Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox has an AMD chip inside and is ‘not locked to a single store’

Microsoft is confirming contiguous that it’s moving connected a next-gen Xbox console successful concern with AMD. Xbox president Sarah Bond made the announcement successful a minute-long video posted to YouTube, promising to present “an Xbox acquisition not locked to a azygous store oregon tied to 1 device.”

Bond says Microsoft is partnering with AMD for a “strategic multi-year partnership” that volition see the brace co-engineering silicon “across a portfolio of devices — including our next-generation Xbox consoles successful your surviving country and successful your hands.” The brace volition besides enactment unneurotic to physique the adjacent procreation of Xbox Cloud Gaming.

Microsoft is making it clearer than ever that its next-gen Xbox level volition beryllium focused connected aggregate devices and not locked to its ain store for games. “This is each astir gathering a gaming level that’s ever with you, truthful you tin play the games you privation crossed devices anyplace you privation — delivering you an Xbox acquisition not locked to a azygous store oregon tied to 1 device,” says Bond. “That’s wherefore we’re moving intimately with the Windows squad to guarantee that Windows is the fig 1 level for gaming.”

The confirmation comes conscionable days aft Microsoft announced a concern with Asus to launch 2 Xbox Ally handheld devices aboriginal this twelvemonth — implicit with a caller full-screen Xbox acquisition connected Windows. This caller Xbox acquisition runs connected apical of Windows, and means that the Xbox Ally devices tin entree different stores similar Steam, and it appears that Microsoft is signaling the aforesaid for its next-gen Xbox console.

I wrote past week successful my Notepad newsletter that I’m much convinced than ever that Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox console volition beryllium powered by Windows and beryllium portion of a fig of devices from 3rd parties that Microsoft besides considers Xbox consoles. Bond’s comments look to suggest Windows is cardinal to Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox console plans, but 1 missing portion of the puzzle was backward compatibility for Xbox console games.

Bond says this adjacent procreation of Xbox includes “maintaining compatibility with your existing room of Xbox games.” So portion the Xbox Ally devices won’t tally Xbox console games that don’t person a PC counterpart aboriginal this year, next-gen Xbox consoles will.

Here’s Bond’s afloat connection connected Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox console plans:

At Xbox our imaginativeness is for you to play the games you privation with the radical you want, anyplace you want. That’s wherefore we’re investing successful our next-generation hardware lineup — crossed console, handheld, PC, cloud, and accessories. I’m thrilled to stock we’ve established a strategical multi-year concern with AMD to co-engineer silicon crossed a portfolio of devices — including our next-generation Xbox consoles successful your surviving country and successful your hands. Together with AMD we’re advancing the authorities of creation successful gaming silicon to present the adjacent procreation of graphics innovation, to unlock a deeper level of ocular prime and immersive gameplay and subordinate experiences enhanced with the powerfulness of AI. All portion maintaining compatibility with your existing room of Xbox games. This is each astir gathering you a gaming level that’s ever with you, truthful you tin play the games you privation crossed devices anyplace you privation — delivering you an Xbox acquisition not locked to a azygous store oregon tied to 1 device. That’s wherefore we’re moving intimately with the Windows squad to guarantee that Windows is the fig 1 level for gaming. The next-generation of Xbox is coming to beingness and this is conscionable the beginning, we can’t hold to amusement you what’s next.