Microsoft has made waves in the gaming industry by hinting at a possible 2028 release date for its upcoming Xbox console. Though things may have changed since then, insider knowledge leads to this intriguing timeline, raising concerns about console gaming's future.
According to Axios, this intriguing factoid emerged from a May 2022 meeting attended by some of Microsoft's top executives, including CEO Satya Nadella, CFO Amy Hood, and gaming head honcho Phil Spencer. The transcript of the conversation was made public as part of Microsoft's continuing legal battle with the US Federal Trade Commission, which is attempting to derail the computer giant's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
During a secret meeting, a Microsoft executive asked about the possibilities of departing from the typical fixed hardware specs seen in consoles. According to Anuj Gosalia, corporate vice president of immersive experiences,
"one of the things consoles have been really great at is giving a very clear platform target for developers, and [Game Development Kit] has been really good at this."
A further question appeared, namely whether the 2028 strategy meant to maintain the current console model or to go towards a more flexible, Windows-like approach. Kevin Gammill, corporate vice president of gaming ecosystems, answered,
"We have already started this journey with Xbox One and Xbox One X, furthering it in Series S/X. We need to be even more flexible going forward with gen 10, but also provide the ability for creators to take advantage of unique hardware capabilities."
Microsoft's legal team advised the UK's Competition and Markets Authority last year that "the next new generation of consoles are not expected to be released before the fall of 2028 at the very earliest."
This potential timetable departs significantly from the typical console development cycle. Microsoft and Sony both released their current-generation consoles, Xbox Series X/S and PS5, in November 2020. Major modifications have traditionally occurred every 3-4 years, but supply disruptions caused by the Covid-19 epidemic have thrown a wrench in these plans.
Microsoft's Xbox head Phil Spencer revealed in June that a mid-cycle upgrade for the Series X was not a major priority. In recent interviews, he confirmed this, expressing concern about the complexity that such a change might bring for both developers and players. Spencer asked, "If we get into a console world where, every two years, we now have three or four closed ecosystems that are upgrading their hardware every two years, I’m gonna wonder – how is that helping creators or players? To me, it feels like we are creating a ton of complexity for creators and players in something that used to be very simple. And maybe there’s another model for us."
The expected to release of Microsoft's next Xbox console in 2028 has sparked debate about the future of gaming hardware and the changing dynamics of the industry. While the gaming community awaits more solid facts, it's evident that Microsoft is looking for new ways to stay ahead of the trend.
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