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Project Scorpio Website Removes Mention Of VR, Microsoft Responds

Microsoft confirms Project Scorpio will offer "high-fidelity VR experiences."

151 Comments

[UPDATE] A Microsoft representative told GameSpot that Project Scorpio will offer "high-fidelity VR experiences," though the company did not say why the line was removed from the site.

"When Project Scorpio ships later this year it will be the most powerful console ever built with a 6 teraflop GPU to deliver true 4K gaming, high-fidelity VR experiences, and greater graphic fidelity. We have nothing additional to share at this time," the spokesperson said.

The original story is below.

The promotional website for Project Scorpio has apparently been changed to remove "hi-fidelity VR" from its list of bullet points, potentially suggesting Microsoft's plans for VR may have changed.

This change was spotted by people on NeoGAF recently. The live version of the Project Scorpio website contains the image below, which touts the release date (holiday 2017) and some of the console's technical details such as six teraflops of power, 320 GB memory, and 8 CPU cores. "The most powerful console ever, featuring six teraflops of graphical processing power, true 4K gaming, and compatibility with Xbox One games and accessories," a line on the page reads.

No Caption Provided

This cached version of the page shows that "hi-fidelity VR" was at one time featured on the page. It's not exactly clear when this was removed or why. GameSpot has contacted Microsoft in an attempt to get more details on the timeline and reasoning. We'll update this post with anything we hear back.

Virtual reality was among the features that Microsoft announced for Project Scorpio when it revealed the console at E3 2016. The removal of a line of text on the website doesn't necessarily mean Microsoft is abandoning its plans for virtual reality, but it does seem like something is going on.

In November of last year, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said he thinks VR will eventually "find its spot" in gaming--but it might not be soon. "We designed Scorpio as a VR-capable console. Whether that happens this year, next year, or the year after…"

"I don't think the creators in the game space have yet found--well, they haven't obviously perfected the craft of building VR games," Spencer added. "It's so early; I think we're a couple of years before we'll really see that hit mainstream."

Project Scorpio, or whatever Microsoft decides to call it, launches this holiday. Microsoft has not announced a price point for the system but has repeatedly referred to it as the "most powerful console ever made," and will surely be priced above the Xbox One.

In other Project Scorpio news, details about the system's RAM have emerged, while Spencer said this week that the system is coming along great.

Got a news tip or want to contact us directly? Email news@gamespot.com

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Moonco

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Moonco  Moderator

Never use VR while driving during rush hour traffic. I learned the hard way :-(

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Furwings

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Edited By Furwings

Doesn't matter if it's 6 TF, 4.2 TF, 1.8 TF or 1.3 TF, it really means nothing unless there are compelling games to play on it. Plus if it's $600 (as some rumors suggest) it needs to have EXCLUSIVE games that I can't just play on a gaming PC, but with Microsoft bringing ALL their 1st party titles to PC these days, that might be tough to do. Now it's even spilling into 3rd party titles as RE7 for XB1 is a Play Anywhere game as well...

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DIOSNY

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@Furwings: But you can't just play them on a gaming PC you need a windows 10 PC aka when you buy a game on it the money goes to the Xbox division.

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angrycreep

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@DIOSNY: Well is not an Xbox exclusive is a Microsoft exclusive, which is only available to a Windows PC or Xbox One console. Plus I don't understand why people like you think that this future is not a good thing for Microsoft? You can be sure that if this would have been something that will hurt them, they would have never done it. This is a win win situation for fans and remember that most people will probably be playing the game in their Xbox one console anyway since you will need a good gaming PC to run the game properly and it will be stable in your Xbox.

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DIOSNY

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@angrycreep: I never said I was a bad thing my point is that no matter if you buy a game on the w10 store or the Xbox store the money goes to the Xbox division. You know for the people how think that they're some how hurting Xbox by buying the game on Windows.

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angrycreep

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Edited By angrycreep

@DIOSNY: You can't forget that for most people out there if they have the option of the console or PC version most people 7 out 10 times will most likely choose the console version because is usually stable and most of their friends either don't have a PC or rather play the game in their console. I honestly don't think that it will hurt them.

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DIOSNY

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@angrycreep: you're missing my point. I do 95% of my gaming on Xbox the other 5% on PlayStation I'm a console gamer. My comments are directed at the people who think that by buying a MS game on "pc" they're some how hurting Xbox when in reality that money goes straight to the Xbox division.

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Furwings

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@DIOSNY: Well Microsoft makes just as much money on a non-gaming PC or laptop as they do on a gaming PC. And yes at first MS fist party games are only available thru the Windows Store, but they eventually come to Steam as well or at least some have.

