Xbox President Sarah Bond: 'Next-Gen Console is Gonna be Very Premium and High-End' - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 21 October 2025 / 7,404 Views
Xbox president Sarah Bond speaking with Mashable Tech Editor Bech Werth appears to confirm the rumors the next-generation Xbox will be a more premium device that is more of a hybrid between a PC and a console.
"I can tell you that the next-gen console is gonna be a very premium, very high-end curated experience," said Bond. "You're starting to see some of the thinking we have in this handheld (ROG Xbox Ally), but i don't want to give it all away."
There was a recent rumor by hardware insider Moore’s Law is Dead [MLID] that claims the next-generation Xbox will be a more of a PC and console hybrid.
"[Next-gen Xbox] should be stronger than the PS6, but at the same time, it will also be more expensive because of this larger size and its use of bridge dies and likely a larger RAM capacity compared to the PS6, at least if it wants to work well as a PC console hybrid," claimed MLID at the time.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.
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and very expensive
It will be expensive for sure and more niche. I am guessing $800-$1,000 is what Microsoft will aim for. Though, it will likely be sold at a profit.
PCs are exempt from tariffs in the US, so if they can convince regulators it is a PC rather than a console that could help them. That is if the tariffs are still a thing in a couple of years or are the same/higher.
That would be hard for her to do since she just called it a "console" in your article.
....going back to its roots, so to speak. I grew up with the birth of gaming. it was very niche back then and didnt become mainstream until the mid-late 80's and then really exploded in popularity in the 90's. so much so that anyone and everyone knew what it was.
If they price certain people (casuals) out of the market... it will be just like it was when i was young. The hardcore bought and played the systems and games while everyone else paid it no mind. When things were just fun and you had your small groups of friends you could talk to about games.
Make my toothbrush an Xbox you cowards!!
But we won't be growing the market with $1000 consoles...
It's a quote from Phil Spencer. Just for context
And I won't be getting one. There is zero reason to own Xbox hardware.
And no one will buy it.
I disagree, it will depend on the premium part of the hardware and how MS is able to execute the software part allowing for it to be both PC and console. Basically its a Steam box that allow you access to everything on the PC and hopefully Xbox compatibility as well which would definitely sell. Maybe not as much as Sony or Nintendo but then again it doesn't have to if sold for profit.
No one is buying an Xbox now nor are stores selling them. It's a dead brand in hardware. This thing won't even sell 10 million.
Who cares about what is selling now. We are talking about next gen. Everything starts over from the beginning during a new cycle, it all depends on execution.
Because the damage is done and with the same people in charge who did the damage it's not going to change.
There is no actual damage. The Xbox Series X is a great piece of hardware so I would expect that MS next gen hardware will also be a great piece of hardware. The software from MS is hitting strides unlike before so if they can continue to bring to market high quality software that will please customers. Even gamepass has been hitting it out of the park in terms of games that are scoring high marks even though MS increased the Ultimate price. So the real issue for MS is can they make a PC/Console hybrid that appeals to both camps. Its evident MS isn't looking to compete as a console OEM anymore and that isn't all that bad but they can produce an console experience for PC and a cheaper SOC priced PC device that appeal to both camps. The real key is the software which needs to be executed to perfection. They have time so we will see. execution.
It's over.
Sooo xbox is dead in the waters
More Premium is corporate speak for "More expensive". - Which I am personally fine with, if they can back it up with performance and features... But more price conscious gamers may be driven towards the Switch 2 or Playstation 5/6, which won't do Microsoft's hardware sales any favours.
If there is no optical drive though... I won't be making a purchase, that is a make-it or break-it feature for me. - I will end my support with the Xbox ecosystem with the Series X if that turns out to be the case... I have Blu-Ray and UHD movies and boxsets, I have OG Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Xbox Series X games on physical media... And I want to continue to use them.
There are multiple reasons on why I bought an Xbox Series X. (I was a day 1 owner.)
And this will hopefully be the same arguments I can use on why I would be an Xbox Series X2 owner.
1) Backwards compatibility. - Playing those OG Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox One games better than the original hardware did is worth something for those who already own a collection.
2) Controller. - I prefer the Asymmetrical control sticks and the AA batteries, mostly for comfort and longevity. - The built in Lithium cells in Playstation controllers will fail eventually, it's only a matter of when, not if.
3) Other-features like transcoding from my NAS is simply more convenient via Xbox which supports it natively.
4) Audio CD support. Playstation 4 and 5 don't support it. Xbox does.
5) Multiplayer with friends and family. - If they own Xbox One/Xbox Series consoles, then naturally is a matter of convenience to buy into the same ecosystem to continue gaming with them, not all games support cross-play.
Keep in mind I own all consoles and platforms, so the "Exclusive" argument doesn't apply to me, it's literally irrelevant... The price of the hardware isn't relevant to me either, but I am the exception, not the rule.
