It has been rumored that next generation Microsoft plans to release two new consoles for everyone to buy. We could be getting the traditional console which will presumably be more powerful than the existing Xbox One X, and a cheaper, smaller version of that console designed to stream the games from Microsoft’s servers. This streaming-only console is currently called Project Scarlett. I’ve already decided I’m gonna buy it.
Streaming can be very problematic for several reasons. The first of which being your internet speeds. It’s probably gonna be recommended that you have a decent download speed and a wired connection. We’ll know more about this when the console is announced. I presume that Microsoft will tell us the requirements before anyone can buy the console and later find out it won’t work with their potato speeds.
This will not be a problem for me because I already have decent internet and a wired connection in my living room. For the record, I will not only be buying the streaming version for my living room, but I plan to buy a normal full hardware version for my bedroom where the Wi-Fi is weaker and there is no wired connection. You might be wondering why I need both. You see, the streaming console is rumored to be a lot cheaper than the regular Xbox, so the way I see it it’ll be like having a Nintendo Switch with two docks. I will have the ability to game at the two main TVs in my house without buying two fully priced consoles while also saving money.
I see this streaming Xbox as a sort of Steam Link, that instead of connecting to a gaming PC on the same network, it connects to Microsoft’s servers. My main concern is where Microsoft’s servers are located. With GeForce Now from Nvidia I get a pretty decent connection but ping is sometimes an issue causing input lag. This will hopefully be less of an issue for Microsoft because unlike Geforce Now I believe they already have more than 2 servers to cater to all of Western Europe.
I would recommend the streaming Xbox to anyone who wants a spare Xbox for another screen in their house and is on a budget like me. I cannot justify the full price of two consoles. If you’re lucky and have a wired connection in multiple areas of your house I would in fact tell you to buy two streaming Xboxes. The technology is there for anyone with decent internet. Game streaming is not some unobtainable distant future dream. I believe Microsoft is bringing it in at the perfect time with the start of the next generation, and I have little to no worries about how it’ll perform.
For those out there who say they don’t want a console they can’t use when their internet goes out, tell me how often you have no access to your internet and actually want to game with the rise in popularity of multiplayer only games? How often do you have electricity but no access to your internet in the first place? It’s a very rare occurrence for anyone to have internet outages and even then for the price difference I believe it’s worth it. Let me know what you think in the comments below!