Xbox Prime, Next-Gen Xbox Console Rumor Is False

Microsoft had a solid with this generation of consoles, but things started to dry down with the lack of Xbox-exclusive games and how Sony controlled the console market. Although Microsoft has been a gaming giant for ages, they now appears to be exiting the console business race. While they will still be releasing a next-generation system in the coming years, rumors have suggested that the next-gen Xbox console might be released soon, as early as 2026.

What makes this notable is that other speculations concerning the PlayStation 6 suggest that Sony may not be ready to launch it until sometime in 2028. So we're looking at a potential two-year head start for the next-generation Xbox, which, regardless of how you slice it, I believe makes things a little more intriguing. Since Microsoft can’t beat Sony in the console war, they are targeting to stay ahead of the race with newer consoles. There’s been a rumor suggesting that Microsoft’s next Xbox console will be called the Xbox Prime and will launch in 2026.

Without any official confirmation from Microsoft, it's unknown whether 'Xbox Prime' is a codename or the true name. This rumor, however, was proven to be false information by another Microsoft leaker. However, if Microsoft is truly planning to launch a new console two years earlier than PlayStation 6, it’s surely going to be an effective strategy for Xbox to be ahead of the console race. It surely is a big risk, but it has great advantages if it pays off.

With the Xbox Series X|S generations now spanning many years along with a revamped Xbox Game Pass, newer versions of Xbox Series X and Series S were launched on October 15, 2024, as part of Microsoft’s plan. Refreshing the designs and offering enhanced storage capacity with no substantial modification in hardware, the newer models included a 1TB variant of the Xbox Series S in white hue, an all-white Xbox Series X, and the 2TB variant—Xbox Series X Galaxy Black Special Edition.

Since Microsoft is desperate for an Xbox handheld launch, it might be unlikely that they’ll launch any new console within the next year before. We’ll be keeping track of this development and will be updating it as soon as there is one.