It’s been a common question since we first started hearing about the PlayStation Neo and the Xbox One S / Project Scorpio: are the big console makers trying to get us to buy new hardware at a far faster pace? After yesterday’s E3 press conference, Microsoft’s Phil Spencer said that’s not the case for his company.
According to comments made to Wired, Spencer insists that the new Xbox One models are being made simply to ensure that Xbox is ready for VR and 4K graphics. Consumers who don’t want to upgrade will still be able to play all Xbox One games, as developers are being tasked with creating games that support all three Xbox models. This is similar to what PC developers need to do in order to account for a variety of consumer system specs, though it’s likely to extend development time somewhat.
Spencer is explicit that he doesn’t intend to force customers to upgrade their consoles more often. “Consumer expectation is that, if you wanted to, you could go buy a new cell phone every year. I don’t want to get into that mode with a console,” he said. Whether you believe him or not is up to you. We won’t know for sure until the next full console generation, after all.
Perhaps the most curious thing about Spencer’s comments is his remark that he wants Xbox to be ready for VR. So far, Microsoft has not revealed any concrete plans to support any VR headsets or games on Xbox. What’s the news, Microsoft?
Source: Wired