With the announcement of the PlayStation 4 Pro last week, Sony got a very important head-start on Microsoft and its bold Project Scorpio endeavours. Set for release in late 2017, Project Scorpio is seen as a genuine next generation console release for Microsoft, and they’ve told consumers to wait for it. In the meantime, they have at least a year where they need to stimulate and maintain Xbox One sales. According to DFC Intelligence, a leading market research firm, that may not bode well for the company, as Sony is positioned to provide an all-round compelling proposition for gamers.
“Really this could be a final nail in the coffin for Xbox One now that Microsoft has told consumers to wait until 2017 (for Scorpio). Sony will have the powerful system with VR now and a well-executed plan that leaves consumers no reason to wait.” These were the words of DFC Intelligence’s David Cole, who believes that Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro not only provides consumers a powerful future-proof console but importantly they provide it here and now.
Sony’s Lead System Architect Mark Cerny went to great lengths at the Playstation Meeting to outline the gritty details of the Pro. While the average user may have found some of his technical jargon hard to understand, it spoke a lot about the endeavours of Sony and Microsoft moving forward. Specs are important, and Sony has fired a well-timed shot in the war between the companies.
While its no secret that Project Scorpio is set to be a powerhouse, timing is everything in the gaming world. 12 months is a long time for Microsoft to try and strike a balance between convincing gamers to hold out for Scorpio, while still promoting and selling Xbox One consoles. Alternatively, Sony has provided a powerful VR ready console, and importantly is set to release it this year. They now have a critical time gap on the Xbox, and Microsoft will need to do something special over the next year to keep up.
The PlayStation 4 Pro is set to launch in Australia on November 10th for $559.95 AUD.
