With the PS5 now officially on its way and the specs looking even better than expected, the hype train for the next generation can now pretty much essentially begin. Sony has shown their hand, and the hype for their next console will likely be the overwhelming topic in the industry from now until it's launch which could come as soon as next year. And of course, this now means that all eyes will be on their closest competitor.
Microsoft has certainly not had the best of runs this generation with the Xbox One selling noticeably less than their Japanese brother, thanks to a poorly-received first model and their infamous piracy prevention practices and always-online requirement in the run-up to launch, which Sony bodied them for at E3 2013 to the point where the backlash forced them to be rescinded entirely. But it's had a respectable showing since, with the S and X SKUs pushing the power envelope even further, to go along with recent acquisition announcements to plug their most glaring hole - a severe lack of exclusive games. But, with Sony now officially getting tech-heads all giddy with their next box and Nintendo expected to launch a pair of revisions of the Switch - including a more powerful, potentially 4K-equipped Pro model - all eyes are going to be looking at what's next for the Xbox on the hardware front.
We know the box is code-named "Scarlett", with separate models referred to as "Anaconda" and "Lockhart" - but that's pretty much all we know. That said, speculation has ensued with the release of the new, cheaper Xbox One S that, despite potentially having features that are on-par or even superior to its rival, one or both models could be potentially have one major omission - a physical disc drive, which Sony has now confirmed they are keeping intact for their new hardware. With how well Microsoft's aforementioned DRM practices hurt Xbox One sales before the system even released, this decision could go down as certainly a poor move.
As for when we'll hear about it, E3 2019 does seem to be a good bet. Sony won't be attending this year's event, likely to take a year off for the PS5 to undoubtedly fuel most of their marketing in 2020, meaning Microsoft will literally have a captive audience, and not just because they'll be the only place to see most of the console multiplatform games not published by companies putting on their own press events. But could the response come sooner? Microsoft will very likely already have a jam-packed presentation and may very likely have a part to play in Nintendo's own presentation if rumors are to be believed, so the announcement of new hardware could be lost in the shuffle. That said, a move such as this, a low-key, unexpected surprise interview would be seen as downright plagiarism - besides, Microsoft is known for never doing anything low-key, as previous McDonalds-sponsored television specials and over-produced circus performances marked by space ponchos have proven.
All that's clear now is that Sony scored a touchdown and now Microsoft has the ball, but their history of offensive fumbles due to their flashy receiving corps means this is far from an easy drive.
Microsoft has certainly not had the best of runs this generation with the Xbox One selling noticeably less than their Japanese brother, thanks to a poorly-received first model and their infamous piracy prevention practices and always-online requirement in the run-up to launch, which Sony bodied them for at E3 2013 to the point where the backlash forced them to be rescinded entirely. But it's had a respectable showing since, with the S and X SKUs pushing the power envelope even further, to go along with recent acquisition announcements to plug their most glaring hole - a severe lack of exclusive games. But, with Sony now officially getting tech-heads all giddy with their next box and Nintendo expected to launch a pair of revisions of the Switch - including a more powerful, potentially 4K-equipped Pro model - all eyes are going to be looking at what's next for the Xbox on the hardware front.
We know the box is code-named "Scarlett", with separate models referred to as "Anaconda" and "Lockhart" - but that's pretty much all we know. That said, speculation has ensued with the release of the new, cheaper Xbox One S that, despite potentially having features that are on-par or even superior to its rival, one or both models could be potentially have one major omission - a physical disc drive, which Sony has now confirmed they are keeping intact for their new hardware. With how well Microsoft's aforementioned DRM practices hurt Xbox One sales before the system even released, this decision could go down as certainly a poor move.
As for when we'll hear about it, E3 2019 does seem to be a good bet. Sony won't be attending this year's event, likely to take a year off for the PS5 to undoubtedly fuel most of their marketing in 2020, meaning Microsoft will literally have a captive audience, and not just because they'll be the only place to see most of the console multiplatform games not published by companies putting on their own press events. But could the response come sooner? Microsoft will very likely already have a jam-packed presentation and may very likely have a part to play in Nintendo's own presentation if rumors are to be believed, so the announcement of new hardware could be lost in the shuffle. That said, a move such as this, a low-key, unexpected surprise interview would be seen as downright plagiarism - besides, Microsoft is known for never doing anything low-key, as previous McDonalds-sponsored television specials and over-produced circus performances marked by space ponchos have proven.
All that's clear now is that Sony scored a touchdown and now Microsoft has the ball, but their history of offensive fumbles due to their flashy receiving corps means this is far from an easy drive.
