Microsoft has yet again weighed in on the 1080p/60fps debate that is circling around the Xbox One. UK marketing executive Harvey Eagle says in a new interview that gamers would be challenged to see the differences in resolution and frame rate for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 games on a 60-inch or smaller TV.
“If you put third-party games side-by-side that are running at slightly different resolutions or frame rates, then unless you are using a screen that’s more than 60 inches big, I defy you to really see the difference,” Eagle told CVG. “I personally struggle to see the difference.”
Though Eagle maintains that he doesn’t really see the difference, he did acknowledge that the widely held belief that Sony’s PlayStation 4 is a more powerful console than the Xbox One is a challenge that Microsoft needs to overcome.
“I think it’s a perception challenge, absolutely,” Eagle said. “It’s important, certainly. It’s something the media has certainly picked up on. If that leads to the perception that one machine is more powerful than another, then it’s important, and we’re trying to allow developers to bring games to Xbox One at the highest resolution and frame rate as possible.”
There has been no shortage of examples of high-profile multiplatform games running in higher resolution on PS4 than Xbox One, but it may not always be this way. One way that Microsoft is tackling this issue is through the recent Xbox One June SDK, which boosts console GPU power, Eagle said. “There is some GPU power that can be allocated to Kinect that we’re now freeing up for developers if they want to increase the fidelity of their games,” he explained. “I want to point out though that this is absolutely up to the developer on how they deploy the power.”
If over time more Xbox One games run in 1080p/60fps and PS4 titles continue to hit that mark, what then will separate the competing platforms? According to Eagle, one way the Xbox One will stand out is through exclusive content. Some examples he gave were games like like Sunset Overdrive, Ori and the Blind Forest, and Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Eagle added that Microsoft needs to ensure that it’s relationship with third-parties remains healthy.
“The next thing you have to do is make sure all the third-parties are partnering on your platform, and try if you can to either make those exclusive to Xbox or coming first to Xbox,” he said.
Other differentiating factors for the Xbox One, Eagle said, include Microsoft’s ID@Xbox program for indie games, voice and motion control through Kinect, and Xbox Live. “We believe it’s the best place to play games with your friends, and I would argue it still is today,” he said.
Microsoft started selling a Kinect-free Xbox One bundle in June, and the company plans to offer the camera technology by itself later this year. Eagle said, “standalone Kinect will be out before Christmas, but we aren’t yet ready to announce price or release date details.”
| Eddie Makuch is a news editor at GameSpot, and you can follow him on Twitter @EddieMakuch |
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