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[Pedro Motta]

Damn it, and I thought they were buying Sega next Wednesday.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

They might be pretending to die right now, but planning to hulk up and come storming back with a big boot / leg drop combo to really get the crowd going. That at least makes as much sense as signaling they're done by giving up shelf space everywhere if they aren't actually done.

They have been planning this for a long time given the moves they have made over the last couple of years. Given how things are going this includes the acquisitions, anything from the day they picked Phil P. as the CEO has been a calamity, except maybe the reversal on the DRM situation.

 

[//DEVIL//]

Sounds like Microsoft will start rolling their next gen console early next year K KeplerL2 ?

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

Sounds like Microsoft will start rolling their next gen console early next year

That implied that they already got factories ready and manufacturing started NOW. Of course, if they only expect a small run of the product then it might actually be possible to hide the preparation to launch from prying eyes. But that assumes it would be a tiny production run. Either way a major console launch in 2026 is now no longer possible with the timeline we are dealing with.

 

[viveks86]

So, the reason your first sentence just isn't in the cards right now, goes back to what Spencer said after RedFall dropped.

2 years without a console space at retailers worldwide, nevermind their strongest markets, exacerbates the problem of folks becoming more entrenched in other ecosystems (SteamOS, PSN, NSO, MacOS - take your pick). This isn't at all akin to the 360, where they rushed to market and tried to capture a market that was hungry for new gaming experiences. Heck - even that scenario, folks have completely memory-holed the actual reasons the 360 took off (and it has far less to do with the PS3 stumbling out the gate than people think).

Their next machine is already this thing that they are gonna have a very hard time selling regardless, as it'll mark the 'death' of the Xbox SKU by and large, as its mainly gonna be a Xbox SKU BC machine, with the games shipping for it being the WindowsOS SKU you currently get on the Xbox on PC or Windows Store, or at least thats the current plan.

I see! Seems to me like the first insider confirmation that there won't even be a console game SKU for the "console".

What about the user experience then? Are they going to see PC-like configuration screens? Or will devs have to decide what they should expose based on the hardware it's running on? How would this even work for GTA VI or any console exclusive game?

Guess none of this matters if the console never sees the light of day, but just curious what they had in mind…

 

[bitbydeath]

So, the reason your first sentence just isn't in the cards right now, goes back to what Spencer said after RedFall dropped.

2 years without a console space at retailers worldwide, nevermind their strongest markets, exacerbates the problem of folks becoming more entrenched in other ecosystems (SteamOS, PSN, NSO, MacOS - take your pick). This isn't at all akin to the 360, where they rushed to market and tried to capture a market that was hungry for new gaming experiences. Heck - even that scenario, folks have completely memory-holed the actual reasons the 360 took off (and it has far less to do with the PS3 stumbling out the gate than people think).

Their next machine is already this thing that they are gonna have a very hard time selling regardless, as it'll mark the 'death' of the Xbox SKU by and large, as its mainly gonna be a Xbox SKU BC machine, with the games shipping for it being the WindowsOS SKU you currently get on the Xbox on PC or Windows Store, or at least thats the current plan.

Even if they dropped the console, do you think the PC is different enough to be launched as a whole new line of product?

Or are they tied together, and it's a no-console = no-PC situation?

 

[bitbydeath]

Sounds like Microsoft will start rolling their next gen console early next year K KeplerL2 ?

Magnus wouldn't be available, it's my understanding that this is a RDNA5 product and that won't become available until 2027.

 

[SneakersSO]

Even if they dropped the console, do you think the PC is different enough to be launched as a whole new line of product?

Or are they tied together, and it's a no-console = no-PC situation?

None of the planning i've heard indicates this is meant to be a bespoke thing like the XSS/XSX, with one being a PC and the other one being a console. From what i've heard, this is going to be a very niche, very expensive machine that puts the WindowsOS for Gaming push, similar to what you're seeing with the ASUS Ally and Ally X, front and center, just with built-in support for Xbox SKU BC.

Native Xbox SKU does not have a future. Its all WindowsOS SKU going forward.

 

[KeplerL2]

Sounds like Microsoft will start rolling their next gen console early next year K KeplerL2 ?

Early next year is impossible, small chance of holiday 2026 if A0 silicon is flawless, but most likely Q3/Q4 2027

 

[demigod]

Their next machine is already this thing that they are gonna have a very hard time selling regardless, as it'll mark the 'death' of the Xbox SKU by and large, as its mainly gonna be a Xbox SKU BC machine, with the games shipping for it being the WindowsOS SKU you currently get on the Xbox on PC or Windows Store, or at least thats the current plan. But like I said - this thing is very much still up in the air.

