Microsoft is allegedly taking steps to end the long-running console wars with a surprisingly diplomatic approach, as rumours have suggested that the company’s next-generation Xbox will be a console-PC hybrid system, allowing gamers access to not just Xbox titles, but also PC and even PlayStation games.
This new rumour comes from sources speaking to Windows Central and Digital Foundry, which stated that the next-generation Xbox will take some cues from the ROG Xbox Ally X handheld console, which similarly lets users launch titles across various PC storefronts, with Windows Central’s sources stating that the system will run “full-bore Windows, with a TV-optimised, console-style experience layered on top.”
Xbox president Sarah Bond echoed these statements during a recent interview with Mashable, adding that the console will be designed as a high-end, premium experience. “The next-gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience,” she said. “You’re starting to see some of the thinking we have in [the ROG Xbox Ally], but I don’t want to give it all away.”
Indeed, a full-blown hybrid PC capable of also running first-party Xbox titles might turn out to be extra expensive considering the flexibility on offer, but it also presents an interesting prospect as it will essentially be positioned as an all-in-one machine that allows gamers to experience the widest range of titles possible. Having Windows software as its foundation means that gamers would have access to not just a plethora of PC titles on offer, but also PlayStation games by extension, such as Insomniac’s Spider-Man or Santa Monica’s God of War franchises, which are both currently available on Steam.
As this is still a rumour, it does pose certain questions, such as whether the next-gen Xbox will feature mouse and keyboard support, or how it will handle online multiplayer, since online functionality in games on PC is traditionally free, unlike the current console generations’ Xbox Game Pass or PS Plus subscription formats. As always, rumours must be taken with a pinch of salt, although a hybrid next-gen Xbox console definitely sounds like an interesting way to bridge the gap between the consoles, and will be a major win for all gamers if it turns out to be true.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
