Insider info on the next Xbox console supports the theory of it being a PC in console clothing; one that’s going to end up as very expensive.
It’ll still be a while until Microsoft actually shows off its next Xbox console (which it insists is happening despite what some people think), but the general consensus is that it will be more akin to a high-end PC.
Aside from vague promises of ‘AI-powered experiences’ and access to third party stores, there remain plenty of questions surrounding the new Xbox, which is expected to launch within the next couple of years.
Given the poor sales of the last two generations it’s hard to imagine them releasing another traditional console, but a new insider report suggests Microsoft is keen to keep a connection to their console legacy.
According to Windows Central’s Jez Corden, the new Xbox will indeed be a PC in a box; one capable of running the Windows operating system and thus have access to third party storefronts like Steam, which means access to any PlayStation exclusives that have PC ports.
Theoretically, you could run Microsoft Office programmes if you wanted to, but since the interface will be more like a console, you won’t need to engage with Windows itself and just stick with the traditional Xbox ecosystem.
Corden compares the experience to what Microsoft’s already done with the ROG Xbox Ally handheld, which itself is a portable PC. Apparently, Microsoft intends to use the feedback for the handheld to inform its decisions with the new console – although Windows is quite visible when using the device.
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The ROG Xbox Ally has been criticised for not being the Xbox handheld some fans wanted, since it can’t run Xbox console games (even the rumoured Xbox 360 emulation update will only apply to some games), but this reportedly won’t be the case for the next gen Xbox.
Thanks to Microsoft’s partnership with AMD, the new Xbox will reportedly be powerful enough to not only run any and all Xbox Series X games, but also every game from the original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One supported by Microsoft’s backwards compatibility feature.
Corden also explicitly says these older games won’t be emulated and instead run natively on the hardware. That implies custom hardware from AMD, which is going to further inflate the cost of the device.
Interestingly, Corden adds that Microsoft is currently planning to not charge for online multiplayer either; something that Xbox has typically gated behind a paid subscription.
It doesn’t sound like it’s set in stone, but it would make sense as PC players have always had free online multiplayer access compared to console owners. And if the console offers Steam access anyway, there’d literally be no incentive to engage with the Xbox ecosystem.
It would give the new Xbox an edge over PlayStation, but it would also remove an important revenue stream – which is going to be a problem if reports about Microsoft demanding a 30% profit rate are true.
This may all sound exciting on a surface level, but if it’s accurate it only lends further credence to the idea that the new Xbox will be very expensive and thus a more niche item than normal consoles.
There have been rumours of the new Xbox potentially costing over £1,000 and while Microsoft hasn’t committed to a price yet, it has described the hardware as a ‘very premium, very high-end curated experience.’
Combined with the ROG Xbox Ally and its multiplatform approach, perhaps Microsoft has already decided it cannot compete with PlayStation directly and is now focusing instead on a more hardcore audience.
It’s hard to imagine the new Xbox winning any new customers based on its features. Established PC gamers have already spent a lot of money on their own rigs and are unlikely to be swayed by the allure of old Xbox games, while PlayStation owners can now enjoy not only Sony’s exclusives but Xbox franchises like Halo as well.
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