Xbox: Next-Gen Console To Reportedly Serve As ‘Reference Device’ for Manufacturers, Here Is What We Know

Latest rumors about the next Xbox suggest that it will be a significantly different gaming device compared to its predecessors, implying that the forthcoming Xbox generation will mark a radical shift in Microsoft's traditional gaming hardware strategy. Xbox's initial four console generations were consumer electronics aimed at appealing to a wide audience. Though Microsoft hasn't matched the success of the Xbox 360, its top-selling system with over 84 million sales .

The next Xbox has a heavy Windows slant and will be a reference device for manufacturers making devices like the ASUS ROG Ally most likely. Like Surface Pro 11 is a reference device for AI PCs.

— Jez (@JezCorden) May 25, 2024

According to a post by Jez Corden on X post (previously Twitter), Microsoft's next-gen console is expected to become a reference device with a strong Windows orientation for other manufacturers, resembling how the latest Surface Pro Series serves as a blueprint for AI PCs. Such a transformation would signify a significant departure from the previous Xbox console designs. It would essentially turn the Xbox into a platform resembling a PC, with the potential capability to run Steam games. Consequently, this could open doors to accessing former PlayStation exclusives such as Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut and God of War, which are accessible on Valve's digital platform.

Sarah Bond, the current president of Xbox, reassured fans on an Xbox Official Podcast that Xbox hardware will remain, and it will still offer the "flagship, seminal" Xbox experience. She hinted that they will share "exciting stuff" about hardware this holiday, maybe the leaked all-digital Xbox Series X revision. She also mentioned they're developing the next-gen Xbox, which will bring the "largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation."