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🤞 Microsoft has reiterated that it is working on “next-gen hardware”
🤔 Speaking to Variety, Xbox president Sarah Bond reaffirmed Microsoft’s commitment to first-party Xbox devices and that they’ve been prototyping and designing devices
📆 The next Xbox is rumored to launch in 2027 and could act as a powerful hybrid console for both Xbox and PC games
✋ It had been rumored that Microsoft was exiting the hardware business altogether and focusing on Xbox Cloud Gaming
Microsoft has finally confirmed that it is working on new Xbox hardware after previous rumors began that said it was exiting the console business entirely.
In a recent interview with Variety, Xbox president Sarah Bond iterated that Microsoft’s next-gen hardware is “in development” and that they were “looking at prototyping, designing”.
This declaration from the Xbox president comes after a previous statement to Windows Central that reaffirmed Microsoft’s commitment to first-party hardware, as opposed to the rumor that stated it would be entirely moving to Xbox Cloud Gaming and third-party publishing.
In both instances, Microsoft has directed folks to the recent announcement of developments with AMD for next-gen hardware.
Speculation began that the next Xbox may launch in 2027 and will work as a hybrid console for both Xbox and PC games. It will also feature a powerful AMD APU along with a four-figure price tag.
The most recent Xbox hardware release, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X, has been released to some critical acclaim, although it has been criticised for its $1000 price tag and for having a lackluster 7-inch screen. The next Xbox may look to address at least some of these issues.
Bond did note in the Variety interview that Microsoft’s strategy was looking to cater to a couple of different players. The hardcore gamer, in their eyes, is understandably going to look at the new Xbox, while more casual or PC players have the option of engaging with the Xbox ecosystem with the ROG Xbox Ally.
The ROG Xbox Ally was deemed as an opportunity for Microsoft to “innovate in a new way and to bring gamers another choice, in addition to our next-gen hardware”, according to Bond.
It’s certainly a good thing that Microsoft is continuing to foster development and innovation in the console space, even if recent messaging surrounding the ‘this is an Xbox’ marketing campaign and Game Pass price hikes haven’t been the best for its recent reputation.
Up next: How Xbox Game Pass went from ‘the best deal in gaming’ to the worst
Reece Bithrey is a journalist with credits in Trusted Reviews, Digital Foundry, PC Gamer, TechRadar and more. He also has his own blog, UNTITLED and graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in International History and Politics in 2023.
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