Xbox' s next-generation console will provide a "very high-end" experience for gamers, according to company president Sarah Bond. Not much is known about the next-gen Xbox console at this early stage, but according to Bond's recent statements, the development of the ROG Xbox Ally could be the key to understanding Microsoft's mindset towards the creation of its next console.
It has been nearly five years since the Xbox Series X and its more budget-friendly counterpart, the Series S, made their worldwide debut, beating the PlayStation 5's race to the market by just two days. Estimated sales figures for the Xbox Series X|S from this February, released by publisher Take-Two Interactive, came in at around 30 million units sold, placing it behind the PS5 and at only about a fifth of the Nintendo Switch's sales. That third-place performance and some other business decisions at Microsoft had led to rumors that Xbox was getting ready to get out of the console market.
I Bought the ROG Xbox Ally X and Now I Have Serious Buyer's Remorse
I spent over $1,000 on the ROG Xbox Ally X handheld and so far I am seriously regretting my purchase.
Xbox President Says Next Console Will Provide a 'Premium' Experience
But those rumors were quashed following reports from October 20 in which Bond confirmed Xbox's next-gen console is in development. One day later, Bond appeared on Mashable's YouTube channel. Her appearance seemed intended mainly to discuss the ROG Xbox Ally, but the conversation also veered into the next-gen console's development. Asked if she was able to provide any additional information at this early stage, Bond was reserved in her answer but responded that the upcoming console will give players "a very premium, very high-end curated experience."
Bond also hinted that Xbox's current strategy with console development may be hidden in the design of the new handheld gaming computer. Promising a handheld able to run both Xbox and PC games on its portable screen through cloud gaming and let players pick up where they left off on their not-so-mobile devices, the ROG Xbox Ally started to sell out within hours of the opening of its pre-orders. While it's been a very popular buy, it's also faced criticism in categories ranging from performance issues to the difficulty of managing a gaming system reliant on Windows 11.
The ROG Ally X is priced at $999, and the interviewer showed some concern that Xbox's recent pricing moves could potentially restrict accessibility for some gamers. Bond tried to quell the worry by noting that the ROG Xbox Ally is priced at $400 less than the Ally X, stating that Xbox still wants to provide options for gamers of different budgets. Still, with the recent $10 monthly price increase to Game Pass Ultimate and the raising of prices for the Xbox Series X and S, Bond may have more work to do to draw in budget-conscious gamers.
- Brand
- Xbox / ROG
- Operating System
- Windows 11 Home
- Processor
- AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme Processor
- Display
- 7” IPS, 500 nits, 16:9, 120Hz refresh rate, FreeSync Premium, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus + DXC Anti-Reflection
- Resolution
- FHD 1080p
- Original Release Date
- 2025
Source: Variety