This is what I said before but got laughed at.

 

[ShakenG]

They're making room to shadowdrop a new console right on the holidays.

 

[DarkShadowXI]

They're making room to shadowdrop a new console right on the holidays.

Xbox Series Pro releases Black Friday: $799.99 1 TB, $999.99 2 TB.

75% more powerful than the PS5 Pro.

Exclusive bundle with GTA VI next year plus exclusive content. Free GTA Online with Game Pass.

All Xbox games are now exclusive to Xbox, including Call of Duty.

Game Pass is no longer day one on PC.

What other fever dream items am I missing??

 

[Heisenberg007]

Inb4 Jez writes an article that this isn't true.

 

[demigod]

None of the planning i've heard indicates this is meant to be a bespoke thing like the XSS/XSX, with one being a PC and the other one being a console. From what i've heard, this is going to be a very niche, very expensive machine that puts the WindowsOS for Gaming push, similar to what you're seeing with the ASUS Ally and Ally X, front and center, just with built-in support for Xbox SKU BC.

Native Xbox SKU does not have a future. Its all WindowsOS SKU going forward.

But we were told there would be an xbox sku right bitbydeath ?

 

[bitbydeath]

But we were told there would be an xbox sku right bitbydeath ?

The other red flag is that we've only been hearing about a single spec in development.

We heard about series X/S specs in advance, we heard about PS6 and a handheld spec, we even heard about the Xbox ROG Ally and MS handheld that got canned.

Yet, the NextBox is quiet outside of just one spec.

 

[Fess]

Makes sense, they're about to launch the ROG Totally-an-Xbox Ally X, they want you to buy that instead.

lol

 

[Heisenberg007]

None of the planning i've heard indicates this is meant to be a bespoke thing like the XSS/XSX, with one being a PC and the other one being a console. From what i've heard, this is going to be a very niche, very expensive machine that puts the WindowsOS for Gaming push, similar to what you're seeing with the ASUS Ally and Ally X, front and center, just with built-in support for Xbox SKU BC.

Native Xbox SKU does not have a future. Its all WindowsOS SKU going forward.

If true, it is a "reach" to call this thing a gaming console.

 

[MacReady13]

If this supposed new Xbox console is out by around 2027, how is it possible they're happy to have no current Xbox consoles available for at least the next 2 years? They've given up the consoles clearly. Not too sure why it's so hard for many to see.

 

[viveks86]

The other red flag is that we've only been hearing about a single spec in development.

We heard about series X/S specs in advance, we heard about PS6 and a handheld spec, we even heard about the Xbox ROG Ally and MS handheld that got canned.

Yet, the NextBox is quiet outside of just one spec.

May be because there is only one at launch. Perhaps they were planning 1 console and 1 handheld and the handheld got shelved. Why would that be a red flag?

 

[bitbydeath]

May be because there is only one at launch. Perhaps they were planning 1 console and 1 handheld and the handheld got shelved. Why would that be a red flag?

There's rumoured to be a console and multiple PC's in development. Magnus is meant to be across both but we've only heard of spec for one device so far, and unless I'm mistaken I don't think it was ever confirmed if the specs we know are for the console or PC counterpart.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

If this supposed new Xbox console is out by around 2027, how is it possible they're happy to have no current Xbox consoles available for at least the next 2 years? They've given up the consoles clearly. Not too sure why it's so hard for many to see.

it's not like they are happy, happy or that they are just given up.... it's just that they are trying to survive by any means necessary.

these 18 to 24 months are going to be critical for Xbox. they either find a way to make their business work or the implode into oblivion

 

[Crayon]

So, the reason your first sentence just isn't in the cards right now, goes back to what Spencer said after RedFall dropped.

2 years without a console space at retailers worldwide, nevermind their strongest markets, exacerbates the problem of folks becoming more entrenched in other ecosystems (SteamOS, PSN, NSO, MacOS - take your pick). This isn't at all akin to the 360, where they rushed to market and tried to capture a market that was hungry for new gaming experiences. Heck - even that scenario, folks have completely memory-holed the actual reasons the 360 took off (and it has far less to do with the PS3 stumbling out the gate than people think).

Their next machine is already this thing that they are gonna have a very hard time selling regardless, as it'll mark the 'death' of the Xbox SKU by and large, as its mainly gonna be a Xbox SKU BC machine, with the games shipping for it being the WindowsOS SKU you currently get on the Xbox on PC or Windows Store, or at least thats the current plan. But like I said - this thing is very much still up in the air.

