It's a well-known fact that companies like Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo are always working on new hardware, and even though the Xbox Series X and S are still reasonably fresh-faced, it should come as no great shock to learn that their successors are already on the drawing board – and Liz Hamren, CVP of Gaming Experiences & Platforms at Microsoft, is happy to admit as much.
The catch? We're not going to see the fruits of these labours for "many years". Boo.
Speaking in a video briefing this week, Hamren said:
Cloud is key to our hardware and Game Pass roadmaps, but no one should think we're slowing down on our core console engineering. In fact, we're accelerating it. We're already hard at work on new hardware and platforms, some of which won't come to light for years. But even as we build for the future, we're focused on extending the Xbox experience to more devices today so we can reach more people.
She added that, despite the expansion into cloud gaming, Microsoft remains committed to creating the world's best dedicated gaming hardware:
While we continue to expand in PC and mobile, console remains our flagship experience, we want to deliver the most powerful, capable consoles in the world, devices that empower our players to enjoy amazing games for years to come, including gameplay we can't even imagine yet.
What do you make of Hamren's comments? Give us your thoughts down in the comments below.
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 17
With a name like Xbox "Series" I'm expecting they're probably taking the smartphone or DS family approach of bringing out a line of consoles that co-exist, and not just an Xbox, followed by the next Xbox
But obviously console manufacturers tend to get to work right on the next next-gen systems right after launching what's considered next-gen or current-gen so we'll see
There referring to the next generation of Xbox console right? Not a mid console refresh like Xbox One X or PS4 Pro.
@Snake_V5 They might be referring to both honestly. They said "platforms" as in plural
I'm excited to see the it news hardware take fruition, but I'm also very happy with my Series X and plan to keep it for many years yet. I personally think they absolutely nailed it with the Series X, I mean the fact I can turn it on and be playing a game in 5 seconds or less is fantastic!
The form factor of Series X is genius and I think it's here to stay. They will probably keep most if this modular and air flow design
A lot of people seem to think there is no point to a mid gen refresh, but 3 years is a long time and the fact that most games force players to pick between RT or Resolution or frame rate tells me there is plenty of space for a pro model that allows games to just run 4k/60fps w/rt about 3 years from now (or 4 if this turns out to be an 8 year generation.)
@Tharsman
In three years we can buy the series Z
And why not if you wish to keep at the cutting edge of technology and gaming in your home.
Its clear there is a rapid growth in the development of technology at the moment. Zen 4 and RDNA 3 are expected next year. New ideas and breakthroughs are changing even the fundamental design of chips - staking a layer to get 'double' the processors in the same die size. infinite cache etc etc AMD, nVidia and even intel and ARM are pushing technology forward.
Of course that doesn't mean that MS will necessarily make a new, much more powerful iterative console in a few years, it could mean that they can make a Series X in a smaller form factor and cheaper too. Maybe even make a tiny Series S/X in a 'dongle' with some 'flash' storage, build it into a gaming laptop/tablet...
Of course we could see some 'rolling' type system where MS has a weaker, budget friendly console and an 'Elite/Pro' version. In a few years, they update the Series S to have the same specs as a Series X and release a Series X Elite that's more powerful so you don't have to choose 1080/1440 just to get 60-120fps or choose between RT and Frame Rates. I'm almost willing to bet that Sony will do a PS5 Pro as they won't want to go 6-7yrs with DF constantly saying Xbox is the 'best' console version.
Xbox handheld please
Xbox Series X Plus
Xbox Series X Plus Alpha One
Xbox Series X Plus Alpha One Omega Edition
Xbox Series X Plus Alpha One Omega Edition Extreme
SERIES X PRO!!!1
I hope @uptownsoul stumbles into this article. This ought to shut him up. 😤
Apparently not. 😭
I don't think mentioning upcoming consoles very soon after a new console launch is wise. I skipped XB1X because the next gen talk at E3 2018 made it seem like XB1X was just a stopgap console which it ended up being.
Is the Series X just another stopgap console perhaps?
@Grumblevolcano @Tharsman
I said last yeat that I fully expect MS to treat the Xbox Series like their Surface hardware.
The Series 2 won't replace the Series 1 in a traditional console sense. It will just be a more powerful version. In that sense, it will just be the new model that new users or techies can purchase. Everyone else, will be welcome to keep their series 1, or upgrade to a series 2 or beyond when they have the need and means.
Again, this goes back to the uncoupling of the hardware from the platform. And why bringing all those 360 and Xbone games forward was worthwhile for MS.
I think as time goes in, people will stop talking about xbox as the consoles, and more in a general sense, like Windows, as a platform that exists on hardware.
And I could easily see MS releasing consoles every 3-5 years to keep their hardware fresh (and dare I say, advancing far faster than Sony could).
The Series X2 is a loooong way away but I'm happy that Microsoft is committed to make the most powerful consoles since 2017 because I like to play on console and not so much on PC. That said, affordable alternatives like Series S and Xbox sticks are awesome ideas.
@Richnj while i agree with almost everrything, i think it would have to min every 5yrs to make it worth while, anything less you mine as well make a pc and update your video card every3 years or so....
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