Is a new, more powerful Xbox One coming in 2017?

Sources reveal that a beefed-up Xbox is on the way

Not just one, but two new Xbox One consoles will hit the market next year, according to a new article from Kotaku.

Sources close to the gaming portal revealed the existence of the two new Xbox SKUs, one of which will be a substantial upgrade over the current model, boasting a increase in overall graphics processing power, as well as full support for VR device Oculus. Currently, this beefed-up Xbox is going by the codename of Scorpio.

In addition to Scorpio, Microsoft will release a revised Xbox One console, presumably with a smaller form factor, increased storage space, and access to things like 4K streaming.

Scorpio's specs still haven't been nailed down, but third-party publishers have been made aware that the new SKU is heading their way.

All of this seems to suggest that console manufacturers are moving away from the tradition console cycle and towards more iterative hardware. It's been successful for Apple, whose product launches are met with frenzied consumer demand, but it will be interesting to see if console buyers are willing to make that transition. After all, part of the appeal of a console is that you have fixed piece of hardware under your TV that you know will see you through the next five gaming years or so. Gamers who want to juggle hardware and tinker with iterative upgrades have long since migrated to the PC space.

As ever, I suppose it will come down to the software - hopefully console manufacturers and game developers will be able to leverage all that extra power into more exciting, innovative games, games that offer new experiences (not just the same old tired franchises) that justify the move to a more expensive, powerful machine. If all they're offering is the same games just with higher pixel counts, frame rates and optional graphical effects, it might be a much harder sell.

Excitingly, this leak also hints that Microsoft will unify their console and PC gaming sides, meaning PC gamers will finally be able to get their hands on some upcoming Xbox One exclusives.

With Sony planning a similar move with their own PS4 upgrade, tentatively named NEO, this is shaping up to be one of the most explosive E3s in a long, long time.