That's pretty much the only thing I see making sense. I expect disagreements about whether it's really a console.

 

[viveks86]

There's rumoured to be a console and multiple PC's in development. Magnus is meant to be across both but we've only heard of spec for one device so far,

Yes. We are on the same page there.

and unless I'm mistaken I don't think it was ever confirmed if the specs we know are for the console or PC counterpart.

It's the "console". FWIW, Kepler and Heisenberg have both maintained that it's a console. The Xbox "PC" is an unknown quantity in terms of final spec, even if based on Magnus.

As to why there aren't specific details on the OEM built PC, perhaps K KeplerL2 can shed some light? If it's just an Xbox sticker on a prebuilt based on reference design, may be he has no visibility to them?

 

[bitbydeath]

Yes. We are on the same page there.



It's the "console". FWIW, Kepler and Heisenberg have both maintained that it's a console. The Xbox "PC" is an unknown quantity in terms of final spec, even if based on Magnus.

As to why there aren't specific details on the OEM built PC, perhaps K KeplerL2 can shed some light? If it's just an Xbox sticker on a prebuilt based on reference design, may be he has no visibility to them?

Which is the same situation as the Xbox Handheld, yet we got spec leaks for that.

However, we only have one set of specs leaked for the NextBox, meaning the red flag is something doesn't exist, you can guess in if it's the PC or console.

 

[Baemono]

The level of information around Xbox is crazy rn

 

[Astray]

Inb4 Jez writes an article that this isn't true.

Walmart and Target are NOT removing Xbox products from shelves

One thing after another, Microsoft is forced to respond time and time again to ongoing rumors that it's leaving the hardware space.

www.windowscentral.com

 

[Mownoc]

EU Countries with Stock: France, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom

EU Countries without Stock: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

EU Countries without Xbox Hardware page: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia


Looks to me like they might be pulling out of Mainland Europe and France and Germany are the only two countries their worth still supporting.

 

[Ellis]

EU Countries with Stock: France, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom

EU Countries without Stock: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

EU Countries without Xbox Hardware page: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia


Looks to me like they might be pulling out of Mainland Europe and France and Germany are the only two countries their worth still supporting.

UK is still their strongest European territory and it's rather dire here for Xbox. Doesn't help that they're charging such crazy prices for hardware people already don't want to buy.

 

[Radical_3d]

https://www.microsoft.com/es-es/sto...les?icid=Cat-Xbox-QL1-Xbox-Consoles&source=lp

The regional stores across most of Europe are either completely out of stock of all models (even reconditioned units) or go to a page displaying 0 items when going to the Xbox consoles store page.

Observed with Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria.

The news are from yesterday, the National Day of Spain. Sorry not sorry. First Xbox, England you're next!!

What a prophetic ad. Well, they created Xbox so Sony wouldn't take over the personal computer business space and they succeeded so mission accomplished I guess. Too bad Sony never pretended to take over the computer business and the PCs are in the verge of a massive installation of Steam OS on the users share of the market:

 

[RetroGamingUK]

UK is still their strongest European territory and it's rather dire here for Xbox. Doesn't help that they're charging such crazy prices for hardware people already don't want to buy.

Aye

Retail presence is small compared to PlayStation and Switch

Consoles are rarely on display

 

[YeulEmeralda]

That implied that they already got factories ready and manufacturing started NOW. Of course, if they only expect a small run of the product then it might actually be possible to hide the preparation to launch from prying eyes. But that assumes it would be a tiny production run. Either way a major console launch in 2026 is now no longer possible with the timeline we are dealing with.

Usually you get a leak from some factory in China if there is a new console coming out and I have seen nothing.

 

[Crispy Gamer]

The whole this is an Xbox campaign probably started the same day they made the decision to leave traditional consoles space.

 

[DeltaPolarBear]

If true, it is a "reach" to call this thing a gaming console.

A reach, yes, but a necessary one. BC only stays viable if they keep it on specific hardware that isn't considered a PC. The distinction is needed legally, as the alternative is all the lawsuits from studios who want players to double dip on buying the PC version of the same games.

Microsoft would PREFER to run Xbox software as a pure emulation on Windows, but that would not be legal for 3rd party licenses. And with 3rd party studios walking away from Play Anywhere contracts, now it just is unavoidable.

 

[Bernkastel]

Would be funny if the next GTA VI trailer does not show Xbox. Just PS5 and PC.

