Xbox Project Scorpio specs, release date news: console more powerful than expected, according to 'Halo' boss

It looks like the Xbox Project Scorpio is more powerful than anyone has anticipated. "Halo" development director Frankie O'Connor recently provided an update on the next-generation console from Microsoft.

He gushed about it on NeoGAF saying that while he cannot answer certain questions beyond what it supports and its rendering power. He noted that, "What I do remember is that it's beefier than I expected."

The Xbox Project Scorpio was already deemed, on paper, more powerful in certain respects than the PlayStation 4 (PS4) Pro, but it looks like the gap between the two is wider than anyone thought.

The console is said to churn out six teraflops of power, which is significantly higher than that of its rival. Microsoft has emphasized that the Xbox Project Scorpio will be miles more powerful than Sony's latest console offering.

Still, there is not much to go on in the statement when it comes to the actual technicalities of the Xbox Project Scorpio although the Xbox Project Scorpio is shaping up to be one powerful video game machine.

Microsoft has been doubling down on building the hype around the console. Referring to the Xbox Project Scorpio as a "beast," Xbox games marketing head Aaron Greenberg tweeted that 2017 will be the year of the console.

It was recently shown off at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) where it was reportedly showcased by AMD's booth dedicated to its latest graphics processing units (GPUs), the Vega and Ryzen.

These products cater to virtual reality (VR) and 4K gaming, which are two of the main features of the Xbox Project Scorpio. That being said, these GPUs will likely be used on the console.

The hard sell for the Xbox Project Scorpio this early appears to be somewhat an effort to overshadow the Nintendo Switch, which will be unveiled by Nintendo this week.

The Xbox Project Scorpio will be released later this year.