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Phil Spencer says Project Scarlett ‘will not be out of position on power or price’ versus PS5

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman

Microsoft isn’t going to repeat its mistakes from the Xbox One with its next-generation Xbox console. “I would say a learning from the Xbox One generation is we will not be out of position on power or price,” says Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s Xbox and gaming chief, in an interview with The Verge. “If you remember the beginning of this generation we were a hundred dollars more expensive and yes, we were less powerful. And we started Project Scarlett with this leadership team in place with a goal of having market success.”

That market success will be key for Xbox, after years of falling behind PlayStation sales and questions over its games lineup. Either way, Spencer thinks there are plenty of generations of Xbox ahead. “We had the discussion years ago ‘do we want to go do another generation?’ Yes, and do we think there will be multiple generations ahead of us? I actually think there probably is,” says Spencer. “So we’re going all in. We’re all-in on Project Scarlett and I want to compete, and I want to compete in the right ways which is why we’re focused on cross-play and backward compatibility.”

While we know the basics about Project Scarlett, Microsoft isn’t ready to say much more at X019. I pressed Spencer several times on rumors about two consoles for the Project Scarlett release, and whether the lineup of Xbox One S, Xbox One X, and Project Scarlett will be a lot of choice for console shoppers in 2020. “We will talk about the SKU lineup and how it works,” says Spencer. “I think the root principle of we don’t want to confuse people, we share that.”

Microsoft might not be ready to talk more about Scarlett, but I also wanted to know where the company is heading in PC gaming. Spencer has admitted there’s a lot to do for PC gaming in the past, and we’ve seen the company embrace Steam, introduce a new Xbox Game Bar on Windows 10, and launch Xbox Game Pass for PC. It still feels like there’s so much more to do, though.

I, and I’m sure many others, would love to see deeper integration between Xbox Live and Discord. Both firms partnered for some basic social integration last year, but we haven’t seen much more. So I asked Spencer whether he thinks there’s a future where I can chat to an Xbox Live friend through Discord and vice versa. “Yeah, I do think so,” he says. “I think it’s more difficult because the voice codecs are different. It’s not as easy as a phone system where everybody’s kind of on the same backend. I think over time it’s a benefit to all of us. Just like how I think cross-play is important, cross-talk — if you want to use that as a term — is something I think we should be focused on.”

I also wanted to get Spencer’s thoughts on Xbox Game Pass coming to services like Google Stadia. It doesn’t sound likely, unless Google is really open with its Stadia subscriptions and services. “So do we want that Xbox experience to be available in other places? Yeah, we’re doing xCloud and other things, but it would have to be a full experience,” explains Spencer. That would mean not individual titles like Minecraft, Forza, or Halo appearing on Stadia, but it would have to be the ability to offer everything that’s Xbox. “It’s hard to think about those things on platforms that are... more closed than the at scale open platforms of phones and PCs that are out there today.”
 

FranXico

Member
I pressed Spencer several times on rumors about two consoles for the Project Scarlett release, and whether the lineup of Xbox One S, Xbox One X, and Project Scarlett will be a lot of choice for console shoppers in 2020. “We will talk about the SKU lineup and how it works,” says Spencer. “I think the root principle of we don’t want to confuse people, we share that.”
Almost sounds like a confirmation of two consoles.
 

Gamernyc78

Banned
"out of position" is very ambiguous and can mean alot of things, Phil is obviously watching what he says and using typical PR ambiguity. I'm taking this as confirmation ps5 will be more powerful but Xbox will be comparative in price and power. We all know when Microsoft thinks thy have the upper hand thy scream it to the heavens.
 

LooseLips

Member
"out of position" is very ambiguous and can mean alot of things, Phil is obviously watching what he says and using typical PR ambiguity. I'm taking this as confirmation ps5 will be more powerful but Xbox will be comparative in price and power. We all know when Microsoft thinks thy have the upper hand thy scream it to the heavens.


He said “I would say a learning from the Xbox One generation is we will not be out of position on power or price,”

Whilst I would agree with your sentiment, doesn't it seem like, given the whole sentence, if there is a power difference - on either side - it really won't amount to much?
 

Gamernyc78

Banned
He said “I would say a learning from the Xbox One generation is we will not be out of position on power or price,”

Whilst I would agree with your sentiment, doesn't it seem like, given the whole sentence, if there is a power difference - on either side - it really won't amount to much?

Yes thts why I put "Xbox will be comparative in price and power". In the end though none of the companies know each others final specs so this is all damage control in response to leaks and this is also good PR.
 
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JimiNutz

Banned
So they're both gonna be same price and power.
What is going to set them apart then, games and services?

Sony def has them beat on games so I'm guessing that services is the area that they hope to win? Betting everything on Game Pass?
 

FranXico

Member
"out of position" is very ambiguous and can mean alot of things, Phil is obviously watching what he says and using typical PR ambiguity. I'm taking this as confirmation ps5 will be more powerful but Xbox will be comparative in price and power. We all know when Microsoft thinks thy have the upper hand thy scream it to the heavens.
If anything, it's a confirmation that the consoles will be close in specs and price. Nothing more.
 
