Gamers thinking about upgrading to the new Microsoft Project Scorpio console will be glad to hear that they will be able to trade in their old Xbox One in part exchange.
If you wanted a new Project Scorpio but were worried about the financial commitment, the latest news from Microsoft will come as a real boost.
Project Scorpio to be part of trade-in programs
Microsoft has announced that its retail partners will still offer trade-in programs, which will be encouraged by the tech giant. The company hopes that it can attract curious customers and first-day buyers with the offer.
The news came in a report in gaming newspaper The Daily Star, while other commentators also hope that there will be some bundle packs on offer as well. It seems likely that they will feature already popular games and offer some good deals when compared to the standalone console.
“Some of our retail partners today do trade-in programs and that is definitely going to be partnerships we continue to move going forward. We want to make that transition as smooth as possible,” said Dave McCarthy, general manager of Xbox Services.
New Microsoft console to arrive 2017
According to The Daily Star there is no official launch date for Project Scorpio other than 2017. However McCarthy did explain the thinking behind the continued Microsoft trade-in programs.
“The compatibility thing is a big deal, because the feeling that you have to give up your games is not a good feeling, so we take that angst out of the equation,” he said.
“We will try partnerships with our retail partners to smooth it even more with trade-in programs and things like that.”
Gamers want more compatibility
Compatibility has become a big deal for Microsoft after the company just recently allowed gamers to carry over old Xbox 360 games to the Xbox One. Now it looks as though the company is making the effort to make sure that no one gets left behind with the upcoming launch of Project Scorpio.
This makes sense given Microsoft’s Xbox Play Anywhere scheme. Gamers who buy an “Xbox Play Anywhere” game are able to play on the Xbox One, Project Scorpio or PC wherever they are.
The gaming market is hotting up once again with a number of new releases and updates. For example Sony recently came forward with the PlayStation 4.5, which will be the main competitor for the new Microsoft console.
The idea behind the early announcement of Project Scorpio may well be to provide as much information as possible so that gamers can decide which console they want. The announcement is also aimed at developers, as Xbox executives want them to know that they can work with the new console.
There has been no announcement on specific details of the trade-in program. However this is not entirely unexpected given the lack of known details about launch dates or even technical capabilities.
At this stage all we know is that Project Scorpio will be the name of the next generation Microsoft console which is supported by many industry figures. It will support 4K gaming and should be released in 2017.
Aside from that everything remains shrouded in mystery. Be prepared for the gaming rumor mill to crank into full operation in the next few months as Microsoft and Sony continue their ongoing battle for supremacy.
