Microsoft is investing heavily in games and hardware these days. They have confirmed that a next-generation Xbox codenamed Scarlett is in development but there is more to the story.
Brad Sams is a well known Microsoft-insider who has leaked a lot of information on their consoles in the past. He made a new video today that details the research and development for Microsoft’s Xbox division and it looks pretty exciting. They are not just working on the next-generation console but plans to develop much more.
Here’s a summary of everything that they have planned in the future, courtesy of Brad Sams and his article at Thurrott.
- Disc-less XB1S will be released in Spring 2019. It will come with a subscription plan for 12 or 24 months of Xbox Live Gold and Xbox Game Pass.
- Microsoft has two next-generation consoles: Scarlett and Scarlett Pro (codename Anaconda).
- They are also working on a ‘Slim’ version of next-generation Xbox codenamed Lockhart.
- Microsoft has plans to create new cloud-based servers using the XBX hardware. They are currently using the OG XB1 and have plans to upgrade them to XB1S.
- They are working on a new development service that will streamline the process of creating new games or applications for their platforms: Xbox and Windows 10 Store.
If you are a fan of Xbox then it is an exciting time for sure. Microsoft is also acquiring a lot of brand new studios. They have recently announced the acquisition of Obsidian and Inxilie Entertainment. They announced six new developers at E3 2018 and have achieved success with their Game Pass service. It will be interesting to see where the Xbox brand lands in the future.
