Electronic Arts executive vice president Patrick Soderlund discusses the potential of the new PlayStation Neo, Project Scorpio, and Nintendo NX consoles.

Ever since rumors of upgraded PlayStation 4 and Xbox One consoles began cropping up, some of the industry's most prominent figures have stepped forward to voice their opinions on the matter. Some are worried that the upgraded consoles will make games more difficult to develop, but others, like EA executive vice president Patrick Soderlund, is optimistic about the new hardware, and believes it will ultimately be a positive thing for the industry.

Speaking on Project Scorpio first, Soderlund said that the console is "an interesting, smart approach." He believes that Microsoft's plan of keeping an intact, scaleable Xbox One ecosystem is the right way to do console upgrades, and is looking forward to see how well it works. Overall, Soderlund is "super excited" about Project Scorpio, and the potential impact it will have on the gaming industry in the future.

As for PlayStation Neo, Soderlund wasn't able to be as specific as he was with his Scorpio comments, but indicated he was excited about that console as well. From what we can tell, PlayStation Neo is essentially the same idea as Scorpio in that it is a more powerful take on the PS4, but reports indicate it won't boast quite as much raw power as the new Xbox. Concrete details on PlayStation Neo are expected to come at Sony's special PlayStation event on September 7th, so fans will have a better idea of what to expect from the console in just a few weeks.

Of course, Microsoft and Sony aren't the only two companies that have a new console coming out soon. Due to poor Wii U sales, Nintendo is already moving forward with its next system, known by its codename Nintendo NX. Like PlayStation Neo, the device is still shrouded in mystery, with rumors pointing to it being a console/handheld hybrid that will use cartridges instead of discs. But also like PlayStation Neo, Nintendo NX is expected to be revealed next month, so the wait to learn more about what it will entail won't be a long one.

Soderlund also had something to say about Nintendo NX, but stopped short of confirming that EA has anything in development for it. He said that since Nintendo hasn't officially announced NX yet that he can't provide specifics, but indicated that if NX has an "addressable market" for EA, then the company will release games for the platform.

From Soderlund's comments, it's clear that EA is excited to see what new hardware like PlayStation Neo, Project Scorpio, and Nintendo NX will mean for the industry. As more information on these new consoles comes in the next few months, we will find out if Soderlund is right to be excited about them, or if his optimism is misplaced.

Source: Game Informer (via VG 24/7)