Every year, the entire gaming community anxiously awaits to hear about the next generation of gaming consoles. We get our hopes filled with rumors about specs to codename projects we hope to be the next big thing, only to find out it’s just an upgraded version of the past (i.e. Xbox One X and PS4 Pro). This year, however, things are different, as both Microsoft (Xbox) and Sony (Playstation) have revealed some critical details about the next level in gaming.

Microsoft Remains Hush On Scarlett

Last year, Microsoft casually announced they were working on their next generation of the Xbox with little details other than a codename (Scarlett). This year, we expect to have an official announcement at E3 in June. There have been talks about two versions of the console, a base model and a “hardcore” model. Along with the new gaming consoles, we expect to have some amazing launch titles, more specifically the next chapter of Halo. Keep an eye out next month when Microsoft holds their E3 press conference on June 9 for the official details.

Sony Ups Their 3D Technology

For the first time in 24 years, Sony has announced that they will not be attending E3 2019. But the announcement comes with specific details on Sony’s “next-gen console” (PlayStation 5?). Specifically, their next gen gaming consoles will have AMD Ryzen CPU with 8-cores and a GPU from Radeon’s Navi family. This new GPU will support ray tracing, a technique that uses AI to model the travel of light, creating stunningly realistic 3D environments. Additionally, this new console will support 8K graphics, although the current cost for 8K displays is still steep for the average consumer. Other reports have confirmed that the next gen console will have a SSD, translating to faster load times within games. Sony has not revealed a release date for their new console, but we could see new hardware as early as the 2019 Holiday Season.

Gaming Consoles At E3

As the buzz of these next-gen consoles grows, we expect to hear more official details in the months to come, especially around this year’s E3 conference in June.