The latest word from Microsoft has prospective owners of the Xbox One X video game console required to download extra files in order to play the latest titles in 4K. After revealing that the previously titled Scorpio project was in fact the latest development in high definition gaming, Microsoft has already announced pre-order sales to start later this year for the new console - with a whole slew of unannounced games forthcoming in the near future.

E3 2017 may not have been the most revealing of gaming industry events when it came to hearing about new Xbox One X exclusive titles and properties - with the most notable exceptions coming in the forms of Crackdown 3 and Sea of Thieves -  thus paving the way for plenty of speculation surrounding the exact specs and abilities beholden to the formerly mentioned 4K console. While no other major releases have been announced as of yet, the latest word from Microsoft has more information about the download files that the Xbox One X will exclusively host.

According to Stevivor, the Xbox One X will require extra download assets in order to play its games in 4K - while Xbox One and Xbox One S will continue to support 1080p files only. Granted, the Xbox One S will upscale to 4K from 1080p, meaning only the original Xbox One will continue to perform in 1080p exclusively. Using the Forza Motorsport 7 4K compatible file as an example - which downloads at a whopping 100GB - a Microsoft representative explained the difference between file resolution as follows:

"With the launch of Xbox One X, when it comes to game content our intention is to download the correct assets to the correct console. This means, regardless of the TV you are playing on, 4K assets will be downloaded to Xbox One X (if available) and the standard 1080p assets will be downloaded to an Xbox One S [or original Xbox One]."

There is no word yet on whether or not Windows PC downloads will work in the same manner - specifically in regards to whether PCs that don't have 4K output will still download 4K files - though the unnamed Microsoft representative did explain that developers will have options when it comes to making the 1080p and 4K downloads more efficient, as follows:

"As part of our developer readiness for Xbox One X, we have made available a feature which will give them significant flexibility when it comes to what gets installed on a user’s console. In addition to 4K specific assets, developers have options when it comes to language specific assets as well, which depending on the title, can drastically reduce the install footprint. This ability to intelligently install the best assets for each console and language are available on all Xbox One devices, and it will be up to the developer of the game to determine the specific implementation."

On that note, prospective Xbox One X owners can begin to plan and decided whether or not the $499 price tag is worth it in order to play all of the latest video games in 4K, or whether sticking with the Xbox One S and upscaling 1080p files to 4K would be just as desirable.

Source: Stevivor