Microsoft will allow other companies to make next-gen Xbox consoles, says insider

Given that the Xbox Series X/S isn’t even four years old, you wouldn’t normally expect to start hearing about its replacement for at least a year or two — probably more since the pandemic marked the start of the first two years of this generation. very slowly.

And yet, by Microsoft’s own admission, they are working on a next-gen format that will reportedly include “the biggest technological leap in a generation.”

Given how many subtle hints at laptops have been dropped, it seems almost certain that at least one variant will be a handheld or hybrid device, but the latest insider rumors suggest that it won’t necessarily be made by Microsoft itself.

There has previously been some debate as to whether Microsoft would even continue to make new consoles if they follow a multi-format publishing approach, but they seem to have made it clear that they will.

However, a tweet from Windows Central’s Jez Corden suggests that not only will the next Xbox have a “heavy Windows slant,” but that it will be a “manufacturer reference device.”

Although the wording is a little vague, it seems to indicate that other companies will be able to make Xbox consoles with the same basic specs, but with more (or less) custom features.

This is not an entirely new concept in gaming, with the idea behind the failed 3DO console being that several different models could be made by completely different companies.

Valve’s Steam Machines concept worked in a similar way, but with gaming PCs. Although it was also a very high failure profile.

However, the concept could work for the Xbox, especially if Microsoft builds the hybrid portable device itself and leaves the more traditional under-the-TV console to other companies, or vice versa.

With Xbox Series X/S sales lagging behind the already disappointing Xbox One, it could also help limit the company’s potential losses if the new console doesn’t sell better, but multi-format software sales prove strong.

There may even be a hint of this plan from Microsoft itself, if their previous comments are read in this new context, as they previously said: “We need to be even more flexible going forward with Gen 10, but also provide an option for creators. take advantage of the unique capabilities of the hardware.”

Multiple sources have indicated that Microsoft is targeting a 2026 release for their next-gen hardware, whatever that is, so that should mean we’ll start getting some official details next year at the latest.