Microsoft teases next-gen Xbox ‘Project Scarlett’ console

Microsoft is finally talking about its next-generation Xbox and what we can expect from it. For now, we know this next-gen console as Project Scarlett. It promises to be a console that’s four times more powerful than the Xbox One X. It’ll use a custom-designed processor based on AMD’s Zen 2 and Radeon RDNA architecture. And with Microsoft opting to use fast GDDR6 RAM, it claims this will “user in resolution and framerates we’ve never seen before.”

The Project Scarlett console will support 8K gaming, ray-tracing, variable refresh rate support, and framerates of up to 120 frames per second. The company will use the SSD as virtual RAM, which should boost performance by 40 times over what the current generation offers. This means loading times should be a thing of the past. All the specs are also meant to provide a more immersive experience than before. Microsoft didn’t talk about what the console will look like, but we know it will launch alongside Halo Infinite in the latter part of 2020.

Report claims Microsoft is developing a low-cost, streaming-only Xbox

At the recent E3 conference, Microsoft announced its cloud gaming system, which is being called by a new report Scarlett Cloud. But it seems that isn’t the only big thing coming for Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox strategy. Thurrott.com reports the next Xbox will be coming in two versions. One is the traditional gaming console with games being processed locally, and the other will be a lower-powered system that will stream games from the cloud. The report says the console will still have some processing power to help counter any latency usually associated with streaming games and it’ll run part of the game locally but the rest will be streamed to the system. This streaming-based Xbox is being speculated to cost much lower but will make up its profits from the sales of games and online services.

Microsoft will not support VR on the Xbox

When Microsoft announced Xbox One controller support for the Oculus Rift, it was speculated that Project Scorpio was going to work with the Rift as well. Guess that isn't happening.

Microsoft backtracks from earlier announcements and proclamations that they are going to have virtual reality headsets for the Xbox. Microsoft’s Chief Marketing Officer for Gaming Mike Nichols told Gamesindustry.biz that they “don’t have any plans specific to Xbox consoles in virtual reality or mixed reality.” He adds that he believes the PC is “probably the best platform” for virtual and mixed reality, while the Xbox will keep its focus on “experiences you would play on your TV.”

This is in complete contrast with what the company started announcing back starting 2016 when Xbox head Phil Spencer said its then upcoming Project Scorpio console would support “high-end VR” like with Windows PC. But it doesn’t come as much of a surprise especially with Microsoft seemingly changing its focus for its VR and mixed reality to something more business oriented.

Microsoft’s Xbox Live Creators Program is now open to all game developers

With Microsoft’s latest announcement, you can be a small indie developer and have your game available on the Xbox platform without going through the company’s existing channels. The new Xbox Live Creators Program lets any developer take a retail Xbox, which also serves as a dev kit, and use that to create and self-publish a game to the Xbox marketplace. The published game needs to be a Universal Windows App, meaning it would run on any Windows 10 device. Microsoft also reserves the right to remove the game from the store if it has “harmful or inappropriate content.” It also isn’t free as developers need to shell out a one-time fee that ranges from US$20 to $100. It isn’t clear how much developers will be charged.

Aside from those conditions, you can’t enable online multiplayer or access Xbox achievements features if you aren’t part of the ID@Xbox program. What you do have access to is leaderboards and party chat features. A downside is it looks like games published this way are kept in a separate section of the Xbox Store, which could minimize exposure of the game. The program is currently in its preview stage but is expected to open up to the public soon.

Source: The Next Web + The Verge