Katarzyna Petru
According to reports from Windows Central, Microsoft already has approved plans for a new generation of hardware targeting 2027, but a key change may concern the production model itself. More and more indications suggest that the company is considering a transition known from the PC market, where external hardware partners play a significantly larger role. In practice, manufacturers such as ASUS could create their own devices with the Xbox logo, differing in size, power, and price. Microsoft would be responsible in this model mainly for the system, platform rules, and software. As a result, Xbox could cease to be one specific console and become a full-fledged ecosystem of devices operating on a common platform.
Will Windows 11 Become the Heart of Future Xboxes?
As reported by digitaltrends, more and more points to the fact that Windows 11 is set to become the foundation of future Xbox devices, which would facilitate sharing stores and game libraries between consoles and PCs. A taste of such an approach can be seen in the case of ROG Xbox Ally, a portable device created in collaboration with ASUS that runs on Windows 11 but defaults to launching in the full-screen Xbox interface. Only a manual switch reveals the classic desktop, which on one hand provides flexibility, but on the other reveals typical problems known from PCs, such as less intuitive operation or performance overhead.
According to reports, Microsoft is learning from these limitations and working on a more cohesive, “console-like” experience, primarily focused on controller support ahead of the planned hardware debut in 2027.
The bright point of these changes may be the longer lifespan of the current generation. If new Xbox devices become more expensive and closer to PCs, the Xbox Series X and Series S are unlikely to be quickly abandoned. The freedom to choose the power, price, and form of the device, tailored to one's own needs, will become crucial.
source: digitaltrends.com, windowscentral.com
