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What does Xbox’s next gen look like?
I think there’s more hints out there than many potentially realize.
Xbox hardware and accessory sales have declines consistently for several quarters.
As we head into 2025, the hardware we use to play games on is becoming increasingly incidental.
I wrote recentlyhow Xbox mostly won’t have console exclusivesmoving forward, but it may not even matter.
In that universe, the very idea of the “console exclusive” game becomes a little silly.
Xbox hardware and accessory sales have declines consistently for several quarters.
So, will Xbox have to exit hardware completely next gen?
Overseeing Xbox hardware at a high level is Sarah Bond, current President of Xbox.
Roanne Sones came to Xbox a couple of years ago.
The ASUS ROG Ally is an Xbox, essentially. Or it would be if it had a few more Xbox Play Anywhere games.
On deck were devices like theASUS ROG AllyPC gaming handheld, which was new at the time.
The Xbox Series X and S were present, naturally.
We also had devices like theRazer Kishi V2 Promobile controller grip, and theLogitech G CloudAndroid streaming handheld.
The Xbox universe on PC, delivered via app.
Next month at CES 2025,Valve with debut the first non-Valve Steam PCs, in partnership with Lenovo.
Steam OS is far,farmore intuitive on a gaming handheld.
But what does this mean for today’s Xbox console customer?
This is an Xbox, you know.
What does it have to do with the next-gen systems?
Another potentially less self-destructive way developers could save money is if porting games between systems was even more streamlined.
you could’t really achieve that if the console itself can’t run Win32 Windows game packages natively.
Microsoft has also lifted a lot of the restrictions for OEM accessory makers, leading to devices like the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and GameSir G7, both of which are arguably better than Xbox’s own controllers.
More developers are opting in without a Game Pass deal, though.
Metaphor, Death Stranding, and Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters being a few recent examples.
… And manufacturers, for that matter.
For Microsoft, this would solve their global footprint issue when it comes to distributing hardware.
Microsoft is historically poor at marketing and representing its products with retailers outside of the United States.
What if you could get Samsung to promote their own Xbox hardware locally in Korea?
What if you could get an ASUS Xbox promoted in Taiwan?
Execution is absolutely key, and nowhere near guaranteed
But, yes.
None of this is guaranteed.
It’s a nice vision, potentially, solving various issues.
However, putting full Windows under the hood could create issues, too.
