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Microsoft’s next Xbox generation may be shaping up as a hybrid: the simplicity and polish of a console wrapped around the openness and library reach of a PC. Recent reporting and executive hints sketch a device designed to bridge both worlds — if the rumours prove true.
Microsoft’s reported vision: console ease, curated Windows power
Sources cited by Windows Central, along with comments from Xbox executives like Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer, suggest the next Xbox will run on a foundation that resembles a curated Windows gaming PC. That doesn’t mean you’ll need to tinker with drivers or settings — the emphasis appears to be on keeping the familiar console UI and the “plug-and-play” home experience while unlocking the broader PC ecosystem beneath the hood.
Imagine a console that boots into an Xbox-style full-screen experience but can also access PC storefronts and libraries without jumping through hoops. Microsoft’s recent collaboration with ASUS on the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handhelds is being read as an experiment or preview of this direction — demonstrating a unified interface over a PC-like platform.
One device, every library: Steam, Epic, Game Pass and more
The headline feature in the leaks is wide library access. Reportedly, the next Xbox would let you launch games from Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG and Battle.net alongside native Xbox titles. That’s the PC perk: a single device that aggregates multiple stores. At the same time, it would still natively run Xbox games — including the catalog playable on Series X/S and the stack of backwards-compatible titles from Xbox 360 and original Xbox.
- Native Xbox UI and console game support for simplicity.
- Access to PC storefronts (Steam, Epic, GOG, Battle.net) for breadth.
- Backward compatibility covering original Xbox and Xbox 360 titles through Series X/S libraries.
The report also points out that the Xbox full-screen experience seen on the ROG Ally devices could serve as the home interface for this hybrid console — delivering a consistent, console-like front end while exposing PC-style flexibility underneath.
No multiplayer paywall — a move toward PC norms?
One of the most consequential claims is that Microsoft may remove the traditional multiplayer paywall for the next Xbox generation. Console players have paid for online multiplayer since the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 eras; PC players typically haven’t. If Microsoft drops that subscription requirement for online play, it would align Xbox more closely with PC gaming expectations and mark a major shift in console business models.
That change would likely ripple across Microsoft’s subscription strategy, including Game Pass. The report hints at adjustments to Game Pass’ structure tied to the new hardware, but details remain unclear until Microsoft provides official word.
What we still don’t know — and what to watch for
There are a lot of open questions. Will the hardware specs lean toward upgradability like a PC or remain fixed like a traditional console? How deeply will PC storefronts be integrated — native apps or streamed access through the Xbox app? What will happen to Game Pass tiers and pricing if multiplayer access is uncoupled from a subscription?
Timing is another unknown. We’re more than five years into the current console generation, so chatter is unsurprising, but Microsoft hasn’t confirmed a release window. The current reporting is sourced and plausible, yet still very much in the rumor category.
For players, the promise is compelling: the convenience of a console experience with PC-style library access and possibly no multiplayer paywall. If Microsoft can execute on that mix, it could reshape expectations for what a gaming console can be — and how consoles and PCs coexist in the living room and beyond.
Source: wccftech
Comments
mechbyte
Wait.. a console that runs Steam natively? if MS does this I'm hyped but also wary about DRM and updates. Hope they don't bloat it with ads lol
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