Recently in a newly released video Microsoft has confirmed that the Next Generation of Xbox will not be locked to a single device, nor will it be tied to a single storefront.
This announcement was made alongside the news of their new partnership with AMD, and the use of their latest and greatest technology to power "what comes next" for Xbox.
In the video Xbox President Sarah Bond discusses how Xbox will be more than just a single console going forward, with a focus on making Windows the best place for gaming, while also allowing gamers to play what they want, where they want. This includes continuing to release Xbox games as multiplatform titles, but also allowing Xbox console owners to continue playing all of their existing games across PC, Xbox consoles, and handhelds.
Of course the announcement didn't come with a physical console reveal, but Microsoft's partnership with AMD is set to be a multi-year deal. This means that while AMD will for sure be powering the next Xbox console released, their technology could be used for the next generation as well.
As for the available storefronts, it has been rumored for quite some time that the next Xbox hardware would be more of a "PC Box" and would be able to side load stores such as Steam. While the new announcement video does not confirm this will be the case, it does let us know that Microsoft will not only be focusing on the Windows store itself. In recent years multiple Xbox exclusives have made their way to the Steam storefront as well, and it seems that this will still be the case going forward. As it stands however, the downside to purchasing on Steam versus the Windows Store is the lack of cross buy functionality, as Windows Store bought games also allow you to download the Xbox console version as well, while Steam is treated liked a separate entity. Of course this could always change in the future, especially if Steam can be loaded onto the next Xbox console, but we will need to wait for an official announcement first.
Additionally it should be noted that the new ROG Xbox Ally device is not just an Xbox console, but a full on ROG Ally device. This means it is not limited to Xbox games, and can play other PC titles as well. This is another step towards the "Next Generation of Xbox" as mentioned in the video, and is set to launch this Holiday season.
For more, here is the official announcement.
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