With the proper reveal and launch of Project Scorpio nearing, the past few years have come into perspective as the negative stories against the console—which we know next to nothing about—increase. Microsoft have kept the console close to their chests and have revealed only interesting tidbits on Twitter, keeping everyone on their toes. I expect the narrative to get increasingly damaging the closer we get so I thought I’d tell you about some of the media pitfalls Microsoft must avoid when they launch their new device. Microsoft needs to have answers.
Exclusives on Project Scorpio
When Microsoft revealed Project Scorpio, one of the main features for the console and ecosystem was that every game purchased on either Xbox One S and Project Scorpio would be cross-compatible. Microsoft prides themselves on the fact that they will give gamers an extensive library from the Xbox One, and bring them into the future with subsequent devices.
However, many outlets will go out of their way to pretend that this is, in fact, bad, mainly because they will somehow not see the value in having a console that can play all the games. Even though the PlayStation 4 Pro is compatible with all games that release on the PlayStation 4 platform, we still see a narrative pop up where these same outlets complain about how the new console doesn’t have any exclusives that validate the purchase. The jump to the upgraded device isn’t good enough. In order to satisfy both camps, Microsoft must tread carefully between virtual reality Xbox Scorpio exclusives and Xbox One games. They must also demonstrate without a doubt how Xbox Scorpio games look better. That’s the only way out of this irrational argument that rears its ugly head from time to time. I don’t even understand why some outlets criticize both consoles for this in the first place.
PC is more powerful
When the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 launched in 2013, we saw a resurgence in the “PC is more powerful and cheaper” argument which died down very quickly. It’s been known for generations that PC offers hardware that is more powerful than each console generation, however, every single time consoles sell in the millions.
When Project Scorpio launches at a price hopefully relative to $400 much like the PlayStation 4 Pro, this narrative will pop up again. I imagine prominent outlets will put out pieces which involve building PCs with the name amount of power for less. While this narrative will ultimately collapse just like in 2013, one way to avoid it is to tell gamers the cost of a PC which can do 4K 30FPS/60 FPS. It’s still more expensive than the console. The comparison Microsoft should discuss is how it does 4K for way less.
PlayStation 4 Pro is almost the same for less
Now, the console will definitely be compared to the PlayStation 4 Pro. Many outlets will say how the visuals aren’t that different even though anyone can distinguish between an upscaled image and a native 4K picture. By the time Project Scorpio launches, the PlayStation 4 Pro will have had time to drop to around $350. In order to avoid the “almost the same” comparisons, Microsoft must stress native 4K again and again. Shannon Loftis already said that Project Scorpio will be capable of native 4K on all Microsoft Studios’ games. This needs to be one of the slogans around the console and it already is to an extent. Don’t be shy to say that all your games are native 4K and the competition doesn’t have that. They just need to keep this up and push out Microsoft exclusives that run at native 4K on Project Scorpio.
No games on Xbox
I fully expect this argument to be used against Microsoft in the near future. Since Microsoft revealed the Xbox One in 2013, multiple outlets have regurgitated the lie that Microsoft and their Xbox division have failed to launch games on the system, even more so with exclusives. The truth is that Microsoft have had a pretty spectacular line-up of exclusive titles which can’t be matched by the competition.
By the time Project Scorpio launches, Microsoft should have launched platform exclusive titles like Crackdown 3, Sea of Thieves, Halo Wars 2, State of Decay 2 and Forza Motorsport 7 just in 2017. Let’s not even count the previous exclusives available since 2013. Lastly, Project Scorpio will also have access to over 500 Xbox 360 backward compatible games around that time, a collection that keeps on growing by the day. Microsoft needs to stress these figures to overcome the “no games” argument.
Games will not take advantage of power
Whenever a new console arrives, comparisons are made to its competing device. So far developers are having a hard time unlocking the potential of PlayStation 4 Pro. This has resulted in a number of issues like Skyrim not running well on the system as well as other visual glitches in the case of Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. Many outlets will express concern for Microsoft’s device because of this.
The good news is that there’s an easy way out of this which can also be touted as a feature. Project Scorpio utilizes the PC build of games, particularly the Windows 10 build. Microsoft must tell people that the PC build of this game or that runs on Project Scorpio. Windows Central and other outlets have confirmed this. When people know that the PC build is running on Project Scorpio, it’ll give confidence in the console’s abilities and discredit rumors of poor optimization.
I’m sure there will be criticisms aside from these ones but the aforementioned are all I could think of. Microsoft must stick to its message of native 4K above anything else. Unlike the Xbox One reveal, Microsoft can’t get their messaging wrong this time. They have to be consistent more than anything else and back it up with ample visual evidence as Phil Spencer hinted at recently. Only time will tell how the reveal goes but so far they’re definitely on the right track by tackling rumors and stressing native 4K everywhere.
Dreyer was a regular ICXM contributor between 2016–2017, publishing 139 articles across opinion pieces, game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news. Their work focused on hands-on reviews, platform commentary, and breaking-news reporting during the Xbox One X launch year and Microsoft’s wider Play Anywhere / UWP gaming initiative. They post on X as @dreyer_smit.