Highlights
- Two distinct new Xbox devices are rumored: a traditional home console and a dedicated Xbox handheld.
- While there are concerns about Microsoft's hardware sales, the company seems committed to creating new hardware.
It seems as though Microsoft may be planning to release its long-rumored handheld Xbox console alongside a proper home console that would serve as the successor to the Series X. Amid worries that Microsoft would be abandoning its hardware business, Xbox execs confirmed that next-generation hardware is in development at the company. They stopped short of revealing too much about their next-generation Xbox plans, which makes sense, as we're only four years into the current console generation.
With the current generation of gaming consoles, Microsoft tried a new strategy of releasing two distinct versions of their console: the pricier and significantly more powerful Xbox Series X, and the weaker but a lot cheaper Xbox Series S. Both consoles are able to play all the same games, though the Series S sometimes has to make concessions when it comes to graphics and performance that aren't necessary on the Series X. In any case, new information seems to suggest Microsoft more or less continuing in that direction with its next-generation Xbox plans, though the rumored Xbox handheld may take the place of the Series S.
Clearing up confusion about the next-generation Xbox being a handheld, insider Jez Corden clarified that the next-gen Xbox handheld would exist alongside a Series X successor. "It's gonna be two different things. They're not just gonna try to go all in on handheld only," Corden said on the Xbox Two podcast (as reported by Pure Xbox). Considering how popular handheld devices like the Switch, Steam Deck, and even the PlayStation Portal have been, it would make a great deal of sense for Microsoft to pursue the market, though this seems to indicate it won't be doing so at the expense of its traditional home console efforts, as some have worried. Previous reports and rumors have pointed to the next-generation Xbox consoles releasing in 2026 or thereabouts, though it's unclear if the Xbox handheld will come sooner than the traditional home console. The devices may be more "separate" than the Xbox Series X and S, which could mean that they have a staggered release, but that's just speculation at this time.
Rumored Next-Gen Xbox Plans
- Traditional home console
- Dedicated Xbox handheld
- Rumored to be releasing in 2026
It's no secret that Xbox hardware sales have been way down and are far below the PlayStation 5, so it will be interesting to see just how long Microsoft continues to produce new Xbox consoles. Microsoft has been on a spending spree of acquiring studios to bolster its lineup, but it is not shy at all about releasing its games on competing platforms. Former Xbox exclusives have made their way to PS5 and Switch in the past year, and it's possible even more games could be on the way.
There have been rumors that Gears of War: E-Day might come to PS5, and rumblings have suggested that even Halo may not be safe from Microsoft's multi-plat push, though nothing official to that extent has been announced at the time of this writing. While Xbox gamers have some legitimate concerns about Microsoft's future plans, it does seem that they can rest assured that there will be at least one more Xbox console generation, one that will apparently include both a traditional home console and a dedicated handheld.
Brand Microsoft Original Release Date November 10, 2020 Hardware Versions Xbox Series X Original MSRP (USD) $499 Weight 9.8 LBS $487 at Amazon