It is so surreal, yet refreshing, to see that while you are pro-Xbox and PC you are also pro-physical games.
I just don't see the sense of going digital on console... Period.
If I am going to have a digital library, I will stick to PC where digital games get discounted quickly and heavily thanks to the competition between online digital storefronts, digital games on console tend to remain high priced for longer.
I am Pro-physical on Playstation 5 and Switch 2 as well... In the Switch 2's case I have been very vocal about my dislike for e-waste game key cards that force a digital download... It's stupid and nonsensical.
And of course... Supporting Physical supports local brick and mortar stores, which supports jobs... And it also supports collectors and game preservation long after the console manufacturer has abandoned the market and closed down their online systems.
https://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread/248968/i-think-the-next-xbox-should-be-a-premium-price-console/1/ - Can you add a flare to my forum account. Something like "100% prediction rate"?
Just subbed to that thread so I can necrobump it in 2027 lol.
What is the benefit here, why get this hybrid thingie instead of a straight up PC?
There isn't, unless Microsoft creates an emulator for the Xbox catalogue exclusive to this PC. However, as this next device will run on windows 11 then people will download it somehow anyway. The Xbox Ally X UI can already be installed on all other windows handhelds for instance.
Price, its going to play everything and that even includes PS games since its going to be running Windows. Its probably going to be cheaper to upgrade for a lot of people still using older hardware now than purchasing a CPU/GPU upgrade to their current PC. If MS is able to also backcompat Xbox games for this device that will be another thing in its favor as well. The thing is, I doubt this device is going to be priced to compete with Sony PS6, its going to be competitive to a PC which is the target market.
I remember at the start of the PS3 era there was parody song called ‘How you killed your brand’ lampooning the PS3. Feels like they could re-release it now for the Xbox.
Seriously, the opening verse is ‘Step one, you make your console cost the most. You beat your chest and proudly boast, despite no good exclusive games, you make a bunch of ridiculous claims…’
That’s Xbox in a nutshell right now.
It doesn't fit because this "Xbox" will use Windows 11 and isn't designed to be competitive with PS6. The PS3 was very much designed to be competitive, they just underestimated they're competition. Very different.
They didn't really underestimate Xbox during the 360 era. They over estimated themselves for sure.
lol
Sounds like next gen they may be intentionally shooting to undersell the original Xbox. May very well also be the first $999 console (perhaps just a premium SKU for it).
It's almost like they feel they need to prove to gamers that Xbox hardware has fully failed in order to have the excuse to end that division entirely and just go with GamePass as their whole gaming division. They should really just stop the song and dance and end their hardware division now and fully focus on the direction they have clearly been moving towards the past decade.
Yep but this lets them say we are not abandoning Xbox hardware while giving them a platform that fits in better with development on the PC side than if they continued with a console using traditional pricing with the need to set your price around not just hardware costs but consumer expectation and competition for market share with PS .
"Hybrid between a PC & Console".
As expected, Microsoft may be moving away from dedicated consoles all together. Many expected the next Xbox to be at best a PC-box that happens to be more Xbox themed than the average PC. It just wouldn't make sense for Microsoft to restrict themselves into making a dedicated console with sales this low for their current Xbox. Save their time, money and resources not making a whole OS from scratch or using custom hardware.
This is really good news!! satanic$oft lately been showing their true colours and more and more people starting to boycott them and rightfully so!!
What pathetic though is the xbot brainwashed slaves continue to kiss satanic corp ass
PC/Console hybrid incoming.
This is an interesting strategy for sure. I am looking at it in two different ways:
1) This is Microsoft, although never directly of course, admitting defeat to PlayStation. Although Xbox 360 essentially tied PS3 in that generation, the PS4 just steamrolled over the Xbox One, and PS5 is now doing the same to Xbox Series. Microsoft isn't clever enough to come up with a really cool gimmick like Nintendo, so trying the same thing again ($400-$500-ish locked down console) against PS6 was looking to make no business sense.
2) This is also Microsoft acting and taking Valve very seriously. Steam Deck may be niche, but Valve was proved that its Proton/Linux OS is completely fine and stable enough for PC gamers. Once Valve unleashes Steam Consoles/desktop PCs with its Steam Deck OS, that will start to actually hurt Microsoft's bread and butter bottom-line: Windows. By making a console/PC hybrid that can play all PC games and run third-party stores - yes, including Steam - that can go a long way towards fighting off Valve. It doesn't matter to MS if you buy a Xbox/PC and only run Steam games on it. But it DOES matter if you buy a Steam Deck OS machine and only play Steam games on it.
Day 1 regardless of price
Since most of there games are multiplatform now this makes sense. They are going for a more niche high end market. Obviously this won't be a massive seller but is probably the better choice for Microsoft at this point.
