Microsoft recently announced its intention to shake up the console generation cycle with its new release - the Xbox Scorpio. Although they've been somewhat tight-lipped about the software line-up, they've been more forthcoming about the system's beefy specs. With 6TFLOPs (trillion floating point operations per second) and 320 gigabytes of memory, the Scorpio will be a powerful beast consistent with the specs of top end PCs when it is (tentatively) pencilled in for launch at the back end of 2017. The Scorpio will also be the first console to be fully optimised for VR, or virtual reality, which allows users to immerse themselves in gameplay via a fully 3D headset. It will also play games in an eye-watering 4K definition, for unparalleled graphical fidelity on the latest blockbuster releases. There is, as yet, no word on any specific titles for the new machine but it will be backwards compatible with all Xbox One titles, making it more of an upgrade for the existing machine than an entirely new console. However, Microsoft haven't ruled out the possibility of Scorpio exclusives that will use all that new power to its fullest capabilities. "If [PlayStation] Neo and Scorpio achieve their promise, they have the potential to show that big leap forward in terms of gaming that we didn't see in this generation of gaming," said industry analyst Michael Goodman. (http://www.gamepur.com/news/24137-p...-true-next-gen-offer-bigger-leap-ps3-ps4.html) Sony's PlayStation 4 is ahead of the game on the VR front, with the upcoming launch of their PlayStation VR (previously code-named the much cooler Morpheus) on 16th October. Microsoft's Scorpio can definitely be seen as an attempt to cash in on this new and emerging gaming market. Sony's offering will have a full year, at least, on Microsoft and we should see many top shelf game titles released in that time. Arkham VR, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard and new first person shooter Farpoint all look like big draw titles and the Scorpio will have to go a long way to match that pulling power when it is finally released. Its full 4k optimisation and improved specs on a dedicated VR platform could prove a big attraction for hardcore gamers and the impressive Fallout 4 VR remake was teased as a possible launch release. As well as the glitzy new VR system, the Scorpio will do everything the Xbox One does, just smoother, faster and with improved resolutions. Microsoft has yet to release a price point for the Scorpio, but considering the retail price of all past consoles and the known hardware specs, expect it to retail at around £500 or £600. So, whatever the future of gaming, it looks like Microsoft and Sony's console war will continue long into the future. With both sides harnessing ever more powerful hardware and sophisticated Virtual Reality techniques, the Xbox Scorpio is genuinely looking like a revolutionary experience to rival anything from Sony. Right now, the future looks great indeed for video gamers everywhere!
