Is the Xbox Scorpio coming too late? Or is MS trying to reinvent console gens?

[Nautilus]

Intrinsic said:

Nautilus said:

So this idea of itineration, in the sense that if you get a console now it will last 15 years, is simply ridiculous.Eventually you will need to upgrade.The same happens to the smartphone market after all.

 

I don't think the console will last 15yrs..... I dont think thats how console iterations will work. 

I see it more like this.

They make the PS4Neo..... and all gsmes will work on both the PS4neo and the PS4. Then they make the PS5. this is 8yrs after the original PS4 was released. And 4yrs after the PS4neo was released. At this point all gsmes made for the PS5 will also be playable on the PS4neo but not necesarily on the PS4. Or even if on the PS4 at very very low settings. 

The emphasis would be on phasing out hardware rather than starting all over again. The idea would be that any gamer will have a console for no more than 4-6yrs and then can upgrade knowing fully well that all his old  games will work and he is good for the next 6-8yrs if he so chooses. Its kinda what already happens now, just that then BC is gauranteed and you dont actualky have to upgrade to get the latest games. But when its at a time that you do, it would be that you are holding onto hardware that is at last 7-10yrs old. 

The problem with this is that hardwares cant make significant jumps, or they will be holded back by the old hardware.Why?One of the reasons is in my previous post that you didnt fully quote here, another reason is that power isnt simply used for making graphics more pretty or to have more lightining effects.Much of the time they are used to make unique games that older hardware wasnt capable of(having more enemies on screen at one time, having real time footage as a cutscene instead of prerendered, being able to play VR games that gets more and more demanding, etc).So if the hardware is simply much stronger than the last one, it will get little support in the long run, no matter how much Sony, Microsoft or even Nintendo wants to.And dont fool yourselfs:developers like to use as much power as they can.Because that makes it easier to sell the game(having prettier graphics and all) and because they want to make the best game they can, not a watered down version of it.And if the jump isnt significant, then whats the point of having this upgrade?That line of thinking will translate to less sales, and in turn less profits for the companies.

Its not that Im against the idea of having a longer generation(actually I personally think generations should last around 6 years), but this practice ia anti-costumer in my opinion, since things wont work out the way you think they are(because they are too ideal).In the end, the way I see, we will end up being forced to buy more product in a shorter span of time, something that wouldnt be necessary in the first place.

Edit:Plus there will be added cost for the developers.Developing games nowadays is already expensive, but imagine if you need to make even more version of the same game.Or worse:Imagine that you are nearing the end of the development, but then Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft comes out and say that a new upgarde is going to be released in 6 months, in time for your game release.You will be forced to make a version for it and in consequence delay your game, waste more money and so on.It would complicate alot for the industry too.