Considering the sales figures of current-generation game consoles, it seems very evident that Microsoft's Xbox One has lost this particular round to its main rival, the Sony PlayStation 4. With a massive lineup of games and features that corresponded largely to what its users wanted, sales of the PS4 took off, leaving the Xbox One largely behind.
Being a known innovator, Microsoft has recently announced something very notable which might very well change the way game consoles are created forever. Earlier this week, Microsoft Xbox head Phil Spencer announced that the tech giant is looking into the possibility of making a console that features hardware that is fully upgradable.
Such an announcement is definitely significant. After all, updatability is something that has been absent in consoles. Though game consoles are essentially computers, upgrading hardware has always been exclusive to gamers who use full-fledged PCs.
With Microsoft's recent thrusts including game streaming across networks, cross-buy capability and its development of games using the Universal Windows Platform, the time for an Xbox which blurs the lines between PC and console might very well be near.
"We see on other platforms whether it be mobile or PC that you get a continuous innovation that you rarely see on consoles," Spencer said.
One thing that makes an upgradable console such a good idea is the fact that technology is evolving at a very rapid pace. Due to generations of gaming consoles lasting years, the hardware and software capabilities of a dedicated console usually end up obsolete before the unit is formally retired. By making its components upgradable, this problem is immediately addressed.
"Consoles lock the hardware and the software platforms together at the beginning of the generation. Then you ride the generation out for seven or so years, while other ecosystems are getting better, faster, stronger. And then you wait for the next big step function," Spencer said.
This, of course, spells out a huge challenge to Sony, whose PlayStation line has dominated console gaming for years. Unfortunately for Sony, the Japanese manufacturer is not known for its updatability. Rather, it is known for products that are formidable on their own.
Even if Microsoft does release a fully upgradable Xbox, it is very unlikely that Sony would respond with a corresponding upgradable PlayStation unit. After all, Sony's formula, releasing a powerful console that is good for a whole generation of games, has proven effective.
If Microsoft's innovation catches on, however, the Sony PlayStation might finally find itself on the defensive.
