Xbox’s next-gen Project Scarlett revealed as Xbox Series X

Xbox's next-gen Project Scarlett revealed as Xbox Series X

Xbox revealed a new name and look for the console that until now has been known only under the codename Xbox Scarlett. That next-generation console is Xbox Series X, due out Holiday 2020.

The system itself noticeably looks closer to a PC than what you’d come to expect a video game console to look like, showed off in a brief teaser trailer as a hefty vertical tower.

In a longer breakdown of the new console, Xbox head Phil Spencer notes that “industrial” design enables the system to quietly and efficiently offer four times the processing power of the current Xbox One X.

With the Series X, Spencer says Xbox aims to offer developers a console that advances state-of-the-art visual capabilities and arms them with the ability to create without needing to navigate the technical barriers set forth in previous console generations.

“From a technical standpoint, this will manifest as world-class visuals in 4K at 60FPS, with possibility of up to 120FPS, including support for Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), and 8K capability. Powered by our custom-designed processor leveraging the latest Zen 2 and next generation RDNA architecture from our partners at AMD, Xbox Series X will deliver hardware accelerated ray tracing and a new level of performance never before seen in a console.”

“Additionally, our patented Variable Rate Shading (VRS) technology will allow developers to get even more out of the Xbox Series X GPU and our next-generation SSD will virtually eliminate load times and bring players into their gaming worlds faster than ever before. We are minimizing latency by leveraging technology such as Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and giving developers new functionality like Dynamic Latency Input (DLI) to make Xbox Series X the most responsive console ever.”

The reveal also included an Xbox Wireless Controller similar in form to the one that debuted with the current generation’s Xbox One, but with added enhancements. The size and shape of the controller itself differ slightly from its predecessor, and this time around a dedicated Share button is built directly into its face. That new Xbox Wireless controller also takes cues from Xbox’s premium current generation Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller by replacing the d-pad of old with a concave design similar to the Elite’s distinctive d-pad.

The Xbox Series X reveal came alongside an announcement that the Xbox-owned studio Ninja Theory is developing a sequel to its 2017 release Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice. That title, an Xbox Series X exclusive, received a trailer of its own that Xbox head Phil Spencer notes was captured in-engine.

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