Next-gen Xbox plans leak & it might be radically different
Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox plans have been leaked, and the console is slated to use cutting-edge tech in addition to “cloud hybrid” features. The console is slated for release in 2028.
Microsoft’storrentofleakscontinues as an unredacted PDF attachment inside of adocumenthas revealed plans for a new current-gen console refresh, in addition to the company’s plans for their next-generation console.
The console is clearly still a work in progress, with unconfirmed specifications. However, it is an exciting peek behind the curtain.
Next-gen Xbox leaked specifications
Microsoft’s next console will feature either an ARM CPU, or an advancedAMDZen 6 CPU with a chiplet-style design. TheGPUwill also be either a custom solution developed by Microsoft and AMD or licensing the Navi 5 name. It’s likely that Microsoft would use an off-the-shelf Navi 5 GPU if the company chooses to go with ARM over x86.
The decision would radically change the console. But, Microsoft has not quite made its mind up quite yet. However, you should still expect the console to be incredibly powerful due to the cutting-edge GPUs slated to go inside it.
An additional slide showcases how Microsoft will use tech likeFSRfor super-resolution and frame interpolation, too. This would further enhance framerates on the upcoming system for even better performance.
AI and the cloud are crucial areas of interest
Microsoft will be adding in a new chop which will allow for machine-learning silicon to be put into the system. This could allow for tasks such as physics simulation and evendialogue generation in games, in addition to procedural content generation, too.
Interestingly, Microsoft calls this a “hybrid” console, which makes use of the cloud to “deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences”. The company hopes that these features will allow the console to go “beyond the capabilities of the client hardware alone”.
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Next-gen Xbox release year leak
The next-gen Xbox is targeted for launch in 2028. Preliminary decisions such as the decision between ARM and X86 are due to be made this year, with the following years focusing on SOC design and more. We can also see that game development for the new console is set to start at the tail end of 2023, with those titles being ported to the new system in the following years.
The company hopes to have the first development kits in mid-2026, so until then its developers will have to target current-gen first, ahead of moving to the new console.
It’s clear that the next-gen Xbox is still a work in progress, but if the current leaks are anything to go by, it will be an incredibly exciting console once gamers get their hands on it.
