Rumour: Next-Gen Xbox a 'PC in Essence' - What Would That Mean for PlayStation? 1
Image: Push Square

Update []: In the aftermath of Windows Central reporter Jez Corden’s previous comments, more details are beginning to emerge about Microsoft’s next-gen strategy – and they couldn’t possibly deviate further than Sony’s.

According to a monstrous exclusive report by the scribe, the Redmond firm will partner with another manufacturer to release an Xbox branded handheld later this year. This will presumably be PC-based, and will be used to demo some of Windows’ new features.

It’s a dramatic departure from Sony’s approach with the breakaway success of the PS Portal. The Remote Play handheld streams games from the PS5, and is positioned more as an accessory. It’s been a best-seller right around the world.

Corden doesn’t specify who’s making the aforementioned Xbox branded handheld, although he does mention it may be able to run services like Steam. The ROG Ally X costs around $800 and the Lenovo Legion Go about $700, so expect something in that ballpark.

While the dedicated PC handheld market is proving popular among enthusiasts, the Steam Deck’s install base is estimated to be around a third of the PS Vita’s lifetime sales.

Corden continues that Microsoft is making its own handheld to launch alongside a new “console”, scheduled for release in 2027.

However, he implies that whatever Xbox is cooking up will be “closer to Windows than ever”, insinuating this may not be a traditional console, but effectively a pre-made PC instead. He once again implies that other platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store may run on the device.

Exactly how this business model is going to work for Microsoft remains unclear, though. Consoles have certainly been getting more expensive lately, but they remain relatively affordable because manufacturers like Sony subsidise the costs in order to get you into their ecosystems. Exactly how the Redmond firm will achieve that on an open platform remains unclear.

One thing that is obvious is that the Team in Green is going in a totally different direction. We’d expect the PS6 to be a much more traditional console, with all of the advantages and disadvantages that come with that, although word is Sony may also have a true handheld of its own in the works as well.

Either way, when it comes to the traditional box, expect a subsidised price point, a defined technological target, and some innovative new features, like the haptic feedback and adaptive triggers that were introduced this generation, with the PS5.

Which strategy will work best? Well, that’s what we’re going to find out over the next five or so years.

Original Story: Recent comments from Windows Central's executive editor Jez Corden have sparked discussion about when Xbox's next-gen console will emerge, and more interestingly, what exactly it will be.

Speaking on an episode of the Xbox Two Podcast, Corden responds to rumours that Call of Duty studios already have access to next-gen Xbox devkits, and that the machine is being scheduled for release sometime in 2026.

He believes that this is "not accurate", and that the next Xbox's arrival is more likely to come in 2027.

Of more interest is how he talks about the form the new Xbox console will take. He calls it a "PC in essence but with a TV friendly shell", with a set of specifications not unlike a console.

In other words, instead of the console being a step removed from the world of PC, Corden is suggesting the next Xbox could be literally a PC under the hood — an affordable one with inflexible specs.

If that's true, what could it mean for PlayStation going forward?

Perhaps the most obvious point is that, if the next Xbox is simply a PC, you could theoretically play Sony's PC ports on it, like Marvel's Spider-Man, Helldivers 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and so on.

This would depend on whether you'd be able to access Steam or Epic Games Store on the device, and of course that's another question entirely. If it's just a PC, will you be able to import your existing collection of PC software, and will you have access to your libraries on third-party clients?

It's a very interesting possibility. Assuming Xbox players would be able to also access things like Steam and Epic, it might make PlayStation's closed-off ecosystem look comparably restrictive, even if some of its first-party games are PC-bound.

We suppose from Sony's perspective, expanding its audience via new hardware with no real extra effort might seem like a good deal. However, it likely wouldn't be that straightforward in reality; it all sounds like a legal nightmare waiting to happen.

We don't want to jump the shark, though — this is all just going off of Corden's word, after all. It's worth noting Xbox boss Phil Spencer has previously said he wants hardware to be the big differentiator in future, and this idea of it being a PC more than a console does sort of align with where the company is going.

Anyway, what do you think? Would you be interested in a next-gen Xbox that's a PC in all but name? Would such a device affect how you interact with PlayStation? Discuss in the comments section below.

[source windowscentral.com, via youtube.com, resetera.com]