XBOX SCORPIO, CROSSPLAY WITH PS4?

In a new interview with MCV, Xbox marketing boss Aaron Greenberg sheds some new light on two of the more exciting and interesting gaming announcements in recent months: Xbox Scorpio and cross-play between Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

On the subject of Scorpio, which was announced at E3, Greenberg was asked if the console's reveal has impacted Xbox One S sales. The thinking is that if people know a more powerful console is coming, they might hold out. In fact, GameStop recently said the announcement of Scorpio and Sony's Neo negatively impacted console sales. Greenberg didn't exactly give an answer to this question, however, instead saying Microsoft's focus will be on being "very, very aggressive" when it comes to marketing the Xbox One S.

Microsoft will be "really focused on delivering on value with bundles and what you get for the price," he said.

Earlier this month, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said the Scorpio reveal did not "overshadow" Xbox One S. Some people believed Microsoft's announcement of Scorpio might impact Xbox S sales, but apparently that hasn't been the case. The Xbox One outsold the PS4 in the US during July (before the Xbox One S was released) and Microsoft is optimistic about how many consoles it can sell in August.

In the MCV interview, Greenberg again referred to Scorpio as the "most powerful console ever created," featuring a six-teraflop GPU. He also said the system represents the "next big leap forward in innovation for gaming" and something that has never been done before on console. What he's likely referring to is how Microsoft is, for the first time on console, treating Xbox as a family of devices.

The games and accessories you own for Xbox One or Xbox One S will work on Scorpio. For previous console transitions, like Xbox 360 to Xbox One, the games and controllers you had for the older machine were rendered basically useless on the new console. However, backwards compatibility support on Xbox One helped with some of this. Scorpio goes even further and "wipes out" the idea of a console generation and eases the "disruptive" nature of moving to a new platform, according to Microsoft.

"We announced [Scorpio] early at E3 so that we can start working with developers and partners who we know will want to take advantage of that incredible amount of power and have a good year plus to be able to plan for it," Greenberg said.

Scorpio is slated to go on sale in holiday 2017, though pricing has not been announced. For its part, Sony is working on a souped-up PS4, codenamed Neo, which could be officially revealed in September.

Also in the MCV interview, Greenberg was asked for a status update on when, if ever, there might be cross-play support between Xbox One and PS4. As has been the case for months, the ball remains in Sony's court, it seems. One of the first games that could support Xbox One-PS4 cross-play is Rocket League. Developer Psyonix has a technical solution for this, but it's still a matter of politics.

"In terms of connecting with gamers on the PlayStation Network, we fully support them to do that. And I believe they're talking to Sony about it, but I don't know the latest," Greenberg said.

Speaking generally about cross-play, Greenberg said for a game like Rocket League, it "makes sense to allow players on other platforms to compete in the same arenas. We think that is good gamers."

"Our strategy is to put gamers at the center of everything we do, and that has led us to support things like that where a developer wants to connect people on Steam, for example," he added. "They're doing that today."

Go to MCV to read the full interview.

FALLOUT 4 OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED FOR XBOX ONE, PC & PS4

[UPDATE] First trailer released for newest entry in Bethesda's post-apocalyptic RPG franchise.

Bethesda has officially revealed Fallout 4, the newest entry in its open-world RPG series, which is set to ship on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

The game's official website went live slightly ahead of schedule, showing box art for the title and also confirming it will not be released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

A trailer for the game has also been released. It opens by showing the "Please Stand By" message on a television, before pulling out to reveal the inside of a bombed out house.

A dog is seen entering as a voice on the radio says "with the world poised on the bring of war, Vault-Tech is reporting." The message cuts off, but returns later to say "folks, er, it seems we've got some breaking news ... standby," setting up another post-apocalyptic adventure.

The dog walks through the house and out into the world as the trailer cuts between pre and post-apocalypse depictions of the world.

As previously indicated, Fallout 4 will take place in Boston. During the video we are briefly shown an area called "Scollay Square," which is located in real-world Boston. The USS Constitution, which is docked in the city, Bunker Hill Monument, and the Massachusetts State House are also seen in the video.

