Now that Sony is in the lead when it comes to promoting the PS5, Microsoft is attempting to catch up with a little teaser. So far, the PlayStation 5 developers have been a little forthcoming over the past few months. Key details about the next-generation console are gradually making its way to the public. On the other hand, gamers and journalists have been criticising the Xbox team for their continued silence. Now, it looks like Xbox head Phil Spencer is taking matters into his own hands by posting a surprising message on social media. It appears that he recently brought home an Xbox Scarlett unit and is already taking it for a spin.

According to Spencer, he wants Xbox One users to know that some of them might have already connected to the new game system. This is in line with Microsoft's claims that the Xbox Scarlett is backward compatible and will interface with the older machines.

Furthermore, Spencer noted that he was using the Elite Series 2 controller, which confirms another feature as promised by the engineers. It seems like all existing accessories for the current-generation console will work on the upcoming device.

And it’s started….this week I brought my Project Scarlett console home and it's become my primary console, playing my games, connecting to the community and yes, using my Elite Series 2 controller, having a blast. Great work by the team, 2020 is going to be an incredible year.

— Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) December 4, 2019

This is evidently great news for fans of the gaming platform. A few weeks ago, Spencer made some remarks that did not sit well with the gaming industry and consumers. He pointed out that VR is not coming to the Xbox Scarlett, despite the speculation stemming from leaked patent documents. This left people wondering what the new console can offer different from Sony, which is expected to upgrade its virtual reality add-on for the PS5.

An article from Ars Technica suggests that what he is currently using might be a dev kit and not the final production model. Sources suspect Microsoft is holding back from making any announcements regarding the Scarlett's final specs list. This gives Xbox engineers more legroom and time to tweak and make hardware changes at the last minute.

Industry experts weighing in on this latest publicity stunt agree with the idea that what Spencer is using is the elusive Xbox Scarlett dev kit. This seems to fit what was described by a related report regarding Microsoft's intent to beat the PlayStation 5 this time around. However, there are others who think the new Xbox console needs more than just powerful specs to compete with what Sony has planned for its next-generation push.

Phil Spencer speaks during Xbox E3 Media Briefing in Los Angeles, 2013
Phil Spencer, corporate vice president of Microsoft Studios, speaks during the Xbox E3 Media Briefing at USC's Galen Center in Los Angeles, California June 10, 2013. Reuters
Xbox One Phil Spencer Microsoft Sony