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DIOSNY

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@Furwings: True but I was talking about the game MS makes the same amount if you buy gears of War on the Xbox store or the W10 store. The point of gaming consoles is to sell you the software that's where the money is the hardware is just a middleman really. MS and Sony are starting to get ready for life after the traditional consoles go away that's why PSNOW and Play everywhere exist they're slowly turning into services it cost to much money to make consoles specially when everyone wants the latest and greatest at the same price from 10yrs ago.

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SirNormanislost

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@DIOSNY: no they don't make the same ammount of money

they lose out on the hardware money and any potential software purchases for that piece of hardware

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DIOSNY

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@SirNormanislost: You really have no clue if you think any console maker is in it for the hardware money.

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SirNormanislost

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Edited By SirNormanislost

@DIOSNY: did you read what i wrote? or literally stop reading before the "and"?

what about the software money they make from software for those consoles? (including 3rd party) and then there's the xbox live sub they miss out on

ofc it's easier to take my reply out of context than to admit you're wrong

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DIOSNY

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@SirNormanislost: dude if you're buying a console for one or two games a year you're a none factor to a console maker when you buy an Xbox or PS this companies want their console to become your main gaming machine where you buy all your multiplats and the 2 or 3 big exclusives they have. I won a PS4 for MLB The Show that's it I don't have PSN every other game I play on PS4 is ether a rental or a $20 dollar pre-own. You have to see the big picture to understand what MS is doing with the play anywhere program.

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SirNormanislost

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Edited By SirNormanislost

@DIOSNY: so you're trying to disagree with me by rewording what I've already said in previous comments back at me?

person buys a console > buys first party game > buys third party game > buys online service each of those steps is money for MS

person gets windows > buys MS exclusive that's 2 less steps earning them money

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DIOSNY

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@SirNormanislost: smh you don't get it. MS is trying to get the pc players that would had bought an Xbox just for 1 or 2 exclusives to start building a library on the windows 10 store and eventually that person will start buying all their multiplats on the w10 store. So now instead of making money from that player once a year they'll make money every time he buys a game. Just like the do with people like myself that do 99% of my gaming on Xbox.

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SirNormanislost

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Edited By SirNormanislost

@DIOSNY: "people like myself that do 99% of my gaming on Xbox"

I'm guessing part pf that 1% isn't on PC or at least not on the windows store? the only reason I'd use the windows store or Origin or Uplay (shudder) is for exclusives to those services because they aren't as good

one example against the windows store is the latest CoD game where if you buy it through the windows store you can only play against other who bought via the windows store so a much smaller playerbase than steams

sure the windows store isn't as bad as Uplay but it's not as good as steam and thus not good enough to draw people away from steam

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DIOSNY

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@SirNormanislost: you're right that's the current situation of the windows store but who knows what's going to happen on the long run. Regardless of what people may think of the Xbox brand it became a real competitor in the console business and if it wasn't for the Mistakes made during the X1 launch they would have easily been on top this gen as well. So who's to say what will happened with the windows store 2-3 years from now one thing is for sure it can't possibly get worse.

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SirNormanislost

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Edited By SirNormanislost

@DIOSNY: "can't possibly get worse"

never used Games for windows live i take it? it was awful when it launched, it got worse as time went on and when they got rid of it broke most of the games that relied on it

while i doubt it could ever be that bad the new UWP system has put a lot of developers off the store, plus how UWP relates to windiws 10 ability to unistall software from your computer is worrying (since if i mod a game and the store checks the game it could unistall it thinking I've done something illegal)

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Furwings

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@DIOSNY: Yes you might be right there. I think there's a good chance of the traditional "console" (as in a box that sits next to your TV) going away, I don't think it'll be right away, at least not for Sony. I could honestly see there being no next Xbox console if Scorpio's sales aren't great. I do believe there will be a PS5 though. As for Nintendo, they're already basically transitioning to the portable and mobile space. Yes the Switch connects to your TV thru a dock but for all intents and purposes it's a portable/handheld unit. So in terms of a "console" the way we define them now I can see the PlayStation brand outlasting the others.

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theduckofdeath

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@Furwings: I think Scorpio will have successor. Microsoft wants a Trojan Horse to reach those who (stubbornly) won't (or can't) play games on PC. That's the whole point of the console.

MS needs more exclusives, first or "second" party (independent studios, with MS as publisher).

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DIOSNY

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@Furwings: Phil said they're already working on what's next after Scorpio but I don't think they'll go past 2 more consoles unless they buy AMD or some other hardware manufacturer as for Sony there will definitely be a PS5 but if the PS5 doesn't dominate the market like the PS4 who's to say they'll continue to invest on hardware instead of focusing on PSNOW by then 5G internet should be a reality.

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perfect_chao

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Edited By perfect_chao

@sticktaler36: Yeah, if you already have a mid/high end PC it's pointless to get Scorpio. Even console optimisation can't do much.. it will squeeze a bit of extra power but nothing significant, some act as if it gives a massive boost when it doesn't.

