According to a new report, Sony's more powerful PlayStation 4, Neo, will launch before the end of 2016. That means it would arrive well ahead of Microsoft's Project Scorpio.

"Several sources have indicated" this information to Eurogamer's Richard Leadbetter. "If that is the case, it'll be interesting to see how developers utilize its resources, and whether 4K really is the focus. And we can be equally as sure that Microsoft will be watching just as intently as it gears up for its own next-gen roll-out," the report said.

Sony's Andrew House confirmed Neo just days before E3, at the time also mentioning that it would not be discussed at the event. For its part, Microsoft announced Project Scorpio during its briefing, a system the company describes as "the most powerful console ever made."

Scorpio, which features 6 teraflops of performance, is scheduled to come out in holiday 2017. Pricing has not been announced for the Neo or Scorpio; in both cases, the games that work on PS4 and Xbox One today will also be supported on the new systems.

If Neo is indeed coming out this year, some possible, but not confirmed, venues for Neo's official announcement might include Gamescom, Tokyo Game Show, or Paris Games Week. It might also be that Sony hosts a dedicated event for the unveiling, as it did for the PS4.