LONG BLOG
Mid-Generation Refresh: Pros and Cons
My gut reaction to Microsoft’s E3 reveal of the Xbox Scorpio was anger. I was so mad that mid-generation console refreshes were becoming a reality. I knew it was true, but I held out hope that Microsoft and Sony would deny all claims and keep their current boxes at the fore-front.
While I was wrong, I didn’t want to write a blog completely lambasting Microsoft. Every decision has a positive and a negative to it and I’ve tried my best to come up with a list of reasons that the Scorpio is good and bad.
Hopefully I haven’t swayed too much in one direction or failed to acknowledge the opposite side. I personally don’t want incremental console updates, but there are benefits to having things like the PS4 Neo and Xbox Scorpio.
Pros:
No Issues with Backwards Compatibility
Right off the bat, I will say that launching the Scorpio as a more powerful Xbox One isn’t the worst thing in the world. It’s the marketing strategy that is more troublesome. If the Scorpio is truly just another Xbox One, it will mean great things for backwards compatibility.
In the older days of cartridge technology, backwards compatibility wasn’t even a thought. I don’t know if the radical changes in hardware were to blame, but console manufacturers didn’t even bother to come up with a solution. Sony was the first to introduce it with the PS2; it helped that console become the best selling device in the games industry.
Sony continued it with the original launch of the PS3, but had to remove features to turn a profit. With the launch of the PS4 and Xbox One, Microsoft and Sony arbitrarily decided backwards compatibility wasn’t worth it.
With mid-generation upgrades, there wouldn’t be an issue with having to support older games; everything should, theoretically, work. In Microsoft’s favor, even Xbox 360 games will work (ever since they started that initiative on the One). It will help consumers feel better in knowing their older titles aren’t becoming overpriced paperweights.
Price Tiers for Different Consumers
As with any hobby, gaming is pretty expensive. Consoles typically cost upwards of $400 and games are $60 a pop. That’s ignoring how controllers have skyrocketed in price and that Sony and Microsoft require extra fees for online play. It’s not great for lower income families.
The introduction of the Xbox Scorpio will see the price of the original Xbox One drop. The Xbox One S, as a matter of fact, has a model retailing for $300. That isn’t bad at all. Now people in different price demographics can get into a hobby that was previously exclusive to the rich kids.
Less Confusion about Software
This almost goes hand in hand with backwards compatibility; Xbox Scorpio is basically an Xbox One. This should clear up any confusion that people have with newer software. The biggest issue Nintendo had with the Wii U was how to market the system.
Consumers still haven’t caught on. When they pick up a game box, they simply see “Wii” on the top and assume it works. Sony seemed to luck out in that their console titles had a clear numerical distinction, but most people can’t grasp that newer consoles are different entities.
Microsoft wouldn’t need to worry about any of that with Scorpio. Now, developers can make something for Xbox One and consumers can buy it regardless of their own hardware. It should be a win-win for everyone.
Cons:
Software Update Incompatibility
There are a lot of issues that cellphone users take with constant software upgrades to the OS of their devices; often times, it feels like the phone is running slower and slower. This isn’t some corporate conspiracy to force users into an upgrade; it’s just the side effect of trying to strain older hardware past its limits.
With the Xbox Scorpio, this is going to become a reality to console users. There will come a point in time where the current Xbox One hardware cannot support a dashboard feature that the Scorpio will introduce. This will bring about a division in the install base of consoles (similar to how 360 users cannot party chat with One users).
It’s something that hasn’t really come up until recently. Older consoles weren’t created with constant internet connectivity in mind. Newer hardware has that as a staple feature. Eventually, the original Xbox One will become deficient.
No Clear reason for Upgrade
If we take Microsoft’s word on the Xbox One, then the Scorpio ends up being pointless. Why upgrade to this newer hardware if the old system will continue to be supported? This isn’t like the old days when a new console had a clear identity; it’s easy to tell that PS2 games are different from PS3 games, for example. These are two platforms that are both called Xbox One.
Nintendo has recently stumbled into this issue with the “New” 3DS. Hell, even before that, the launch of the 2DS caused issues for consumers who weren’t up on hardware naming conventions. Consumers will struggle to understand why they need a Scorpio in the first place.
Now, you can state that 4K is the real reason behind the Scorpio, which is definitely true; that doesn’t address how older Xbox One games will fare. The Xbox One S does 4K upscaling, so clearly a Scorpio isn’t needed for that. Unless developers are required to render games at 4K on the Scorpio, there isn’t even really going to be a performance difference on the new unit.
Spreads Consumer Distrust
For years, Apple has launched each new unit of the iPhone to record breaking sales. It seems people were eager to have the “latest” and “greatest” technology at their fingertips. Just this year, Apple finally saw a drop off in hardware adoption.
Consumers are beginning to see their trust in Apple waver. Why spring for incremental updates when the “true” successor will come out in a year? Microsoft seems to be heading in that direction.
As a non Xbox One owner, the only message I took away from their E3 conference was that the original launch was pointless. Xbox One was built around some always-on DRM nonsense that Microsoft quickly scrambled to change. Now, they want consumers to shell out more money for an even better box that will offer greater power to developers.
When does the next upgrade come out? When will the Xbox Two or Project Phoenix arrive? Why spring for a Scorpio when, quickly, that console will be obsolete? I can’t help but feel that smaller updates to hardware will be released in rapid fashion; there will always be performance issues with games that the new units fix.
Sends a Negative Message to Hardware Manufacturers
This is more a con if the Xbox Scorpio manages to be successful. If people buy into this unit, it will tell Microsoft that mid-generation upgrades are the way of the future. They will have the proof they need to continue updating the console every 2-3 years.
That will only lead to console development echoing cellphone production. Incremental innovation in hardware technology will be released into the public at faster and faster rates. The Xbox One S will then turn into the Scorpio S which then brings the Xbox Two S and so on. That isn’t good for game development.
While I could go on with more cons, I’ve decided to stop here. As I said earlier, I don’t want to completely bash Microsoft for their decision here. Maybe they can turn the situation into a positive and change how crappy consoles have become in recent years.
Only time will time. At present, things aren’t looking great. At the end of Microsoft’s presentation, I sent a text to my friend saying, “We need a new hobby.” I feel so alienated from current gaming trends; I’m almost like a walking relic of a bygone age.
I will try my best to be impartial as time marches on. If anything, this new hardware should bring us closer to the eventual platform agnosticism that gamers truly desire. Microsoft has started an “Xbox Anywhere” initiative, so that could bring about the end of dedicated boxes.
Whatever happens, I’ll still be there to comment on it. I may not remain a hardcore gamer, but I’m always interested in the shifts and changes the industry takes. Here’s hoping that we don’t end up with another industry crash like 1983.
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