New Xbox will combine the benefits of a gaming PC and console, and will be a ‘premium’ experience
Microsoft’s plans for the next Xbox console have seemingly been revealed
🤔 Microsoft is planning a new Xbox console that aims to combine the flexibility of a gaming PC with the accessibility of a console
👀 The new console will allow access to multiple digital storefronts, including Steam, enabling users to play a wider range of games, including PlayStation exclusives and PC titles
💰 This shift could impact Microsoft’s revenue, as software sales from other storefronts would mean less profit for them
📈 Consequently, the next Xbox is rumored to have a premium price tag, potentially exceeding $1,000, though online multiplayer may become free
Even though Halo is coming to PlayStation, the price of Xbox consoles has risen twice in a year, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate now costs 50% more, Microsoft is still confident gamers will buy its next console.
But what can we expect from a new Xbox? Well, according to a new report from Windows Central, it’ll aim to combine the flexibility of a gaming PC with the accessibility and familiarity of a console.
We can take some hints from the recently released Asus ROG Xbox Ally X. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer has said that people should look at the Xbox Ally for an idea of where the next Xbox is heading.
Essentially, Microsoft wants gamers to be able to access their entire gaming library across each digital storefront. But – unlike the ROG Xbox Ally – the next Xbox console will also let you play your existing Xbox library.
Windows Central believes that the Xbox Full Screen Experience, which debuted on the ROG Xbox Ally, will provide the blueprint for Microsoft to follow. However,the onboarding experience will be much improved and console-like, so it won’t feel like you’re just using a Windows 11 PC.
By allowing the Xbox to access storefronts like Steam, it means Xbox gamers will be able to play PlayStation exclusives like Ghost of Tsushima and God of War, as well as enjoy decades’ worth of older titles released for PC.
How will it work?
It’s difficult to see how such a move will be profitable for Microsoft, as software sales and subscriptions are where most of its revenue comes from. If gamers are purchasing games from other storefronts, Microsoft won’t make any money unless it’s a game from Xbox Studios.
Even then, Steam or the Epic Games Store will take a cut, while no cut will be taken if a game is bought directly from the Microsoft Store.
For that reason alone, expect the new Xbox to cost significantly more than what we’re used to. It’s rumored that the next Xbox will cost over $1,000, which is far higher than the $499.99 price the Xbox Series X originally launched for in 2020. Xbox president Sarah Bond also told Mashable the next Xbox will be a “very premium, high-end curated experience”.
Some money might be saved when it comes to online multiplayer, as Microsoft will reportedly drop the paywall that’s existed on consoles since the Xbox 360. The move would make sense considering PC gamers don’t have to pay to play online.
We’ll have to see whether Microsoft can bring its PC/console dream to fruition, with a release date for the next Xbox tipped for 2027.
Up next: Halo: Campaign Evolved releasing on PS5 signals the end of Xbox as we know it
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor, where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. He also runs a retro gaming YouTube channel called Game on, boy! Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.