Xbox president Sarah Bond has confirmed Microsoft is working on “next-gen hardware”, following rumours it was no longer in console development.
Bond spoke with Variety to mark the release of the new handheld ROG Xbox Ally, but was also asked about the future of Xbox.
“We are 100 percent looking at making things in the future,” said Bond. “We have our next-gen hardware in development. We’ve been looking at prototyping, designing. We have a partnership we’ve announced with AMD around it, so that is coming. What we saw here was an opportunity to innovate in a new way and to bring gamers another choice, in addition to our next-gen hardware. We are always listening to what players and creators want. When there is demand for innovation, we’re going to build it.”
Rumours had been circulating on social media that Microsoft would no longer be developing console hardware, rumours which began shortly after the price hike to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
It certainly appeared to tie in with not only the forthcoming release of the new handheld in collaboration with Asus, but with Microsoft’s own campaign slogan of “This is an Xbox” and a mission to ensure its games are available on multiple platforms.
Yet this statement from Bond confirms hardware remains in the pipeline.
“We want to make sure that people have a choice,” Bond told Variety. “We want to make sure there’s an option for the power players who want the latest innovations, that want to push the edge of what’s possible, the most demanding players. And then, if someone is looking for PC gaming on the go, they’re a casual gamer, they’re a gaming enthusiast, then there’s Xbox Allys for them. Giving multiple choices for people, so we can actually meet people where they are.”
That said, the steep price of the handheld suggests it’s not particularly suited to casual gamers either.
Eurogamer’s ROG Xbox Ally X review from Tom Orry states it’s “an impressive handheld PC wearing an Xbox mask”. Eurogamer’s Alex Donaldson, meanwhile, has been pining instead for Xbox’s “distant heyday”.
There’s certainly been some confusion over the messaging from Xbox recently and speculation on its future, which hasn’t been helped by the Game Pass price hike following multiple game cancellations off the back of mass layoffs.