"out of position" is very ambiguous and can mean alot of things, Phil is obviously watching what he says and using typical PR ambiguity. I'm taking this as confirmation ps5 will be more powerful but Xbox will be comparative in price and power. We all know when Microsoft thinks thy have the upper hand thy scream it to the heavens.
At this point nobody knows the final specs to make that assumption. Clocks can be changed,RAM or other decisions can be changed later in development. Has happened before. So i think you're reaching a bit.
 
Yes thts why I put "Xbox will be comparative in price and power". In the end though none of the companies know each others final specs so this is all damage control in response to leaks and good this is also good PR.
Damage Control. There have been rumors supporting both consoles having the advantage. Jumping to conclusions much?
 

Gamernyc78

Banned
Damage Control. There have been rumors supporting both consoles having the advantage. Jumping to conclusions much?

Nope it's exactly what I meant. And initial rumors and subsequent ones have been on PS5 being stronger, not to me tion thts irrelevant even if most were in Xbox favor just the doubt is enough to cause a stir. This is a reaction to those rumors. We can favor brands but let's call a spade a spade.
 

Gamernyc78

Banned
At this point nobody knows the final specs to make that assumption. Clocks can be changed,RAM or other decisions can be changed later in development. Has happened before. So i think you're reaching a bit.

We all know this and? Doesn't change tht soft ambiguous response bcus u know, reasons. How many times do ppl have to talk about this? Some things can be changed last minute but for the most part these machines are in place.
 
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Vawn

Banned
"We fell off our original design of Xbox a bit with Xbox One - copying PlayStation as closely as possible. We won't repeat that mistake again."
 
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Lol we don't know what those studios will put out so nah thts not a given. Sony on the other hand their portfolio speaks for itself.
You said games. Obviously we don't know how good they will turn out. But Playground,343 ,Doublefine,Obsidian,The Innitiative,The Coalition,Turn 10,InXile,Undead Labs,Rare,Ninja Theory etc...have all been growing,many of which have multiple teams.

Your fanboyism is easy to spot.
 

Gamernyc78

Banned
You said games. Obviously we don't know how good they will turn out. But Playground,343 ,Doublefine,Obsidian,The Innitiative,The Coalition,Turn 10,InXile,Undead Labs,Rare,Ninja Theory etc...have all been growing,many of which have multiple teams.

Your fanboyism is easy to spot.

No your fanboy optimism is ridiculous and I know your type well. the type tht trys to point everything in a positive light bcus u know it's ur favorite plastic smh. Jumping on every comment tht is neutral or doesn't paint Microsoft in a positive light.
 
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Vawn

Banned
You said games. Obviously we don't know how good they will turn out. But Playground,343 ,Doublefine,Obsidian,The Innitiative,The Coalition,Turn 10,InXile,Undead Labs,Rare,Ninja Theory etc...have all been growing,many of which have multiple teams.

Your fanboyism is easy to spot.

I'll give you Obsidian. The rest are either the same studios they already had which produced almost nothing of substance all of the entire generation or B-tier indie level studios.

Of course Xbox has "games". What it needs is quality exclusive games.

If anything, the quality gap between PS and Xbox first-party exclusives grew, not shrunk, as Sony acquired the studio who produces Spider-Man, Ratchet and Clank, Sunset Overdrive and Resistance Fall of Man.
 
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JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
I bolded the answer for everyone's convenience.
I will be perfectly happy if MS just allows Obsidian to make quality New Vegas titles and forces the other studios to pad out Gamepass.

Please, MS just don't fuck up Obsidian, for the first time, they are now under an umbrella and I am really hoping that MS allows them to spread their wings.

The Outer Worlds was an amazing game, let them build off of that.
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
What kind of games, though? Good quality AAA games or quick/short/generic games to pad out Gamepass?
Id argue both...

They've been doing that. Gears, Forza...halo infinite are all AAA. Ori looks AAA but is more AA in scope. Even Outer Worlds is a gray area like ori. Its a smaller game than a fallout. But the quality is absolutely AAA.
 
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Matt_Fox

Member
The price isn't likely to be significantly different between the two consoles, but if the new Xbox console is less powerful than PS5 - even marginally - then I think it's dead in the water.

The Xbox One X status as best choice for multi-platform titles and as a 4K UHD player has give it the edge of PS4 Pro, but we already know PS5 will play 4K UHDs and if it also plays multi-plats better, then Xbox will really struggle for relevance.
 
What kind of games, though? Good quality AAA games or quick/short/generic games to pad out Gamepass?
Sony has a lot of throw away exclusives as well. But Microsoft lacks the quality AAA titles which is what I think you are getting at. With all their studios having multiple teams, I don't think what we're seeing today are the true fruits of their labor.
 
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JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Id argue both...

