Microsoft’s Next Xbox to Embrace Steam, Ditch Paid Multiplayer
MUNICH – Microsoft is planning a meaningful shift with its next-generation Xbox console, aiming to blend the accessibility of a console with the versatility of a PC. Leaked specifications and reports indicate the new Xbox will natively support PC game libraries from platforms like Steam, alongside Xbox Series X|S titles and backwards compatibility with Xbox One and Xbox 360 games.
The console is designed to launch users directly into the Xbox app upon startup, offering a streamlined console experience. Though, users will retain the ability to exit the Xbox app and access the full Windows desktop, effectively transforming the device into a fully functional PC. This hybrid approach aims to bridge the gap between console and PC gaming, offering a single device for a wider range of titles.
A key feature of the next Xbox will be the elimination of mandatory paid subscriptions for online multiplayer gaming, a departure from the current Xbox Live Gold/Game Pass Ultimate model. this move is expected to make online gaming more accessible to a broader audience.
According to details revealed by Notebookcheck, the next-generation xbox will be powered by a custom AMD “Magnus” chip. This chip will feature eleven processor cores based on the Zen 6 architecture and an RDNA 5 graphics chip with 68 compute units, positioning it as possibly more powerful than the APU found in the PlayStation 5.
Microsoft is reportedly targeting a balance between performance and affordability, aiming to offer a next-gen gaming experience at a lower price point than a comparably powerful gaming PC. The console is also expected to offer easier setup and configuration compared to building a PC.
