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[RetroGamingUK]

With Xbox Series sales seemingly drying up following Microsoft’s shift to third party and Sarah Bind saying their next-gen hardware will be the “biggest leap”, what do you think this all means?

For me, here’s my prediction…

”Xbox” branded desktop Windows PC

Launching in Nov 2026 for £799. This will be a desktop Windows PC using the latest AMD desktop CPU and GPU.

It’ll use Windows 12 which brings new features that give PCs a more console like experience when logging in.

The new bundled controller’s “Xbox” logo will act as a finger print scanner for easy Windows login. Upon entering the Windows desktop, the Xbox dashboard fills the screen and acts like the Series S/X dashboard. This can be turned off in settings.

While this PC will be upgradable like all desktops, it will keep the same spec for several years to encourage developers to customise for it.

Any PC manufacturer will be able to replicate this with “off the shelf” parts, and they’ll have an “Xbox certified” sticker to indicate it uses the same specs as Microsoft’s PC.

Finally, all backwards compatibility games will run on this (and will run on all PCs).

Microsoft will hope the use of the “Xbox” brand will encourage current Xbox Series owners to buy it, they’ll sell about 15-20 million over 8 years.

Microsoft will be fully third party by the time this launches.

 

[DanielG165]

Handheld dock-able entry level machine, and a more premium Series X successor with third party PC OS support.

 

[Jaybe]

The rumours seem to indicate a handheld Windows PC with a more tailored interface, branded Xbox, but made by other OEMs. Basically their version of the Ally / Legion Go. The bigger questions is either the ‘big boy’ is an Xbox Console or a a Windows PC with a tailored interface. I think it will be a console so that gamers libraries can be maintained. In either case, they will be priced to make a profit per unit. No more losing money on these.

 

[Deerock71]

Every screen is an Xbox.

 

[Cakeboxer]

Steam Deck competitor + Pro console.

 

[Darsxx82]

There are missing options in the survey. In fact, the most rumored option is missing: Hybrid console/PC + Windows Handheld, both with XBOX OS.
Therefore it would be the union of the first three options.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

With how poor their hardware sales were this gen, I think they're going full cloud-computing solution, i.e., no new TV-set box consoles. They'll continue to put XBOX games and Game Pass on mobiles, TV sticks, and existing XBOX consoles via streaming. No more "generations" of consoles for Microsoft.

 

[Sorcerer]

Remember how AOL used to give out free disks to access the internet portal?

Gamepass will be installed on thumb drives and dumped into cardboard standees at counters.

Free 7-day trial with install!!!

That's the future of Microsoft hardware, take a handful if you like, format/erase them and put photos or something else on them.

 

[Loboxxx]

When PS6 comes out in 4 or 5 years, if they release a "netx-gen" console before then, they'll end up like Sega literally.

 

[Topher]

Gut tells me Microsoft is done with closed ecosystem consoles.

There are missing options in the survey. In fact, the most rumored option is missing: Hybrid console/PC + Windows Handheld, both with XBOX OS.
Therefore it would be the union of the first three options.

By far the most compelling option, imo.

 

[spons]

For the first time ever I have no goddamn clue, although I still think Xbox is too big to fail.
You can shut the thing down, but you cannot weasel yourself out of consumer rights advocates and billion dollar claims.

 

[RPCGamer]

A standard console and a handheld.

 

[SHA]

One console, one mobile.

 

[PurePlatinum]

A very powerful higher end console, and a handheld that runs lower resolution versions of the same game marketplace.

Sort of like the XSX/XSS approach, but with the later just being a handheld...maybe it docks and plugs in to a TV.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

It'll likely be a dockable hybrid and a console-style NUC with 1P-branded upgradability options (low-profile GPUs, aftermarket system RAM etc.), both running Xbox OS and whitelisted Windows apps natively through extended Windows code. Alternative game storefronts (Steam, EGS, GOG etc.) accessible through a Game Pass subscription at some custom tier and the higher/highest tier. Online paywall removed altogether.

And keeping with the Discord leak early this year, select OEMs licensing the base specs and UI frontend with some degree of customization (shader enable/disable, GPU/CPU upclocks/downclocks, initial system RAM capacity for specs; UI presentation & extra features for frontend); Microsoft likely to handle chip orders directly through AMD/TSMC for all partners, handle some portion of assembly (maybe partial motherboard population & assembly) for OEM partners.

Spec-wise expecting dockable handheld to be ~ 60% Series S undocked, 100% Series S docked and Series X when docked & official 1P expansion GPU installed. Console-like system ~ 30% stronger than PS5 Pro in TF, maybe 40% better pixel & texture fillrate. Much better CPU. 1 TB/s VRAM bandwidth (24 GB, 22 Gbps GDDR7) + 128 GB/s DDR5 (2x 4 GB, 8 Gbps DDR5 or DDR6), support up to 32 GB (2x 16 GB) DDR5 or DDR6. Upgradable GPU via low-profile slot for 1P GPUs; upgradable PSU & cooling system (also 1P options).

