As rumors run rife about the PS5 Pro and its apparent launch this year, Microsoft is moving “full speed ahead” on its next-generation hardware. Windows Central obtained an internal email from Xbox president Sarah Bond stating the same, which Microsoft verified to be genuine. The same email also announced the formation of team for game preservation.
“We are moving full speed ahead on our next-generation hardware, focused on delivering the biggest technological leap ever in a generation,” she said. This echoes comments from February when Microsoft unveiled its multi-platform strategy for select first-party titles. While Bond has previously stated that the company is “invested in the next-generation roadmap”, she’s also promised some “exciting stuff coming out in hardware that we’re going to share this holiday.”
The latter could be the rumored all-digital Xbox Series X. Leaked images surfaced recently of white variant with no disc drive, reportedly out between June and July and retailing for $50 to $100 cheaper than the current model. With Microsoft rumored to host its annual Xbox showcase on June 9th, it could announce the new console there.
As for the next-gen Xbox, unredacted internal documents leaked during its trial with the FTC last year, indicating a potential hybrid cloud console. Nothing is official, of course, and it may be a while before an announcement, so stay tuned for updates.