Next-Gen Xbox Leak Reveals Release Date and First Details

The next Xbox console has leaked after some redacted documents from Microsoft in the FTC lawsuit over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard were accidentally revealed. According to these documents, Microsoft is aiming to release the next Xbox console sometime in 2028, aka sometime five years from now. The documents don’t reveal a ton of other juicy details, like a price point or a name or a spec sheet, but there are some details on Xbox’s broader vision with the console, and some target specs included with this. To this end, Xbox is apparently planning on making a console that will make use of the cloud, and presumably be always online as a result. 

Below, you can check out some of the salient bits of the leak in text form. Below this, there’s a tweet featuring the leaked images the information has been derived from. It’s worth noting it’s unclear how old the documents and the images are. In other words, it’s worth rembering some of this information may be outdated. Further, even if this isn’t the case, it’s all tentative as production for this console won’t happen for at least another few years. 

OUR VISION

Develop a next generation hybrid game platform capable of leveraging the combined power of the client and cloud to deliver deeper immersion and entirely new classes of game experiences. Optimized for real time game play and creators, we will enable new levels of performance beyond the capabilities of the client hardware alone.

KEY STRATEGIC DECISIONS & INVESTMENTS

SILICON CPU (Q1 CY23)

• CPU: ARM64 vs x64 (Zen 6)
• CPU: Balance of Big / Little CPU Cores
• GPU: Co-design w/ AMD or license AMD IP (Navi 5)
• NPU: Balancing the desire for flexible, programmable ML silicon versus high performance silicon for targeted workloads
• Forward compatibility

GRAPHICS INNOVATION

• Next Gen DirectX Raytracing
• Dynamic Global Illumination
• Micropolygon Rendering Optimizations
• ML Based Super Resolution
• Extensibility Model for Faster Iteration and Innovation

THIN OS 

• Lacking Thin OS for < $99 Consumer or Handheld Devices

Key Technological Enablers For This Vision

COHESIVE HYBRID COMPUTE

• Cloud-to-Edge architecture across Silicon, Graphics, and OS enabling ubiquitous play

AI AND ML ENABLEMENT

• Optimization and acceleration of game performance, operations, and development for players and creators

CREATOR PLATFORM

• Open and extensible game and immersive app development platform

At the moment of publishing, Xbox has not commented on this leak in any capacity. If this changes, we will be sure to update the story accordingly.