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Xbox Scarlett: 10 Facts You Need to Know

Xbox Scarlett Facts

Microsoft has officially entered the next-gen race with the reveal of Project Scarlett; the name being used to describe their next flagship Xbox.

A lot of people are talking about Xbox Scarlett after E3 2019, but there’s so much talk going around that some of the facts are getting mixed-up with the speculation. That being the case, here are 10 facts that you need to know about Xbox Scarlett as we head into the next generation.

It Will Feature an SSD For Faster Loading Times

Microsoft confirmed that the Xbox Scarlett will have an SSD during their E3 2019 presentation, but they basically confirmed it before that. The kind of quick load times that Sony and Microsoft are talking about isn’t possible without an SSD. Rumors suggest that Scarlett could feature up to a 1TB SSD, but we’re guessing a model with a smaller SSD will be made available.

Scarlett Will Boast a Powerful Modern Processor and GPU

Microsoft hasn’t named the processor and GPU that will be featured in Scarlett, but they did name drop the AMD Zen 2 and Navi. Those are the names of AMD’s most recent line of processors and GPUs. Inevitably, they’ll become outdated, but both are powerful enough to ensure that the Scarlett will pack a lot of power under the hood.

It’s Set To Release in Late 2020

Some thought that Microsoft might pull a Nintendo and release their next-gen console early in 2020. Those rumors were put to rest when Microsoft confirmed a winter 2020 release window for the Xbox Scarlett. Most likely, this will mean that they are going to go head-to-head with Sony and the PS5. That should be interesting.

Halo Infinite Will be a Launch Game

To the surprise of few, Microsoft has decided to launch the Xbox Scarlett with a Halo game. Halo Infinite is a God of War-like continuation/spiritual successor to previous Halo games. It seems that Microsoft hopes that will make it a great jumping off point for new and returning fans.

It Will Have a Disc Drive

Gaming will probably move beyond discs at some point in the near future, but the Xbox Scarlett won’t be part of that future. Microsoft has confirmed that Xbox Scarlett will have a disc drive. However, that may not be the full story on Microsoft and nex-gen discs…

It’s Only Part of Xbox’s Next-Gen Plans

Microsoft has commented that the Scarlett is only a part of their next-gen plans. While there’s some speculation as to what that means, some believe that Microsoft is preparing to release an alternative, budget-friendly next-gen device that will emphasize streaming and digital downloads. At the very least, it means Microsoft will push xCloud in the next-gen.

It Will be Backward Compatible With Every Xbox Console

We’re waiting on the full details, but Microsoft has confirmed that Scarlett will be backward compatible with previous Xbox consoles. It’s not clear if that means it will play classic discs or if that will be limited to Game Pass titles, but we suspect it’s a combination of both.

It Will Support Xbox One Accessories

In a piece of truly welcome news, Xbox Scarlett won’t require you to buy new accessories. Instead, it will support current Xbox One accessories, including controllers. However, we suspect that probably won’t include full Kinect support.

Game Pass and xCloud Will Be Supported

Microsoft is hinting that the future of the Xbox brand will likely be more about its digital services than any physical console. So far as that goes, expect Scarlett to push a Game Pass subscription as well as Microsoft’s upcoming xCloud streaming service. Microsoft has even hinted that the two could be bundled together.

It Won’t Be Called Xbox Scarlett

This is probably the only stretch on this list as Microsoft hasn’t confirmed it, but we’re 99% certain that the next Xbox won’t be called Scarlett. That’s the project name that the company is using, and it’s been floating around for a long time. Project names are almost never the names of the actual console.

Matthew Byrd

Matthew Byrd covers the gaming industry including indies, consoles, PCs, iOS and Android apps, as well as topics related to entertainment and technology.