Among the many announcements that Microsoft made during its E3 2018 presser – besides the acquisition of several studios like Compulsion Games and Ninja Theory – was that a new Xbox was in development. The system is being created by the same team behind the Xbox One X and though it could be years away, the message is clear: Microsoft will eventually have another console generation.
This is an interesting situation for the Xbox One X. The upgraded console isn’t even a year old, having launched in November 2017. Would the announcement of a new Xbox send the wrong message to anyone who already owns the Xbox One or Xbox One X, much less is planning to buy one? GamingBolt posed this question to NPD Group analyst Mat Piscatella.
He responded that, “Personally, I don’t think it sends a message at all. I mean, the minute a new gen launches, the clock starts ticking towards a new one. But everyone has the right to perceive these announcements in their own ways. But I don’t think it’s a huge issue, particularly when it comes to sales.”
Granted, if the next Xbox ends up launching in 2020 or somewhere along those lines, what would potential Xbox One consumers gain in waiting? Of course, the onus is also on Microsoft to deliver with its upcoming roster of titles. Hopefully, titles like Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Crackdown 3, Halo Infinite and Gears 5 will do so in the near future.
