Microsoft exec says Xbox Scorpio will deliver 'true 4K'

All new first-party games will run at native 4K resolution on Scorpio, due out next year.

David Craddock

November 14, 2016 1:06 PM

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Xbox Scorpio, Microsoft's planned Xbox One upgrade to counter Sony's PS4 Pro, isn't due to ship until holiday 2017, but company executives believe it will one-up Sony in at least one key way: true 4K resolution.

Aaron Greenberg, head of Xbox Games marketing, touted the Scorpio's hardware at this weekend's Xbox FanFest held in Mexico City (via GameSpot).

"This will really bring the most powerful console you've ever seen," Greenberg said. "It will bring these really true 4K, really incredible visual games that we've never seen before on the console."

Greenberg claimed that PC gamers spend thousands of dollars on their rigs to get a true-4K experience. Xbox Scorpio aims to minimize that investment and transplant it into the living room. "That's a big part of what Project Scorpio is about," he said.

It will be up to publishers to decide if Xbox One games will support native 4K resolution. You can expect first-party games released within and after Scorpio's launch window to take advantage, Microsoft Studios publishing general manager Shannon Loftis told USA Today earlier this fall.

PS4 Pro runs many games such as Skyrim Special Edition in native 4K, but some games run slower at that level of fidelity than they do on standard PS4 consoles connected to 1080p HDTVs. If Xbox Scorpio is as powerful as Microsoft claims, it should be able to offer a more consistent visual experience.

Scorpio has plans to edge out PS4 Pro, which launched last week for $399, in other areas. Somewhat surprisingly, the Pro does not include a 4K Blu-Ray drive despite Sony being one of the chief architects of Blu-Ray technology. Meanwhile, Microsoft packaged this fall's Xbox One S with a 4K Blu-Ray player; it stands to reason that Scorpio will feature one as well.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.