The next-gen Xbox console has been envisioned as a reference device for other manufacturers to use, a well-known leaker has said. The claim suggests that the upcoming Xbox generation will mark a radical shift in Microsoft's gaming hardware strategy.

The first four generations of Xbox consoles solely consisted of consumer electronics meant to have a mass appeal. While Microsoft hasn't managed to build on the momentum of the Xbox 360, which is still its best-selling system with over 84 million sales to date, the company has consistently marketed its consoles as devices catering to everyone. That approach hasn't been working too well lately, with some recent analyses indicating that the PS5 has been outselling the Xbox Series X/S three-to-one as of December 2023.

This state of affairs may have prompted Microsoft to rethink its hardware strategy. That's according to industry insider Jez Corden, who has recently taken to Twitter to claim that the next-gen Xbox console is meant to be "a reference device for manufacturers." Elaborating on that point, the leaker said that the upcoming system will "most likely" serve as a reference for companies making products in the vein of the Asus ROG Ally, implying that the device will be a handheld console.

This claim is just the latest in a long string of rumors indicating that Microsoft is working on a portable Xbox console, or at the very least one rooted in a hybrid design, not unlike the immensely successful Nintendo Switch. Some of those reports have suggested that the system will be the sole next-gen offering from Microsoft, while others implied it will launch alongside a traditional console, thus serving as the next-gen equivalent of the Xbox Series S. Microsoft's C-suite has repeatedly said that the upcoming device will present the largest "technological" and "technical leap" ever seen in a single console generation, albeit without elaborating on the matter.

But if the company is truly positioning its next device as a reference design, that could imply that it's not expecting it to be massively successful, sales-wise. Offering original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) a chance to build their own Xbox consoles would, however, dovetail with Microsoft's purported "every screen is an Xbox" strategy, which was reportedly mentioned at an early February 2024 townhall meeting ahead of its multi-platform publishing pivot announcement.

Corden likened the philosophy behind the next-gen Xbox console to that resulting in the Surface Pro 11, an ARM-based laptop serving as a reference design for AI-infused notebooks. Coincidentally, there was a rumor floating around in February that the next-gen Xbox project had been reassigned to Microsoft's Surface team.

The next Xbox has a heavy Windows slant and will be a reference device for manufacturers making devices like the ASUS ROG Ally most likely. Like Surface Pro 11 is a reference device for AI PCs.

— Jez (@JezCorden) May 25, 2024

Posted: May 30, 2024 10:34 pm
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: https://gamerant.com/next-gen-xbox-console-handheld-surface-pro-reference-device-rumor/