The obscuring fog hanging over Microsoft’s upgraded Xbox One – Project Scorpio – finally lifted yesterday by way of Digital Foundry‘s exclusive reveal, but while the console powerhouse boasts considerably more hardware muscle over the original Xbox One, it’s also taking some things away. As reported by the reveal, Scorpio’s port arrangement is based on last year’s Xbox One S, the smaller, sleeker redesign of the original console that also does away with a dedicated Kinect port.
Considering Microsoft’s continued insistence that Kinect is an integral part of the Xbox brand, it’s mildly bemusing that it would opt not to include a dedicated input for the peripheral with Scorpio, especially as the software giant is billing the mid-generation upgrade as a premium bit of kit, but the two devices will at least be compatible. As is the case with the One S, pairing the Kinect and Scorpio together will require the $40 adapter released last year, so if you don’t already own one, be sure to account for the additional cost when Microsoft confirms a retail price for the Scorpio.
As for the other component being ditched, this can only be seen as a welcome emittance. The bulky power brick packaged with the base Xbox One has been replaced with an internal power supply, again mimicking the same improvement made with the One S, so you’ll need to make room behind your TV for a giant hunk of plastic no longer.
With specifications and technical queries now all but answered, attention will now start to shift towards answering the two remaining important questions. What does the Scorpio look like, and what games are lined up for it? The answers to both will be doled out at this year’s E3, although you can almost certainly expect Crackdown 3 to be a major talking point. Roll on June.
