Rumor: Next-Gen Xbox Will Run on Windows and Remove Multiplayer Paywall
Earlier this year, Microsoft officially announced that it is working with AMD on the next-generation Xbox. Recently, Sarah Bond, President of Xbox, stated that it will be a premium, high-end product, but no detailed information has been shared yet.
Previously, there were rumors that Microsoft planned to release a device that would essentially be a PC running Windows with access to various game stores. Now, these rumors have been confirmed by insider Jez Corden.
The Next Xbox Will Run on Full Windows and Feature Free Multiplayer
In a Windows Central article, Jez Corden revealed new details about the upcoming Xbox that he learned from his sources.
His report followed recent comments from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who said that the ROG Xbox Ally shows the direction Xbox is heading. Following his comments, Corden spoke with his sources and learned that the next-gen Xbox will run on a full version of Windows instead of a special console-only operating system.
“As many of us have come to expect, the next Xbox will indeed run full-bore Windows, with a TV-optimized, console-style experience layered on top,” he said. “Microsoft decided to sideline its own Xbox handheld plans and go to market with the Xbox Ally in partnership with ASUS this year to start gathering feedback on the experience that will essentially power its next wave of “console” hardware.”
He further explained, “Where the Xbox console will differ from a traditional Windows PC is that it will feel like a traditional Xbox console out of the box. The onboarding experience will be similar to what you get today on console, and if you choose, you can remain fully inside the Xbox ecosystem, never touching Windows itself. Exiting out to Windows will be for those who want to access games traditionally not available on Xbox, including PlayStation games on Steam, mouse and keyboard-first games like League of Legends, or even classic games from GOG and the like.”
The new console will also run all games available on Xbox Series X|S, including backward-compatible titles from the original Xbox, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
Additionally, Xbox players currently need a Game Pass Essential (or higher) subscription to play online multiplayer games. But if the next Xbox functions like a PC, it won’t need a separate paid subscription for multiplayer access. Corden’s sources confirm that Microsoft plans to make multiplayer free on the new system.
He added, “Right now, I’m told the current plan is for the next Xbox specifically to have no paywall for multiplayer. It wouldn’t make a lick of sense for a “PC” to have paid multiplayer, particularly since it would create a strong incentive for players to simply install Steam instead of use the Xbox ecosystem on that device for online games”
Lastly, Corden added that Microsoft might rename or remove the separate PC Game Pass in the future, as the gap between console and PC is shrinking.
As for pricing, the next Xbox is expected to be more expensive than the PlayStation 6, but it may still be one of the most cost-effective ways to experience PC gaming.
In other Xbox news, the division’s president said that exclusive games are “antiquated,” which should further drive home that all Xbox games are hitting other platforms. Case in point: Halo Campaign Evolved was announced over the weekend, and it’ll be available day and date on PS5 alongside Xbox and PC.
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This is huge for many reasons. Does it count as a console if it is running PC software? Will it have an external GPU port like the ROG handhelds so you can upgrade the hardware? Nobody is going to buy a PC that they can’t upgrade, so marketing it as a Windows machine and not a console it going to possibly hurt them in the long run.
I do like the idea of removing the paywall just to play online, it makes sense to have MP free and pay for the extras and game library. If Steam doesn’t charge monthly fees to play online, why do consoles? Makes no sense.