 

[justiceiro]

But guys, just imagine how many costs they are cutting by not having to make the product they sell!

 

[Bernkastel]

Damn it, and I thought they were buying Sega next Wednesday.

Don't you dare kill Sega and Atlus.

 

[CuteFaceJay]

Xbox OFF!

 

[UltimaKilo]

If this supposed new Xbox console is out by around 2027, how is it possible they're happy to have no current Xbox consoles available for at least the next 2 years? They've given up the consoles clearly. Not too sure why it's so hard for many to see.

Because the cost of production far, far exceeds the price the market is willing to pay and there is no demand. Therefore, there's no point in continuing to pour money behind the Series consoles this late in the cycle for Microsoft given its not a major revenue source and the rest of the company is printing money.

Meanwhile, just milk the consumers you do have until you reset in 2027 and add to Microsoft's quarterly reports. All they care about is XBOX being in the black in the meantime.

 

[chromatic9]

None of the planning i've heard indicates this is meant to be a bespoke thing like the XSS/XSX, with one being a PC and the other one being a console. From what i've heard, this is going to be a very niche, very expensive machine that puts the WindowsOS for Gaming push, similar to what you're seeing with the ASUS Ally and Ally X, front and center, just with built-in support for Xbox SKU BC.

Native Xbox SKU does not have a future. Its all WindowsOS SKU going forward.

Makes sense to have a hybrid console/PC, make one PC version of the game and unify the whole thing so you either stream it or run the Xbox app on local PC hardware.

One big problem is those hoping to play GTA 6 on this, well there's no pc version launching day 1. I assume Rockstar will launch a Series X version, I wonder even if Series S version is canned. Can this Xbox branded barebones windows PC also run a Series X GTA 6 version? MS have stopped the Series S/X so will miss out on any hardware push when GTA 6 lands in I guess 2027 so will these probable hybrid machines miss out on GTA 6 launch and it's just old Xbox Series consoles and Playstation.

 

[kruis]

Agreed. There's no way a new next-gen Xbox is hitting the market in 2026. The earliest it would happen would be spring 2027, but that's assuming they're actively getting all their ducks in a row. But this dovetails with what S SneakersSO wrote in the other thread: Not that the next Xbox has been canceled but rather that they haven't met any kind of expected benchmarks for next generation hardware coming out anytime soon. I can't see the next Xbox coming out any earlier than Fall/Winter 2027 -- two years from now. Two years with Xbox pulled from a bunch of big box retailers? What's left of the brand's mindshare will be decimated.

The sales gap between PS5 and Xbox Series S/X is only going to widen. GTA is supposed to release on May 26, 2026. This is gonna be an enormous boost for console sales, but without Xbox consoles on store shelves and the pessimism and negativity around Xbox in general, almost all of these sales will go to Sony. Who would want to buy a console that's constantly described in "dead man walking" terms?

Even if Microsoft manages to release a next gen console in 2027, they will have lost so much goodwill and mind share that there really is no point in releasing new hardware. Even if the thing is a monster, it will so expensive that only the hardest of hardcore Xbox fans with a blind faith in Microsoft will get it. Going PC, Sony or Nintendo is a 100% safe bet, buying a next gen Xbox console is gambling with your money because everything could change in a couple of years or even a few months.

That next gen console will sell a fraction of what Series S/X managed to do. MS will obviously know this full well and I bet that's why plans for a next gen console release are now "up in the air". When MS released Xbox One they were still on the Xbox 360 high, when they released Xbox Series S/X they were confident that they'd claw back all the lost marketshare with the most powerful console on the market, a host of new game announcements and Gamepass. But what will their strategy be with a next gen Xbox? When Nintendo sold 24 million Wii U consoles, it was deemed an absolute sales failure. I think a $1000 next gen Xbox console won't get anywhere close to that. 10 million lifetime sales seems incredibly optimistic. So why even release a piece of hardware when you know beforehand its going to sell horribly in its strongest markets (US, UK, maybe Mexico) and will be completely absent in every other country on the planet?

 

[RetroGamingUK]

when they released Xbox Series S/X they were confident that they'd claw back all the lost marketshare with the most powerful console on the market, a host of new game announcement and Gamepass.

Microsoft saw the Series S/X as a reset, a chance to draw a line under the Xbox One generation.

The market, however, did not.

 

[chromatic9]

I think a $1000 next gen Xbox console won't get anywhere close to that. 10 million lifetime sales seems incredibly optimistic. So why even release a piece of hardware when you know beforehand its going to sell horribly in its strongest markets (US, UK, maybe Mexico) and will be completely absent in every other country on the planet?

