Engineers at Microsoft are currently working the next version of the company’s Xbox console.
Speaking on stage during Microsoft’s keynote at the E3 gaming conference in Los Angeles, Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer revealed that there will be new generations of the Xbox console.
“The same team that delivered unprecedented performance with Xbox One X is deep into architecting the next Xbox consoles, where we will once again deliver on our commitment to set the benchmark for console gaming,” Spencer said.
Microsoft released the latest iteration of its Xbox, the Xbox One X, this past September. The Xbox One X is hailed by Microsoft as the “world’s most powerful console; the device is faster and has more computing power than its predecessors, the original Xbox One and newer Xbox One S. It competes with Sony’s Playstation 4 Pro.
For years, gamers and industry pundits have speculated that each console generation from Microsoft and Sony could be the last, as mobile gaming has surged and Microsoft has increasingly bridged its Windows PC and console gaming initiatives. But the company continues to put more resources into the Xbox consoles and its gaming business overall.
Microsoft on Sunday announced four gaming studio acquisitions, and the creation of its own new studio called The Initiative, as it plans to create more first-party titles.
The company is also investing AI and cloud resources into gaming technologies. Spencer said Microsoft is building a “game streaming network to unlock console-quality gaming on any device.” As the gaming industry moves toward cloud-based infrastructure, it may reduce the need for a high-powered console.
“We are dedicated to perfecting your experience everywhere you want to play: on your Xbox, your PC, or your phone,” Spencer noted.
