The Game Awards 2019 are underway in Los Angeles right now, where Seattle-based developer Microsoft took the stage to announce the name of its next-generation console, Xbox Series X.
According to Xbox head Phil Spencer, Xbox Series X — previously known as Project Scarlett — is the most powerful console the developer has created. While Microsoft didn’t reveal many new details about Series X, we do know that the console will have real-time ray tracing, and that it will have the third-generation Ryzen CPU and Navi graphics technology. The next-generation console will also be fully backwards compatible with previous generations of Xbox. Microsoft took this opportunity to announce a Series X exclusive, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2.
“Next holiday Xbox Series X will lead us into the future of console gaming,” Spencer said.
“It will set a new bar for performance, speed and compatibility,” he continued.
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. Xbox Series X is also designed for a future in the cloud, with unique capabilities built into the hardware and software to make it as easy as possible to bring great games to both console and elsewhere. Xbox Series X will deliver a level of fidelity and immersion unlike anything that’s been achieved in previous console generations.
