Microsoft Plans Next-Gen Xbox for 2028 Release

Microsoft has been striving to revolutionize the console industry by transcending traditional generational boundaries, yet it still intends to maintain a conventional approach. According to a recently disclosed internal chat log, as of last spring, the company was preparing to launch a successor to the Xbox Series X|S in 2028. The information came to light as part of the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit to block the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In the conversation, an executive mentioned 'the plan for 2028' while inquiring about the future of the Xbox business model. Kevin Gammill, Corporate VP of gaming ecosystems, responded by stating that Microsoft had already begun exploring a more flexible approach, similar to Windows, with the release of differently powered versions of the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. He added that the goal is to be more adaptable with the next generation while providing developers with a clear target to leverage unique hardware capabilities. If the successor to the Xbox Series X|S is released in 2028, it would mark an eight-year generation, tying it with the Xbox 360 for the longest lifespan of an Xbox system. The original Xbox had the shortest lifespan, launching in 2001 and being discontinued in 2005 ahead of the Xbox 360 launch. Since announcing the Xbox One X under the codename Project Scorpio in 2016, Microsoft has been discussing the concept of moving consoles beyond generations, although Xbox head Phil Spencer emphasized at the time that the plan was not to release new hardware every two years.