Originally Posted by
QuickSciFi
Microsoft was quick to judge Sony for "being premature" with the PS4 Pro in, both, announcement (E3 2016) and release date (Fall 2016). But honestly, I don't see Microsoft being too far off either. I'm noticing a real Nintendo-like approach to the Scorpio. It's like they are going headstrong with hyping-up the hardware, which is awesome, yet there is no emphasis whatsoever on software. I was super excited about the PS4 Pro and the Scorpio back in early 2016 (back when they were still rumors and were not yet named thusly). Now, I not only see no reason to get a PS4 Pro; but also a Scorpio. Why? No exclusive games announced for either of them. Meaning, games that can only be run on the more powerful systems by fully taking advantage of each respective hardware.
Companies have tried a ton of things in the past (and presently) to not only stay afloat, but to remain relevant. That's perfectly understandable. The PS4 Pro was not a smart move for one specific reason: It continued to be sold with the old model. Heck, the price wasn't that bad. It was the fact that the old model continued to be sold at Black Friday prices ($300) that made the $400 mark seem too steep. Which is nonsense; but imagine if there was only the PS4 Pro from then on, and if they would've gone just $50 less at $350. That would've been killer! If Sony wanted to do a proper midcycle rendition; then they should've done as it has already been done before in the handheld market: they should've just implemented the new hardware as the one and only standard from then on. The same as has been done before with new console hardware renditions like the 360 or even every slim model of any console ever made. This back and forth on Sony's behalf (and, tbh, on Microsoft's behalf as well if they do the same; but that still remains to be seen) is only attesting to ambiguity and indecision. It's unwisely spreading themselves too thin, imo.
Comparing the 7th gen to the 8th gen in terms lifecycle is not going to yield the same results. Not only because the 9th generation is most-definitely already here (whether we hate to admit the Switch is Next gen or not), but because the 7th gen occurred during a worldwide economic downturn that inevitably caused its respective systems to endure for much longer than was the norm.
Nintendo has already proven they don't care about specs. Pretty much they gave up on specs a long time ago. They want gimmicks, for better worse. Personally, I would rather have "next gen" level hardware specs; but gimmicks is, once again, how they entered the 9th generation of console gaming. It has already occurred. And it occurred in early 2017. From early 2017 to late 2018 is more than a year and a half. That's plenty of time for the other console manufacturers to kick in with their Next Gen systems.
Honestly, if the Scorpio gets released at this point in late 2017, it will fall as flat on its face as the PS4 Pro did; maybe even worse. The only way I see a different turnout for the Scorpio, once again, is if it fully vindicates itself with its own hardware-specs-exclusive games (not necessarily Xbox exclusive, mind you; I mean here games that can only ran on the more powerful hardware). And, tbh, the Scorpio is already touting hardware specs that would rival the difference we have seen even in the past two generational turns (6th to 7th, 7th to 8th; especially the latter). So making the Scorpio itself a full 9th gen console and a proper successor to the Xbox One would not be too far off. I would honestly prefer that they make the Scorpio the next Xbox. Who's to say it can't have backwards compatibility? Just concentrate thenceforth on Xbox Scorpio only games. That's honestly the only way I can see the Scorpio being successful in any way.
And all of this applies just the same to Sony. They are not exempt as a console manufacturer. Relevance is only temporary and they know it as much as the other big two know it. And, as much as we, and even Nintendo themselves, claim that Nintendo is not all about Specs, they are still a powerful force to consider in terms of sales. So, yeah, late 2018 is most definitely not a crazy idea.