So my read on the Neo/Scorpio thing is that Sony is in coast mode while Microsoft is desperate to shake up the game (this is not a negative). They are effectively going to repeat what they did with the Xbox 360; get out early and with a power/development edge. This is smart. Im on record as saying power matters and I think it will continue to matter going forward.
I think things are a little murkier than with the PS4 vs. Xbone because the release dates are staggered and we dont have a lot of precedents to look at. With the 360, clearly launching early was critical for Microsoft. If Neo launches earlier at a comparable or more competitive price (could Sony drop it when Neo launches?), that would be comparable. Additionally, PS2 was out for a year before Xbox and trailed it significantly for an entire generation and it didnt matter so much. On the other hand, things have changed. More of the consoles library is multiplatform than it would have been on the PS2, so direct port vs. port comparisons matter more. And obviously you have people on the PlayStation platform because they wanted stronger hardware. So Im not sure what the end result would be.
Sony wants to keep things status quo. Microsoft needs drama to alter their course.
I absolutely despise the everything is compatible with everything else thing. I am going to be the first one to line up to get a generational leap, but I want just that: generations. It does not benefit me to spend a lot of money for a machine that is going to be playing games still ultimately designed for very old hardware. Youre obviously going to get a nice bump and developers know how to do their thing and hide the seams to make things feel new, but you are always kind of aware. I am extremely unhappy about this with both the Neo and the Scorpio and it is making me consider just dropping consoles.
Ill probably get one if I dont build a PC, which I think I will do since Microsoft has basically given you no reason to own an Xbox unless you are really not technically inclined or you dont believe you can get plug and play functionality from a PC.
Sony has no reason to feel threatened, as theyre going to be so far ahead by the time this even launches, but its clearly a challenge to them for their most lucrative, most engaged customers. In that sense, they really have their work cut out for them.