While half the time the industry seems somewhat determined to declare Xbox as dead and buried (it’s amazing how it keeps coming back to life really), Xbox President Sarah Bond has shared a little more detail on Microsoft’s plans for the next-generation of Xbox hardware in a new interview with Mashable.
In a new video interview via Mashable, Tech Editor Timothy Bech Werth sat down to chat with Xbox President Sarah Bond about the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X. As they talk through how the device came to be, including it’s very Windows approach, Timothy asked about the current rumours floating around regarding the company’s next-generation Xbox plans.
The general discussion centres around the rumours that the next-generation Xbox will be a console-like device that has full access to PC store fronts, and the ability to run PC only titles.
In response, Sarah had the following to say, “Well, I can tell you that you’re right – the next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end, curated experience. You’re starting to see some of the thinking we have in this handheld [ROG Xbox Ally], but I don’t want to give it all away.“
What about those precious ‘Exclusives’ for the next-generation Xbox?
Microsoft’s strategy on Xbox ‘Exclusive’ releases has been a subject of great debate, and Timothy also asks if exclusive games are a part of the picture when it comes to the next-generation of Xbox.
Sarah shared her thoughts in some detail, saying “We’re really seeing people evolve way past that. The biggest games in the world are available everywhere. You look at Call of Duty, you look at Minecraft, you look at Fortnite, you look at Roblox. That’s actually what’s really driving community in gaming. That’s where people gather, they have experiences.“
She continued, “The idea of locking it to one store or one device is antiquated for most people. You want to be able to play with your friends anywhere, regardless of what they’re on, and we’re really leaning into that with this experience because it just opens up another way for you to play – as does cloud, as does PC, as does the consoles that we all own and have in our living room.“
How do you feel about a new ‘premium and high-end’ next-generation of Xbox hardware? Let us know in the XboxEra Forums or make some noise in our lively Community Discord.
