Rumors of the next-gen Xbox console powered by Windows, making it a full-fledged gaming PC, began floating to the surface of the news cycle earlier this month. Now, it seems that those rumors actually have weight to them. So much weight that the rumors are reportedly true.
When the rumors first popped up, we said it sounded like the next console would just be an expensive gaming PC. That’s exactly what Microsoft is going for, according to Windows Central. (It is worth noting that this report is based on “trusted sources within Microsoft.” So, Microsoft itself has not publicly announced these details). This probably comes as no surprise to some. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally launched on October 16, and both feature a new software experience. It’s called the Xbox Fullscreen Experience, and it’s designed to be more of a console-like user interface than Windows 11.
One of the main complaints that Windows 11 handhelds have had so far is that they don’t feel like handheld consoles, which is essentially what they are. The Xbox Fullscreen Experience takes steps to address that issue. In most ways, it does a fine job at this. All your games are accessible right from one place. This includes games across clients like the Xbox app, Steam, Ubisoft Connect, and more. The next Xbox console is following in these footsteps.
Microsoft’s next Xbox console is a Windows PC, but it will have a console-style UI
The important bit here for console fans is that the new Xbox will have a console-style UI. Similar to, or perhaps exactly like, the Xbox Fullscreen Experience for the ROG Xbox Ally X and ROG Xbox Ally. The console experience will be layered on top of Windows, just like those handhelds. It will also boot into this experience as soon as you power it on, as opposed to booting into Windows first.
There is a major difference, though. As Windows Central reports, those who prefer this console UI can stay within it indefinitely. With no requirement to ever leave it. That means updates, game installs, etc., will all be doable from this experience. For comparison, with the ROG Xbox Ally X, if you want to update anything, it all has to be done from the Windows side of things. It’s not a great experience, all things considered. The next console is reportedly not going to have this problem. That’s a big step in the right direction if you want a console to be a console.
That being said, gamers will have the option to move to the Windows layout if they want to play games from other clients, such as Steam, or play Windows games that run in their own client and aren’t available on Xbox.
It’s still unclear what the price is going to be. However, Xbox President Sarah Bond did confirm that the next-gen Xbox will be a “very premium, very high-end, curated experience.” So, chances are the next Xbox won’t be as affordable as some people are hoping.
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