Xbox president Sarah Bond said the next-generation Xbox console will provide “a very premium, very high-end curated experience.” Bond has previously confirmed that the next-gen Xbox won’t be locked to a single storefront, saying it will be closer to the recently launched Xbox-branded ROG Ally handheld device, which runs Windows 11 and has the Xbox interface on top.
The Microsoft executive made the remarks during an interview with Mashable on Wednesday, in which she discussed the new ROG Xbox Ally handheld device, Xbox strategy, next-gen consoles and more.
When asked about the next Xbox, Bond said the console would be aimed at high-end users, suggesting it could be priced higher.
“The next generation of consoles is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience,” Bond told Mashable. “You’re starting to see some of the thinking we’re putting into this handheld device.”
Bond’s comments suggest that the next Xbox home console will be similar to the ROG Xbox Ally X handheld device launched earlier this month. This high-end handheld device is powered by AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme chip and is priced at a controversial $1,000. Bond’s response could be a harbinger of higher prices for the next generation of Xbox home consoles.
Sarah Bond on next-gen Xbox
Bond has also previously said that the next-generation Xbox will not be tied to a single storefront, suggesting that the console may be a Windows-based device with an open platform that supports third-party storefronts such as Steam and the Epic Games Store, just like Xbox-branded handheld devices.
The new ROG Xbox Ally handheld device runs on Windows 11 but boots into the Xbox full-screen experience by default. The new Xbox interface keeps certain Windows operations in the background to free up more memory for gaming.
The next generation Xbox console may also be equipped with artificial intelligence capabilities. Microsoft this year launched AI-powered Gaming Copilot, a tool available on Windows PCs and an Xbox app on mobile devices. The tool is integrated into the Game Bar to provide game tips, recommendations and other information, and is also available on new Xbox-branded handheld devices.
When Bond announced in June that Microsoft was partnering with AMD to develop the next Xbox console, she also said the Xbox team was working closely with the Windows team to ensure Windows becomes the “number one gaming platform,” further hinting that the next Xbox would be a Windows-centric platform.
A recent leak claimed that the next Xbox will be more powerful and more expensive than the PlayStation 6, which is in line with Bond’s comments about the next Microsoft console as a “premium” device. According to leaked information, the next generation Xbox and PS6 may launch in 2027.
Last year, when teasing the next generation of Xbox consoles, Bond said the next-gen device would represent the “biggest technological leap” for a new generation of consoles.
