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Choice of console and game launcher
- The Asus ROG Xbox Ally X has a “full screen experience” and is built to allow you to access multiple launchers. It needs a fresh coat of paint if it hopes to appeal to the console crowd. © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo
Xbox’s next-generation AMD APU (accelerated processing unit), called “Magnus” in early testing, is expected to be more powerful than anything found in the current console. It will feature the upcoming Zen 6 CPU and RDNA 4 GPU microarchitecture, along with any upscaling technology the chip maker is cooking. What we know about the console’s performance suggests it could be an expensive device, priced in the high $1,000s. The best scenario for our wallets is if AMD offers multiple versions of its chip at different price points. It’s more likely that the Magnus is a singular high-end APU. If we want more affordable Xboxes, they tend to sport weaker specs.
In such a scenario, Microsoft cannot forget about the convenience of the console. Gamers expect games made for a specific console to run and look good without having to futz with the graphics. It took Xbox months after the launch of its partner handheld, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally and Ally Xon create game-specific performance profiles for these devices.
While it should be backwards compatible with Xbox One and Series titles, the next-generation Xbox may not appear in the Xbox games library. The head of the Epic Games Store, Steve Allison, told Stephen Totilo his Game File newsletter last week he planned to take the PC launcher to the new Xbox hardware. Windows Central also confirmed that other launchers, such as Steam and GOG, will be compatible with the new device.
Can Xbox change the game?
- Microsoft forgot that console gamers want a convenient way to play. © Chikena / Shutterstock
It’s the same Valve’s Linux-based SteamOSthe new Xbox may allow players to perform non-gaming tasks or—more importantly—apply mods, retro emulators, or other specialized gaming software to their console. Hell, since it’s a Windows machine, any PC peripheral can work on a next-generation Xbox. Tom Warren of The Verge MANILAbased on additional internal sources, that the upcoming console will steal from the recent Xbox Cloud Gaming visual update. That means bigger windows, a more colorful interface, and controller-centric navigation. It may seem like a small thing, but Microsoft has shown that it needs to relearn the same lessons with its Xbox Ally UI.
Valve has already promised a lot of this same capability with this upcoming Steam Machine. That 6-by-6-inch hybrid console/PC is set to will arrive in the first half of 2026although we don’t know its price yet. Valve is a smaller, nimbler company than the floating titan Microsoft. The multibillion-dollar tech giant envisions itself beating Valve in its influence over third-party OEMs. And you know what? That can be done.
More important for the Xbox is whether it can move the console game towards a model of choice for consumers. Xbox has shown over the past few years that gamers no longer need to worry about console exclusivity. The issue with that promise is that longtime Xbox fans are left looking for it to reach a wider base. Consumers saw the writing on the wall and abandoned the Xbox hardware business in the dust. If it wants to succeed, Xbox needs to remind everyone that it can do more with the hardware and offer features that gamers can’t get anywhere else.
