By the end of 2018, the Scarlett project had two sisters: Anaconda and Lockart. But at E3 2019, only the first, and most powerful, of the two were present. Rumours then claimed that the second was abandoned. But, thanks to Stadia, that would no longer be the case. Explanations.
A year ago, rumors claimed that Microsoft could turn its future console, known as Scarlett, into two models. Their code names: Anaconda and Lockart. The first would follow the Xbox One X and the second would be a cheaper version, in line with the Xbox One S. A dual strategy that resembles that of the current Xbox, but also the choices of Sony which has the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro.
Left out for fear of comparison with the PS5
A few months later, at E3 in Los Angeles, Microsoft formalized only one console, the one that then corresponded to Anaconda. Scarlett will be released late next year and will have an 8K definition and an SSD hard drive, among others. A few days after the announcement, the US media revealed that Microsoft had made the decision to abandon Lockhart.
First, because sales of the Xbox One S have been disappointing. Second, because Redmond's firm feared that gaming studios would only optimize their games for Lockhart and not Anaconda. Microsoft's playful proposition, technically capable of competing with that of Sony's PS5, would then be at a disadvantage, as it would offer a visual experience below. The US firm's official statements, following Scarlett's formalization, seemed to confirm this. She said at the time that her console would be up to the task, but it would remain economically affordable.
Lockart: a version that is not abandoned
This week, Lockart is reborn from the ashes. According to an article by Kotaku, citing four different and consistent sources, the low-cost (and un bluray-free) version of Anaconda would still be maintained. It would therefore retain the positioning of the Xbox One S, but would see its technical capabilities enhanced, displaying 2K images at 60 frames per second. The console would be equipped with an SSD hard drive, like its big sister. Finally, its catalog would benefit greatly from the Xbox Game Pass and the Xcloud project, the streaming gaming platform, which has been previewed since last October.
One possible reason for Lockart's return to grace could be the failure of Stadia's commercial launch. Microsoft, like Sony, feared the arrival of Google in the video game industry. But after the first returns, it seems that this fear has partly dissipated.
Source: Kotaku