Microsoft planning new Xbox versions

• Upgraded version with VR capabilities
• Smaller version for game streaming

 

IT is not just Sony that is planning a mid-life upgrade for its console. Reports from anonymous Microsoft sources suggest that the company is preparing to launch at least one downsized version of the Xbox One later this year and a more powerful, potentially VR-capable version of the console next year.
 
The new, more powerful Xbox One model, codenamed Scorpio, is set for a 2017 release. The console will be able to support the Oculus Rift and it could have a GPU capable of supporting 4K resolutions.
 
Microsoft is planning to release a cheaper, smaller Xbox One this year. Brad Sams at the Microsoft-focused Thurott Report posted a podcast with similar information on Microsoft's Xbox hardware plans.
 
According to Sams, Microsoft will announce two "miniature" Xbox systems for release this year. The smaller one will reportedly be a streaming-focused stick comparable to devices like the Chromecast and Amazon Fire. The larger one, coming in "a little bit smaller than a large lunchbox," might be able to play "lightweight" Windows Store games.
 
Microsoft will be working to integrate Windows and Xbox brands more closely going forward. Sams' report says that an Xbox-style interface could be coming to Windows and that future "Xbox" games could run natively on PCs with suitable specs, essentially unifying the platforms.
 
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