Yeah I can see why MS would be considering to cancel it or already have. It can cater to Xbox diehards of 10-20m but if this is an Xbox hybrid just running PC version of their games, a lot of core gamers will ask why buy this locked PC and have no upgradability. Ease of use for all Xbox related stuff sure but where does third party console game support come in like GTA 6 that is lacking a PC version day 1, they may be able to run the Series X version as it's already mostly made but it seems a limited machine that's a tricky sell and loses console optimization and gets dated quickly.

 

[RCX]

They're clearly signalling to their customers to start saving for the "next xbox" which is totally, for sure, definitely coming.

They're also keeping it interesting for themselves. Why launch hardware into a market that you have an established foothold in when, instead, you can torch your trustworthiness and reputation by simply disappearing from consumer visibility for 12-18 months beforehand?!

 

[demigod]

Meanwhile, just milk the consumers you do have until you reset in 2027 and add to Microsoft's quarterly reports. All they care about is XBOX being in the black in the meantime.

There is no reset button, this isn't a game. Pure copium. Two years without retail presence would kill mindshare more than it already has. Outside of the diehard fanboys, who would trust an xbox product staying alive? Not many will be willing to fork over $1,000 for a dead platform.

 

[Doctor Hades]

Microsoft saw the Series S/X as a reset, a chance to draw a line under the Xbox One generation.

The market, however, did not.

The big problem with the Xbox Series X|S was not the hardware, which was mostly great (the proprietary SSDs not so much), it was the complete lack of first-party games for the first 2-2.5 years. Xbox Series consoles basically launched with only third-party titles, which were also on PS5 and sometimes running better despite it having the weaker (on paper anyway) hardware, and a heavy reliance on backward compatibility to sustain it. Microsoft didn't even update the user interace, which was still 1080p when the console launched, and this made the whole experience feel overfamiliar and less like a next gen update versus, say, the PS5.

I have have always bought an Xbox at launch, since the awesome original, but I opted to not bother with the Xbox Series X. I did not buy one until over a year after it launched and then it was a temporary substitute for my ageing PC until I upgraded it in December 2022. Since then I haven't used my Xbox Series X at all, I actually regret having bought one at all, and ended up cancelling my GamePass Ultimate subscription in May 2024 as I just wasn't getting any value from it and preferred instead to just buy the Xbox games I wanted on Steam instead.

Xbox as a console platform is completely lacking in excitement and identity in my opinion. Microsoft have seen to that!!! At this point, Xbox is little more than a (now overpriced) subscription service and one that I have no interest in any more. It's a shame that Xbox weren't able to become independent from Microsoft because I feel that Microsoft have no idea what to do with the brand and are just ruining it with constant interference. That is how it looks to me anyway.

 

[winjer]

It's common to have an old generation of consoles and a new generation coexisting for a couple of years, in store shelves.
That MS is taking out the Series S/X out of several markets around the world, is a sign that they have thrown in the towel.

 

[GoldenEye98]

It's hard not to see a hybrid console as anything other a gentle way for Microsoft to exit the console business. I mean this is going to basically be pre-built PC but with Xbox BC. I guess if for those who have a large Xbox digital library it would be an easier off ramp of sorts....but for the vast majority of people it would probably make more sense to buy an upgradeable PC?

I guess Microsoft could have some QoL stuff in there that would make it slightly less daunting for those who have never had a PC for gaming I dunno.

Also raises an interesting question of would they still require paid multiplayer for Xbox BC?

 

[MayauMiao]

If this supposed new Xbox console is out by around 2027, how is it possible they're happy to have no current Xbox consoles available for at least the next 2 years?

Haven't you heard?

 

[MisterXDTV]

If true, it is a "reach" to call this thing a gaming console.

Any machine that runs PC software by definition can't be a gaming console

Just like SteamDeck and the new PC handhelds are not considered consoles

 

[Heisenberg007]

A reach, yes, but a necessary one. BC only stays viable if they keep it on specific hardware that isn't considered a PC. The distinction is needed legally, as the alternative is all the lawsuits from studios who want players to double dip on buying the PC version of the same games.

Microsoft would PREFER to run Xbox software as a pure emulation on Windows, but that would not be legal for 3rd party licenses. And with 3rd party studios walking away from Play Anywhere contracts, now it just is unavoidable.

True. And in that case, they may call it a console for all they like. We'd know the reality whether it is a PC or a console.