They've been doing that. Gears, Forza...halo infinite are all AAA. Ori looks AAA but is more AA in scope. Even Outer Worlds is a gray area like ori. Its a smaller game than a fallout. But the quality is absolutely AAA.
You do realize that those games were well in development before Gamepass started and well before it was announced that AAA titles would be available day 1. Will that continue and will the effort for AAA be there if they already know that it's going to be on a subscription service? That's what I am asking and I'll just say that Ill believe it when I see it.
 
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JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Sony has a lot of throw away exclusives as well. But Microsoft lacks the quality AAA titles which is what I think you are getting at. With all their studios having multiple teams, I don't think what we're seeing today are the true fruits of their labor.
Has many? Aside from Days Gone and maybe Death Stranding (it's reviewing reasonably well, but not universally) what exclusives of theirs have been considered throwaway? Do they have a bunch of smaller games I don't know about?
 
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Jigsaah

Gold Member
Those games were well in development before Gamepass started and well before it was announced that AAA titles would be available day 1. Will that continue? That's what I am asking and I'll just say that Ill believe it when I see it.
Gears 5 was developed with game pass n mind. Phil already admitted this.
 

JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
The price isn't likely to be significantly different between the two consoles, but if the new Xbox console is less powerful than PS5 - even marginally - then I think it's dead in the water.

The Xbox One X status as best choice for multi-platform titles and as a 4K UHD player has give it the edge of PS4 Pro, but we already know PS5 will play 4K UHDs and if it also plays multi-plats better, then Xbox will really struggle for relevance.
Im of the belief that they will be so similar in power that it will largely be irrelevant. If both systems utilize HDMI 2.1 then it will likely not matter.
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
Im of the belief that they will be so similar in power that it will largely be irrelevant. If both systems utilize HDMI 2.1 then it will likely not matter.
Exactly. On power, this is an easy claim to make. We'll see what happens price wise. Pretty sure itll be the same though
 

Lone Wolf

Member
You do realize that those games were well in development before Gamepass started and well before it was announced that AAA titles would be available day 1. Will that continue and will the effort for AAA be there if they already know that it's going to be on a subscription service? That's what I am asking and I'll just say that Ill believe it when I see it.
I am assuming that the big AAA games are all being developed for Scarlett, with a few cross gen. It really wouldn’t make sense to push the big stuff before Scarlett is revealed. Right now they are giving us A and AA games, along with getting more 3rd party games that were previously only on PS4/PC. Probably the best move right now. Of course this is just my opinion. They will have to come out big time next gen to take some market share back.
 

JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
I am assuming that the big AAA games are all being developed for Scarlett, with a few cross gen. It really wouldn’t make sense to push the big stuff before Scarlett is revealed. Right now they are giving us A and AA games, along with getting more 3rd party games that were previously only on PS4/PC. Probably the best move right now. Of course this is just my opinion. They will have to come out big time next gen to take some market share back.
I don't disagree with this line of thinking at all. Keeping your cards close to your chest is what is the best move.

What's interesting is that Sony seems to be taking a similar approach and yet Sony seems to be making some people upset if this thread is any indication.
 

Gavin Stevens

Formerly 'o'dium'
I’m positive it will be more powerful and the same price.

What I’m not sure on, is the games. Yeah that’s a beaten horse, but as a huge Xbox nerd, I CAN say Sony exclusives are usually amazing in terms of quality and production values.

I think though they have learned a lot, and that these sort of things take a long time to make. The fact they haven’t shown anything at all (not counting halo as it’s cross gen) is a good thing in my book.

Either way I see both consoles being expensive! But we shall see...
 

Lone Wolf

Member
I don't disagree with this line of thinking at all. Keeping your cards close to your chest is what is the best move.

What's interesting is that Sony seems to be taking a similar approach and yet Sony seems to be making some people upset if this thread is any indication.
I don't disagree with this line of thinking at all. Keeping your cards close to your chest is what is the best move.

What's interesting is that Sony seems to be taking a similar approach and yet Sony seems to be making some people upset if this thread is any indication.
I agree that they are both doing something similar. With that said, as of now, Sony has proven to us that they will provide plenty of first party and third party support. Xbox has only promised at this point. I believe it’s coming, but I wouldn’t blame anyone if they take a wait and see approach with Xbox while trusting Sony. I don’t understand why anyone would doubt Sony at this point. They could screw up again, but I wouldn’t count on it this time. They really delivered this gen. The early part of this gen really burned me as an Xbox first guy.
 

Blood Borne

Member
Price and games are far more important than power. Price and games is why Xbox One lost not because of power.

PS1, PS2, Wii and PS4 prove this.
 
Sounds good, on the face of things.

I'm still sticking to my early predictions that the Scarlett won't be as powerful as the PS5, because it doesn't need to be.

I can see Microsoft transitioning to more cloud,streaming and digital services, like they tried at the start of this gen, with those ideas being more consumer friendly this time around.

So far though, this gen as been the opposite of last gen (Start good end bad vs start bad end good) hopefully this means Microsoft is heading in the right direction.

Next year will be entertaining.
 
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