Microsoft's attempt to turn the next-generation Xbox into a hybrid ecosystem with support for third-party platforms promises technical flexibility but will result in financial costs — it seems that the players themselves will have to pay for it.
New comments from insider Kepler L2 on the NeoGAF forum have revealed details about the next-generation Xbox device. He confirmed that the previously leaked AMD Magnus APU with 11 Zen 6 cores and 68 RDNA 5 compute units will be the basis for both the console and the Xbox-branded gaming PC lineup. According to him, it is the architectural features and business model that could make the new platform the most expensive in Microsoft's history.
The main feature will not only be increased performance but also support for third-party stores, including Steam and GOG, which will allow launching a wide range of games. However, this openness threatens the company's traditional business model with a 30% commission on sales in the proprietary store, which could lead to a significant increase in the cost of the console itself. According to forecasts, to compensate for the loss of commission, Microsoft will have to raise the price of the device to $1,000–$1,500. This is almost twice the expected cost of the PlayStation 6.
Consoles will retain backward compatibility with games from previous generations, while Xbox-branded PCs will not have this feature. The reason lies in licensing. The Xbox Play Anywhere system formally allows using one purchase on both Xbox and Windows with shared saves and add-ons. However, according to the insider, many publishers are already unhappy with the current level of cross-platform compatibility and are against the automatic transfer of licenses. Microsoft's attempts to move further and turn Xbox games into full-fledged PC versions could lead to lawsuits. Even the idea of dual boot (Xbox/Windows) is considered legally questionable in this context.
Thus, Microsoft will have to find a balance between user convenience and business model sustainability. According to insiders, the technical flexibility of the next-generation Xbox could result in a noticeable price increase for end customers.
