In the console world, we entered the next generation in 2020 with the Xbox Series S | Series X and PlayStation 5. The previous generation, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, came out in 2013. So there are 7 years between them. Xbox’s planned date for its next-generation console has a similar range.
The next generation of Xbox consoles will launch in 2028
The next-generation models of Microsoft’s current gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, apparently won’t arrive until 2028.
The information is based on conversations between company executives after the Federal Trade Commission’s failed attempt to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard in June, which were recently made public in federal court filings.
The minutes of a May 2022 meeting, first released by the Northern District Court of California, show Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella asking whether the plan for 2028 was to stick to the goal of one main platform for developers to make games, or something similar to the range of features seen on the PC. Judging by the responses of other executives, the answer seems to be a combination of the two.
Corporate VP Kevin Gammill said in remarks made public in court filings, “We started this journey with Xbox One and One X and we’re continuing with Series S | X. With the 10th generation, we need to be even more flexible going forward, while at the same time enabling creators to take advantage of unique hardware capabilities.”
Plans can always change, but this shift suggests that Microsoft will double down on its current multi-model approach, with the Series S being weaker but more affordable than the Series X, a more direct competitor to Sony’s equivalent PlayStation 5.
The year 2028 will also make the current ninth-generation console cycle one of the longest. There were six years between the PS2 and PS3 and seven years between the Xbox One and Series X/S. What do you think? Please don’t forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments.
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