A narrator, which has been confirmed as Fallout 3 narrator Ron Perlman, then says "war never changes," an iconic line used throughout the series.

Also worth noting is that the character featured in the trailer is voiced. It is unclear whether this is the player character, but if it is, having a voiced playable protagonist would be a first for the series.

The entrance to Vault 111 is also briefly shown. It is likely this is where players will journey into the wasteland from. Red Sox fans may also notice a post-apocalyptic version of Fenway Park.

Bethesda Game Studios' Todd Howard, who has previously worked on The Elder Scrolls Morrowind, Oblivion, Skyrim, and Fallout 3, is directing the project.

"We know what this game means to everyone," said Howard. "The time and technology have allowed us to be more ambitious than ever. We've never been more excited about a game, and we can't wait to share it."

Bethesda is expected to show more of Fallout 4 at its E3 press briefing in Los Angeles on June 14. This is the first time the company is hosting its own press conference, creating the expectation that it has several big titles to showcase.

For those interested, the song used in the trailer is It's All Over But The Crying by The Ink Spots. Bethesda previously used the group's I Don't Want To Set The World on Fire in its Fallout 3 reveal trailer.

Take a look at some key Fallout 4 image and a GS News Update covering the reveal below.

VIDEO LINK : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMS7Q4l1IE0

YOOKA-LAYLEE BEATS ELITE?

Yooka-Laylee, a spiritual successor to legendary Nintendo 64 game Banjo-Kazooie, is now the most funded Kickstarter game in the United Kingdom.

The record was previously held by Frontier Development's Elite: Dangerous, which raised £1,578,316 when the Kickstarter campaign closed. At the time of writing, Yooka-Laylee has raised £1,611,343 (almost $2.5 million), and it still has 31 days to go until the fundraising campaign ends.

Today, Yooka-Laylee developer Playtonic announced that it has sold out of the limited edition "64-bit" package, which will give players the game on an Nintendo-64-style cartridge, box, and manual.

Yooka-Laylee is a "buddy-duo" game in the vein of Banjo-Kazooie, but instead of a bear and a bird, it stars a chameleon and a bat. The game is being worked on by a number of Rare veterans who developed Banjo-Kazooie, and is due to launch in 2016 for PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Wii U.

You can secure a copy of Yooka-Laylee by pledging at least $15. Backing at that level gets you a copy of the PC version, while you'll need to pay around $22 to get a console copy.

MORE CHARACTERS ON MORTAL KOMBAT X LEAK REVEALS

Ahead of the game's release next month, more Mortal Kombat X characters have been revealed by way of a leak.

Screenshots posted on Xbox360Achievements (via TestYourMight) suggest that gunslinger Erron Black, previously rumored for the game, is indeed a playable character in the fighting title.

The image above shows what appears to be Erron Black's Brutality, which is a point-blank, execution-style bullet to the brain.

Developer NetherRealm Studios in February confirmed that Brutalities would return in Mortal Kombat X.

In addition to Erron Black, images posted on the site show off other characters, including Baraka and Shinnok, both of whom were also previously rumored.

The Mortal Kombat X release date is April 14 for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 editions of the game were recently delayed and are now due this summer.

In other recent Mortal Kombat X news, NetherRealm has confirmed that Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees will be released as DLC, while Mileena, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade will be playable out of the gate.

For more on the fighting game's roster, check out GameSpot's list of every confirmed and rumored character so far.

PLAYSTATION 4 VS XBOX ONE, THE CONSOLE SPECS

Next-gen is here! The console news is reaching a fever pitch, and IGN understands it can be hard to sift through the noise and get to the cold, hard facts.

That's where we come in. Over the next week we're going to provide you with clear, concise comparisons of both the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 across a variety of important categories.

Up today: the console hardware. Exactly how big are the two consoles? What are their specs? What comes with your console purchase? The video and infrographic below each have everything you need to know about the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One's brand-new hardware.

Check back soon for a comprehensive, facts-only comparison of both console', controllers, alternate input devices, and UI. For even more next-gen coverage you can also hit up our in-depth PS4 and Xbox One hubs.