New Xbox Console Leaks Hint At Big Change In Strategy For Next Generation

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A leaker has claimed that Microsoft is already preparing its next Xbox console for launch. While that isn't surprising in and of itself, as console makers start prepping their next systems once a new one releases, the leaker claims that the next console will release far sooner than projections felt it would.

Leaker TheGhostOfHope posted on X (formerly Twitter) that, according to their "," thenext Xbox console would be released in the latter part of 2026. If true, that would mean that the system would come out around six years after the release of the Xbox Series X/S.

Just as important, TheGhostOfHope indicated that one of the big "" releases would be the title expected to drop in 2026. Microsoft currently owns Activision and, thus, may roll out the red carpet for the series' annual entry to make it stand out.

Xbox Game Pass subscriptions could be changing with the inclusion of Call of Duty, according to an industry insider.

This prediction specifically contradicts the documents released during the FTC vs. Microsoft trial when the company was in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard King. In key filings, Microsoft documents were made public which speculated that both Microsoft and rival Sony would release the next line of consoles in 2028, not 2026. However, recent events might have indicated that Microsoft needed to push things out faster. For example, despite Xbox Game Pass being hailed as a game-changer, subscriptions have gone stagnant in recent months.

Another issue is that despite the Xbox Series X/S being released in 2020, its sales have been slow-going. As of February 2024, the combined sales of the systems were under 28 million. In contrast, recent numbers for the PlayStation 5 indicate that the console is at 59 million sold. The two systems were released within days of one another, and Xbox head Phil Spencer noted in other documents uncovered in the FTC case that he felt the Microsoft platform was the superior system. Yet, the PS5 has done vastly