Microsoft reiterates 'no one left behind' message regarding Scorpio and games

With the announcement of Project Scorpio and the immense graphical power it promises, there was a lingering fear that developers could decide to focus solely on the new console, freezing out owners of the current consoles.

In our interview with Xbox Services GM, Dave McCarthy, we got what appears to be a definitive answer on the matter. And it's good news for current owners and future buyers of the Xbox One S.

Will there be a range that developers will take advantage of in Scorpio? Absolutely, but again, that's going to be a developer choice. But, on our devices, all of your games are going to work. Period.We made that promise today: those games will work across the whole line-up. They have to work across the whole line-up.

It seems pretty emphatic, so right now we have no trouble in taking his word for it. It's also not that hard to believe, either. PC developers currently target a wide range of frame rates and resolutions, all the way up to 4K. The difference in what you can get comes down to your own hardware, not the game you're playing.

While there are going to be things in Scorpio that developers can target and take advantage of, the key information is that those of us on the existing console won't be left behind. The Xbox One ecosystem is broadening and becoming a little less linear and a little more like the PC space. That's not a bad thing, at all, so long as everyone gets to play.

One of the key messages from E3 this year is "play anywhere" and "play without boundaries." Scorpio it seems is just another piece in that puzzle.

Richard Devine
Managing Editor - Tech, Reviews

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine