Xbox President Sarah Bond has confirmed that Microsoft's next-gen console is in development. There's been no shortage of rumors and speculation surrounding the company's future console plans, especially amid recent price controversies and the release of its ASUS-manufactured handheld. Many details about the next-gen Xbox are still a mystery, but fans now know there is something in the works at Microsoft after all.
Gaming hardware as a whole has struggled to sell as well as in the past, apart from some notable exceptions like the Nintendo Switch 2. Tariffs and other macroeconomic factors have also cast doubt over price accessibility, leading some to believe big changes are in store for future systems. Some have even claimed that the next-gen Xbox was no longer a certainty, although Microsoft has denied these rumors. Now, gamers have some additional clarity from the company.
Insider Shares Exciting Update on Next-Gen Xbox Console
A Microsoft insider provides an exciting update on the current development status of the next, tenth generation of Xbox consoles.
Xbox President Sarah Bond Confirms Microsoft Is Currently Developing Its Next-Gen Console
In an interview with Variety, Bond said "we have our next-gen hardware in development," while outlining some of Xbox's plans beyond its recently released handhelds. While she didn't go into specifics, she did mention the company has at least begun designing and prototyping. Bond also said Xbox is partnering with AMD on the project and will make an announcement about that partnership before long. Big AMD-related news would line up with an earlier leak claiming that AMD is making the largest-ever APU for the next-gen Xbox, which will help the console outperform the PlayStation 6, which will also run on AMD components.
During the interview, Bond also hinted at future hardware outside the successor to the Xbox Series X and S. The Xbox executive said the company has recognized an opportunity "to bring gamers another choice, in addition to our next-gen hardware." This could refer to an internally produced handheld, although it's rumored Xbox scrapped its first-party handheld after AMD wanted a staggering production target to make SoCs for the system. Of course, those are just rumors, but there are also many ways the company could offer gamers more choices outside a different portable console. Fans will have to wait for more official information to know for sure what Bond was suggesting.
Whatever the future of Xbox consoles looks like, the company has an uncertain road ahead of it. On one hand, Xbox Game Pass set a new revenue record in fiscal year 2024, but hardware revenue fell by 22% during the same period. Microsoft also faces public backlash over price hikes for both its hardware and subscription services, so it will be interesting to see if and how these trends affect the rollout of the next-gen Xbox and whatever else may come with it.
- Brand
- Microsoft
- Original Release Date
- November 10, 2020
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $499
- Operating System
- Proprietary (Windows-based)
- Processor
- Custom AMD 8-core Zen 2 3.8 GHz
- Resolution
- 720p - 4K UHD
- HDR Support
- Yes
- Storage
- 1TB WD SN530 NVMe SSD
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11ac
- Ports
- AC, Ethernet, USB x3, Storage Expansion, HDMI
- Dimensions
- 151 x 151 x 301 mm
- Weight
- 9.8 LBS
- Hardware Versions
- Xbox Series X
- VR Support
- No
- App Store
- Microsoft Store
Source: Variety