As gamers get ready for E3, Sony says it isn't going to be frightened by Xbox's upcoming Project Scorpio console. The world's biggest gaming expo will celebrate its 22nd year next week. The biggest names in the video game industry will all converge upon Los Angeles to hock their wares, and some have some impressive new tech waiting in the wings. 2017 promises to be a great year for gaming, as the big three companies -- Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo -- all introduce new or improved equipment.

Nintendo rolled out the Switch just a few months ago, to rave reviews, and Sony released the PlayStation 4 Slim and Pro, along with PlayStation VR, last fall. Now, the two competitors are waiting to see what Microsoft will deliver with Project Scorpio, which Head of Xbox Phil Spencer announced will debut in its entirety at E3. Could this brand new release leave Sony and Nintendo quaking in their boots? Sony, at least, doesn't think so.

Both Time and Business Insider recently sat down with Sony's global game development head Shawn Layden and global sales chief Jim Ryan. When asked by Time about the success of PS4 Pro and PSVR, Ryan said:

“It is way ahead of our expectations. As with PSVR, and I suppose in forecasting these things we haven’t done a very good job, the product is in desperately short supply.”

As to the developing relationship between consoles and VR, Layden stated:

"Because the games need to play on both Pro and standard PS4, there can't be a radical departure between the two experiences. But I think we've hit a happy medium by enriching the visual experience, and developers enjoy having that extra oomph while knowing they're making games that play well on all 60 million PlayStation 4s. I guess we're trying to have our cake and eat it too."

That 60 million figure was a hot topic in both interviews, as the PS4 has largely outsold the Xbox One. As to whether or not Scorpio will prove more formidable, Ryan simply countered, "We won't be frightened of what they do."

Perhaps Sony should be frightened, though, since they haven't always outsold Microsoft. Xbox 360 outsold the PS3 by 4 million units and, with Xbox One largely considered a disappointing blip in the Xbox line, it wouldn't be surprising to see a brand new console from Microsoft that performs beyond expectations. After all, Scorpio promises to be the most powerful console of all time, with some seriously impressive specs.

As Ryan pointed out to Business Insider, however, Sony has still cornered the market on game exclusivity. With sole rights to upcoming big names like Horizon Zero Dawn and Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, even Microsoft fans may be forced to cave. After all, fans are devoted to games first and companies second. Even if Scorpio ends up being the best new console on the market, Xbox really needs to expand their selection of exclusive games.

No matter what, these are fighting words from Sony, and we're excited to see the competition for gaming tech heat up. In just one week, it'll be time to see if Microsoft can deliver something that will make Sony cry uncle.

Next: Project Scorpio: Every Update You Need to Know

Source: Time, Business Insider