely, here are the familiar features of Xbox Scarlett:
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- AMD Zen 2 based processor
- AMD Navi based graphics chip
- GDDR6 memory
- SSD storage
- Blu-ray disc player
According to Microsoft, the console will be able to run games at up to 120 frames per second and an 8K display (7680 x 4320 pixels). The games will also benefit from real-time raytracing technology, i.e. much more realistic reflections and lighting. As always, developers have to make decisions and not all games on the console are expected to run at 8K or 120 frames per second, especially when raytracing is enabled.
The games are now stored on a powerful SSD instead of an internal mechanical hard drive. Memory performance would be increased by a factor of 40 between the two console generations. This allows much shorter loading times or much more complex games.
Xbox Scarlett vs. PS5: Which will be the most powerful console?
We don’t yet know which Xbox Scarlett or PS5 will be the most powerful console on the market. Both manufacturers hope to win the prize and will try to make adjustments until the last moment.
The range of games and downward compatibility
Thanks to numerous acquisitions, Microsoft owns 15 development studios within Xbox Game Studios. Some of them are already working on the first Xbox Scarlett games.
Officially, only Halo: Infinite has been unveiled as Xbox exclusivity. Its output will be output at the same time as the console.
Third-party publishers are also preparing their games. The older scrolls VI and Starfield were confirmed as planned for the new console generation.
All Scarlett games developed by Xbox Game Studios are available as Xbox Game Pass subscriptions from day one.
Microsoft has officially confirmed that the Xbox Scarlett will be downward compatible with Xbox One games, but also Xbox 360 and Xbox games that have already been added to the downward compatibility program. It is also very likely that some Xbox One games like Gears 5 will benefit from a patch that takes advantage of Xbox Scarlett, just like the already released Xbox One X patches.
Will Xbox One controllers and accessories be compatible?
Yes, as with games, Microsoft has indicated that all Xbox One accessories will be compatible with Xbox Scarlett. First, this means that the Xbox One controllers – and especially the Elite Series 2 controllers – are compatible.
When will the next Xbox be released?
Microsoft has announced that the Xbox Scarlett will be launched at the end of 2020. The Xbox One was launched on November 22, 2013, and a similar date is expected for the launch of Scarlett.
What about xCloud and cloud gaming?
Microsoft has announced xCloud, its project for cloud gaming. It is a reminder of running a game on Microsoft servers, only streaming the ad to a device that no longer needs to be efficient. Microsoft has made it very clear that the company will not introduce a console for xCloud, but smartphones and tablets under Android.
So xCloud technology is not really a competitor to Xbox Scarlett, but a new stone in the Xbox ecosystem. For example, you can imagine streaming the beginning of a game while waiting for it to be installed on the console, or trying an example of the game in streaming as a playable demo.
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