The Xbox Scarlett is going to be Microsoft’s flagship device starting in 2020, but that doesn’t mean they’re not thinking about other cheaper alternatives.
We’ve heard a lot about the new xCloud streaming service, which will be the cloud rival to Google Stadia.
This begins testing in 2019 and will be the price busting alternative in the next-gen console wars.
There’s already rumours that Microsoft is working on a special xCloud console/device that will make it easier to play on TVs.
And now we’re hearing about a unique patent that could transform mobile phones into decent console alternatives.
A new patent has been spotted that suggests Microsoft is experimenting with special mobile phone controllers.
These new accessories, via Thurrott, would essentially wrap an Xbox One controller design around your phone, making it much easier to play.
It sounds a little like what we have seen with the Nintendo Switch and would make a great complimentary device for xCloud.
The tech giant is in a great position to create a new design like this and could even provide specialised “Elite” versions in the future.
With the xCloud already removing the price of Xbox Scarlett hardware from the equation, these new controllers could open up the market even more.
It should be noted that Microsoft’s xCloud announcements usually show gamers clipping a phone to an Xbox One controller, using a special adaptor.
Brad Sams has more on this development, telling fans in his latest YouTube post: “Microsoft research, which has a lot of resources at hand, has been tasked with finding out a way “hey, is there a better method to play games while using a phone?”
“And this is what they have come up with, and if you take a look at it, it looks vaguely like a traditional Xbox controller, except it somehow breaks apart into two components, so that you can mount it on either side of the screen.
Sams notes that this new design would be much more compact than carrying around a traditional Xbox One controller.
Not only that, but if it was priced affordably, it could prove to be another home-run for the Microsoft Research team.
Being a prototype means that it may never hit shelves and could remain a workable patent that’s eventually scrapped.
However, it shows that Microsoft isn’t making the Xbox Scarlett their sole priority moving into 2020.
It follows reports that Sony is working on a new PlayStation VR headset for the PS5.
Expected to arrive next year alongside the Xbox Scarlett, the PlayStation 5 is not expected to be revealed with a new Virtual Reality device.
But further down the line, gamers do expect to see the PSVR 2, and we may have found out a few things Sony are working on.
The new findings suggest that the next PlayStation VR headset will be wireless and have around five hours of battery life.
What’s interesting is that it will be a definite upgrade on the current model and could also cost less when it first hits the market.
Not only that but the PSVR 2 will be running on a much more powerful console, providing some big bonuses.
Much of this information has come from patents and means that it must be taken with a pinch of salt.
But while we don’t know exactly what new features are being planned for the next PSVR, there’s a good chance we will find out more about Sony’s PS5 in the coming months.
