Xbox Talks Next-Gen Hardware, Teases New Console/Controller For This Holiday

Microsoft has revealed that it is working on the next-gen Xbox and said it will be “the largest technical leap you will have ever seen in a hardware generation.” The announcement comes as part of the Official Xbox Podcast, where Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond, and Matt Booty addressed rumors of first-party games going multiplatform.

While discussing Xbox hardware, Bond says that Microsoft is currently developing the next generation of Xbox consoles, which will include a massive technical leap. While no specifics were given about the hardware itself and when the next-gen consoles might release, Xbox is making pretty big claims about its next console generation.

Bond also briefly mentioned that some new Xbox Series X|S hardware will be coming this holiday. This is not the next-gen hardware, but instead some new options for the current console. The Xbox Twitter account shared a more specific version of this announcement, stating that its releasing “more console and controller options for you this holiday.”

There were rumors of a new-all digital version of the Xbox Series X as part of some leaked FTC documents, but the wording here could mean something as simple as a different colored Xbox or one with a different size of built-in SSD storage. That same leak also included documents for a new Xbox controller, which would include haptics, new modular thumb sticks, and a swappable rechargeable battery, which could also be the controller reference in the announcement, but again it could also just be a new color.

Xbox also confirmed during the Xbox Podcast that only four games will be going multiplatform for now, although what those games happen to be is not yet public. It was also confirmed that Xbox Game Pass is not coming to PS5 or Nintendo Switch and that Diablo 4 will come to Game Pass in late March.