Microsoft is partnering with AMD to work on the next-generation Xbox consoles. The corporate introduced Tuesday it had signed a multi-year settlement with AMD to co-develop chipsets for its slate of future units, together with the next-generation Xbox consoles. In a quick video announcement, Xbox president Sarah Bond additionally mentioned the next-generation Xbox expertise wouldn’t be locked to a single retailer or machine, suggesting at an open platform that might assist third-party shops like Steam.

The Subsequent Xbox Will not be Locked to a Single Retailer

The announcement comes on the heels of the Xbox Games Showcase, the place Microsoft unveiled the primary Xbox-branded handheld gaming PC manufactured by Asus. The ROG Xbox Ally runs a full-screen Xbox expertise on prime of Home windows, thus permitting different PC storefronts like Steam, Epic Video games Retailer and GOG on the machine.

Bond mentioned the next-generation Xbox platform will “unlock a deeper stage of visible high quality and immersive gameplay and participant experiences, enhanced with the facility of AI.” The chief confirmed the next-generation Xbox consoles will likely be backwards suitable with gamers’ current library of Xbox video games.

Microsoft appears to be doubling down on Xbox as a platform not tied to a console, however current throughout supported units like handhelds, PCs and good TVs, natively and by way of Xbox Cloud Gaming. Crucially, the corporate additionally appears to be suggesting that the following Xbox console can be a Windows-centric machine, working Xbox video games alongside supporting third-party storefronts, identical to the ROG Xbox Ally units.

Home windows on Xbox?

“That is all about constructing you a gaming platform that is at all times with you, so you may play the video games you need throughout units wherever you need, delivering you an Xbox expertise not locked to a single retailer or tied to at least one machine,” Bond mentioned.

“That is why we’re working carefully with the Home windows workforce, to make sure that Home windows is the primary platform for gaming.”

AMD silicon powers the current-generation Xbox Series S/X, with each consoles working on a customized AMD Zen 2 CPU. The brand new Xbox Ally handhelds function AMD chipsets, as nicely, with the AMD Ryzen Z2 Excessive and the Ryzen Z2 A powering the Xbox Ally X and Xbox Ally, respectively.

Again in February 2024, Microsoft had teased its next-generation Xbox consoles and mentioned it was focussed on delivering the “largest technical leap” for a brand new console era for the following Xbox.