PC gamers have had a Scorpio level GPU since the 980Ti, and that will have been out 2 and a half years by the time Scorpio releases.

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LouiXIII

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First off...most people are still happy with their 1080p TV.

Second, you made it so that devs can't take advantage of the hardware due to XBO restraints.

Lastly...WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO MAKE 6 TERAFLOPS SOUND LIKE THE ALMIGHTY NUMBERwhen PCs were using 6 teraflops over 2 years ago?

Make it 10 and impress me...

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theduckofdeath

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@louixiii: Because these are consoles and the predecessor produced maybe 1.3 TF.

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LouiXIII

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@theduckofdeath: That's a lame excuse. "because they are consoles" that's BS. They want a console cycle to last 10 years...then they should build one that will

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theduckofdeath

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@louixiii: Too many people complain about $399+ consoles. It's even a tougher sell right now, as those people will be tempted by cheap XB1S/PS4 consoles (which will only get cheaper by BF '17). MS and Sony can't afford to build a console that will last 10 years, or even 7-8 years (plenty of consoles had shorter runs before their successor appeared). Sure, they could do it artificially, by refusing to release a new machine that period, but nobody wants that again. Technology is outpacing the old console cycle.

PS4 and XB1 came out at a weird time. There was uncertainty about RAM supply and cost, we were hot off the heels of RRoD and YLoD, and it was the first foray into modern x86 architecture. The consoles ended up with dated PC architectures.

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LouiXIII

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@theduckofdeath: People didn't really complain much about the PS4 being $399.99. The complaint was about the XBO being $499.99 and having weaker hardware. ..but that was back in 2013.

And I don't buy the whole "they can't afford to build a console that will last that long" BS. Money talks and if they wanted to, they would but they won't. Simple as that

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theduckofdeath

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@louixiii: MS and Sony could try to build it, but who's going to buy it? The machine will be expense, need significant electrical power, and dissipate a lot of heat. Not to mention it would be static. Anyone would be better off building a PC. I could afford it, and may be interested, but how many others could say the same?

And why would you want a console to "last" ten years, anyway? It's inconceivable that a locked console could keep up with technology over that span in modern times. PS4 Pro mustered up 4.3 TF @ $399. Scorpio is projected at 6 TF @$399-599. I agree that if we paid $599 for PS3 10 years ago and $499 for XB1 3 years ago, those prices today should be easier to swallow.

Vega is coming by May at 12.5 TF, GTX 1080 arrived 5/16 at 9 TF, 1080 Ti at 10.8 TF. By 2020, a single card will likely hit 20 TF. Even a modern day Neo Geo could not compete over a 10 year lifespan.

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LouiXIII

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Edited By LouiXIII

@theduckofdeath: Why would I want a console to last 10 years? The same reason why people spend $2000 or better on a top notch PC lol

I'd much rather pay $700USD for 10-12 teraflops that may last close to 10 years than pay $399, then $499 mid cycle just for the newest ish.

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theduckofdeath

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@louixiii: LOL. I have actually said the same thing in the past..."I would pay $800-$1000 if console X launch with twice the power". It won't happen, though. The price of the chips would not rise linearly, and there would be too much heat for the tiny boxes everyone claims to love.

Building a PC was the plan B that became plan A. And let's face it, I've never built a PC with a hardware configuration that stayed static for 3 years, much less 10.

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LouiXIII

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@sellingthings: Damn...that was spot on and I don't think I could've said it better myself honestly. The only thing I can do is agree with you xD

And send a thumbs up your way

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sladakrobot

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@louixiii: 6 TF is a number which came from various devs after MS asked them what they would like to have in order to make 4k games

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LouiXIII

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@sladakrobot: Yeah but still...that's bare minimum.

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Mo_Zing

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RIP Nintendo

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Isariamkia

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Edited By Isariamkia

@mo_zing: Why do talk about Nintendo in a xbox article ? That has nothing to do here.

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darksouls

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@mo_zing: Yay!

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Furwings

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@mo_zing: Why? Nintendo gamers enjoy their games for the fun. With the Switch the attraction is the hybrid nature of the device, being able to play your favorite Nintendo games anywhere you want. More like RIP Xbox console division if the Scorpio doesn't sell big for them...

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theduckofdeath

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@Furwings: How? MS will be selling $180 XB1/S bundles next BF and through the holidays. Scorpio is for people who need the newest console. Me.

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KhanWasHere

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Edited By KhanWasHere

I care less about VR on a console than I do the Scorpio claiming to be a "true 4k" gaming experience and then end up only being 30fps because it is still only a 6TFLOP device.

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Pyrosa

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As long as the default load of spyware from any/all of the VR vendors is NOT preloaded into the base OS at any point, they can add whatever they want as add-on apps/drivers. MS's built-in spyware is plenty.

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