Rumors have been circulating the internet that a weaker version of the new Xbox Console dubbed as Project Lockhart will release alongside Project Scarlett. However, a new leak suggests that Microsoft is now planning to shelve the weaker Xbox Lockhart.
According to an Insider, Benji-Sales, Microsoft may not release Xbox Lockhart as it was rumored earlier:
It's starting to look like the weaker version of Microsoft's next gen console code name Lockhardt has possibly been shelved
Personal take? I think it's good. Engines are scalable but raising the overall baseline for next gen will result in better looking and performing games pic.twitter.com/z0TcvxB64x
— Benji-Sales (@BenjiSales) June 16, 2019
This news, if true, could be both advantageous and disadvantageous for the consumers. Surely, without the weaker lite version, performance standard will be maintained on the upcoming Xbox.
However, a more budget-friendly option from the same company would have helped expand the community even more by deriving more sales for Microsoft. That being said, with Project Scarlett being the new baseline, this also opens up a world of possibilities. The main one being that Microsoft may work on and release an even stronger version of the Xbox down the line.
This has happened before in the past with the Xbox One X and even before that in the Xbox 360 line. Immediately before the release of the Xbox One, the company also released the Xbox 360E. This was a console that shared design language of the Xbox One along with more dedicated ports and better wireless integration. So if more consoles appear after Project Scarlett, it wouldn’t be surprising.
Since Microsoft is also looking towards streaming services like Project xCloud, the cancellation of a weaker console at this point of generation also makes sense. Like it or not, gaming is moving towards subscription based model where entertainment consoles in homes will eventually be obsolete.
Ofcourse, all of this is speculation for the time being since Microsoft hasn’t mentioned Project Lockhart even once officially, all of these could prove to be baseless rumors in the end. Microsoft has announced that it will be releasing Project Scarlett in 2020. They have also promised more information in the coming months including the possible price for the next-gen console.
