Microsoft ‘has already started’ working on future Xbox Series consoles

[Mavrick]

Microsoft has already begun working on future Xbox Series console iterations, head of Xbox Phil Spencer has suggested.

In a new wide-ranging interview with Kotaku, the exec was asked if Xbox could look to introduce faster solid-state drives in new Xbox consoles, in order to match the speeds of PlayStation 5’s own drive.

Xbox Series X already features a custom SSD which has been praised by the press. However, its raw throughput performance is said to be half that of PS5’s.

Spencer said: “I think, like you’ve seen in past generations, that we will iterate on hardware. We’ve already started, right? Our team doesn’t go away, when we kind of lock the spec.

“Some of it is cost. That’s always the important thing. How do you drive down the cost of the console in the parts that are there, but also just looking at areas in terms of what are the next iterations that you might do?”

Last month Spencer said that Microsoft was “absolutely” planning for more console hardware in the future, regardless of the growth it sees from its cloud gaming technology, xCloud, which allows players to stream games to smartphones and eventually, PC and console.

Yahoo Finance asked Spencer whether the investment in cloud gaming could see the forthcoming console generation become the last, and the exec replied:

“We’re about putting the player at the center. It’s not about the device in the middle anymore. You see that in every other form of media: my TV is with me wherever I go, my music is with me wherever I go.

“I’m in control of the experience and I think gaming is going through that same transformation, which is why as you say, if you’re a Game Pass subscriber you can now play your great games on our Xbox console, on your PC or now on your Android phone via streaming.”

Spencer added: “In terms of future hardware, absolutely I think we’re going to see more console hardware down the road. Just like in video, just like in music it’s not that streaming has cut off device innovation. I think we’ll continue to see that and that’s absolutely what we’re planning for.”

https://www.videogameschronicle.com/...le-iterations/

[tcripe]

I mean not surprised. We will probz get a beefier version 2-3 years down the line.

[nmeofthast8]

This actually makes a lot of sense as the consoles move more towards a PC architecture. I really like what Microsoft has done with the Xbox brand here although I don't think we will see it all come to fruition for at least a couple of years. They have basically planted the seed.

With Series X/S able to play 4 generations of Xbox games, I would imagine that we will see a mid cycle upgrade with higher capacity SSD at a more reasonable price and in a smaller box. The specs will also probably make 8K more feasible and standardize 4K/120FPS. This would become the premium box, Series X would become standard, and the Series S would be the budget model. Maybe the S could sell for $149 or something like that. Since Microsoft is putting such a focus on Game Pass, this would all work out quite well. You can play any game on any of the systems, the performance would be similar but the bells and whistles (resolution, HDR, Atmos, FPS) would be dependent on which box you are using.

On a side note, my hope is that with this new push for backwards compatibility, maybe some old games will get revisited with new DLC. I would love to see expansions for older games like Kotor, Mass Effect, Fallout 3/Vegas etc. Or if they get remade, that is also an opportunity to expand the story, similar to RE2/3 remakes. It's actually a pretty exciting time for gaming.