As we get closer to 2020 and the eventual release of the Xbox Scarlett, we keep hearing more and more about what we can expect in terms of its performance capabilities. And now, thanks to some recent comments from Xbox boss Phil Spencer, we know a bit more about what the next gen console is going to be able to do, specifically with respect to frame rate and how games will look and feel.
What Phil Spencer Said About Frame Rate for Xbox Scarlett
Spencer was chatting with Gamespot when he said, “I think the area that we really want to focus on next generation is frame rate and playability of the games. Ensuring that the games load incredibly fast, ensuring that the game is running at the highest frame rate possible. We’re also the Windows company, so we see the work that goes on [for] PC and the work that developers are doing. People love 60 frames-per-second games, so getting games to run at 4K 60 [FPS] I think will be a real design goal for us.”
He then goes on to mention that 4K visuals are important to the team, but “playability is probably the bigger focus for us this generation.”
This seems like a sensible goal, since it doesn’t really matter how gorgeous a game looks if it is stuttering when you try to play it because of frame rate issues. When playability is low, all a gamer feels is frustration, and those beautiful 4K visuals just go to waste. So we think that Spencer and his team are on target with putting a higher emphasis on frame rate and playability.
In particular, this should make a big difference with open world games. This seems to be something that both Microsoft and Sony are focusing on right now. Indeed, Microsoft has also stated that it is going to be churning out quite a few single player games. This is consistent with their decision to pick up studios like Obsidian Entertainment.
Need to catch up on all of the latest developments regarding next generation consoles? Take a look at everything we know so far about PS5 vs. Xbox Scarlett. And be sure and regularly check in with us, as we’re likely to be hearing more and more news regarding both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Scarlett as we move into next year.