Due to be released in 2028.

The Microsoft leaks just keep on coming. First was word about the mid-gen refresh for Xbox Series X|S. Then came the leaked release schedule for Bethesda and ZeniMax titles. Now, it's time to read about the next-gen Xbox console that Microsoft is planning for a 2028 release.

As before, this information comes from documents released as part of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) legal battle against Microsoft over the purchase of Activision Blizzard. Part of the documents included information about the next Xbox console Microsoft is working on. The information looks to be accurate as of May 2022. As with all of these leaks, it's entirely possible that plans, dates, and details have changed since the documents were made.

The next-gen Xbox console is targeting a release in 2028 and will be a "next generation hybrid game platform." Microsoft says that the next Xbox will be "capable of leveraging the combined power of the client and cloud to deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences." Thanks to the combined power of the physical hardware and the cloud, this next Xbox will "enable new levels of performance beyond the capabilities of the client hardware alone." That's right, the power of the cloud is coming back in Microsoft's next Xbox!

Interestingly, Microsoft seems to be considering using an ARM64 CPU or an AMD Zen 6 CPU paired with an AMD GPU. Given the timing of this document being made and the fact that it's now nine months into 2023, it is very possible that Microsoft has already decide between going ARM or sticking with AMD for the CPU. The phrase "forward compatibility" is mentioned but it's very unclear what that would even mean. Microsoft also talks up next-gen DirectX raytracing, dynamic global illumination, micropolygon rendering optimizations, and super resolution support.

The bottom of the page mentions a "thin OS" that would be priced under $99 (USD). They specifically mention that this thin OS would be for "consumer or handheld devices," perhaps suggesting that Microsoft is also working on a handheld device that would be capable of playing cloud-boosted Xbox game.


A second page from the leaked document shows a timeline for the overall production on the next-gen Xbox. If Microsoft is on track with this original plan, they are currently working on the design for the hardware and system on a chip. The first development kits would go out around late 2026 with final dev kits coming closer to the end of 2027.