Xbox's Project Scarlett Will Focus on Frame Rate and "Playability"

Microsoft's next generation of the Xbox family boasts several impressive features and specifications, according to the company's limited discussions about its console plans. A console four times as powerful as the Xbox One X and one that'll offer as much backwards compatibility as Xbox fans could hope for are just some of the benefits of the Project Scarlett console Microsoft has touted so far, and the latest comments from Xbox boss Phil Spencer suggest that owners can expect to see an emphasis on frame rate and "playability" as well.

GameSpot spoke to Spencer about the plans for the next console generation and what Microsoft is looking to improve with Project Scarlett. Spencer cited Microsoft's role as the company behind Windows as well as the Xbox family to explain why getting games to run at 4K and at 60 FPS is a big focus for the next console.

"I think the area that we really want to focus on next generation is frame rate and playability of the games," Spencer told GameSpot. "Ensuring that the games load incredibly fast, ensuring that the game is running at the highest frame rate possible. We're also the Windows company, so we see the work that goes on [for] PC and the work that developers are doing. People love 60 frames-per-second games, so getting games to run at 4K 60 [FPS] I think will be a real design goal for us."

Compared to what the plans are for the next generation, Spencer said the currently family of Xbox One consoles focused more on reaching the 4K threshold which will be carried over to Project Scarlett. Hitting 4K with that console like the Xbox One X did is still important, but that focus takes a backseat to playability, Spencer said.

"The thing that's interesting is, this generation, we've really focused on 4K visuals and how we bring both movies through 4K Blu-ray and video streaming, and with Xbox One X allowing games to run at 4K visuals will make really strong visual enhancements next generation. But playability is probably the bigger focus for us this generation. How fast do [games] load? Do I feel like I can get into the game as fast as possible and while it's playing? How does it feel? Does this game both look and feel like no other game that I've seen? That's our target."

Microsoft's Project Scarlett console is scheduled to release sometime during Holiday 2020.