[MSRP]

Portable (Handheld + dock): $499​

​

1P Expansion GPU (Entry) (fits into dock or Console's expansion slot; 8-10 TF extra performance, 14 GB GDDR7; also compatible with Windows PCs ): $299​

​

1P Expansion GPU (Advanced) (fits into dock or Console's expansion slot; "significantly more" performance, 32 GB GDDR7; also compatible w/ Windows PCs): $599​

(may require PSU upgrade depending on settings)​

​

Console : $699 (digital only, 1 TB SSD, rest of cost allocated to 'fixed' 2-year GPU contract of either $600 (GPU $20/mo + extra $5/mo charge) or $360 (GP AGS (Alternate Game Store) $10/mo + extra $5/mo charge)), $999 (digital only, 1 TB SSD, full access to AGSs like Steam, GOG, EGS etc. upfront no extra charge)​

​

Game Pass AGS (Alternate Game Store): Way to access Steam, GOG, EGS etc. on Xbox devices. Also gives Game Pass Core benefits as part of package. $10/month, for 10th-gen (+ newer) Xbox devices only​

 

[Begleiter]

A streaming box with controller. Their "innovation" to sell it will be something on the server end.

 

[diffusionx]

Anyone who thinks MS is going to make an Xbox branded PC should look at how the Surface line is doing.

Can Microsoft recover from the collapse of its Surface business?

After nearly a decade of steady growth, revenue from Microsoft's Surface devices plunged in 2023, and next year doesn't look much better. Fasten your seatbelts.

www.zdnet.com

 

[StueyDuck]

I reckon they'll sell one SKU and bring an "X" suffix later like a pro.

whether they'll go big and all out though or create a more Seriese S style console for next gen is still up for debate i'd imagine.

As far as I'm aware the Series s is outselling the X right? i also imagine the hardware is much cheaper to manufacture, they'll be seeing data that probably says make a splash with entry level then go for the enthusiast console.

This is all purely speculation of course.

 

[Topher]

Anyone who thinks MS is going to make an Xbox branded PC should look at how the Surface line is doing.

Can Microsoft recover from the collapse of its Surface business?

After nearly a decade of steady growth, revenue from Microsoft's Surface devices plunged in 2023, and next year doesn't look much better. Fasten your seatbelts.

www.zdnet.com

Means Microsoft needs to learn from Surface mistakes and not overprice their hardware, but at the same time, Microsoft wasn't losing money on every Surface sold. But still a valid point which could be the reason for the rumors that Microsoft could be turning to OEMs.

 

[DaleinCalgary]

Experience shows if Microsoft makes a handheld it will do as well as the Zune.

 

[Randall365]

A curvy keyboard.

A new sidewinder controller would be nice.

 

[reinking]

All of the above because I have no clue. Could be amazing, could be nothing.

 

[freefornow]

Microsoft needs to learn from.. mistakes

Not a strength of Microsoft.

 

[ZehDon]

I'll take "non-upgradable PC-console hybrid", thanks.

Big boy console with big performance but a sticker price to match. Paired back dockable handheld at the entry price (dock sold separately).

 

[bender]

If they are smart, just more controllers.

 

[sachos]

Really expensive ~1K High end console and an entry level ~400 Handheld device.

 

[angrod14]

Kinect 2.0

 

[digital_ghost]

A black box with a light up x on it.

That will be too bright and disracting from their 1600 nit TV.

 

[Crayon]

I. Really wouldn't mind an htpc that was basically a gaming laptop in a sweet little case.

People keep talking about some gaming mode UI for Windows like it's so easy, though. It sounds simple and obvious but why haven't they done it by now?

 

[MoreJRPG]

I really don’t see the ROI in an Xbox branded PC. People are just going to load steam and go from there so unless they’re making serious profit on the hardware itself it doesn't make any sense financially.

 

[brenobnfm]

I really don’t see the ROI in an Xbox branded PC. People are just going to load steam and go from there so unless they’re making serious profit on the hardware itself it doesn't make any sense financially.

People don't buy PC games on Microsoft Store because there's little incentive to do so, maybe play anywhere here and there if you have the console. But if your Xbox library is now your PC library too, that's different and the very reason Steam wants their users on their own OS, if anything Microsoft is already too late in this move, imagine having THE OS of PC gaming and not leveraging it for Xbox lol

 

[HogIsland]

For a long time I thought they would make a Windows-based console, but now I doubt MS can pull it off. The best thing they can do is flex as a publisher and put their games on Steam, Playstation, and Switch.

 

[SakkanartSilentJealousy]

They might release Xbox Next sooner (maybe 2026) to compete $700 PS5 pro.

 

[Kumomeme]

what funny is even Microsoft right now is unsure about this by themself

 

[SweetTooth]

A failed one.