Earlier today rumors spread that Microsoft plans to quit making Xbox consoles. The story first appeared on TweakTown. It said a well known leaker named SneakersSO on NeoGAF shared the claim. The leaker said the next generation Xbox plans moved from “really concrete” to “up in the air”. Many fans read the post and began to worry about the future of Xbox hardware.
Microsoft’s Official Response
Microsoft answered the claim through a statement posted on Windows Central. The company said, “We are actively investing in our future first‑party consoles and devices designed, engineered and built by Xbox.” The statement also pointed readers to the agreement announcement with AMD for more details. This clear response showed that Microsoft still backs console development.
Recent Xbox News and Game Pass Pricing
The rumor arrived at a busy time for the brand. Costco recently pulled Xbox consoles from its shelves. At the same time the price of the top tier Game Pass subscription rose by 50 percent. Bloomberg reported that putting last year’s Call of Duty entry on Game Pass cost Microsoft over $300 million in lost sales. The title, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, still topped US sales charts last year. Sony’s PlayStation accounted for 82 percent of those sales.
Impact on Game Pass and Sales
Court documents from 2023 show that adding games to Game Pass can hurt retail sales. Microsoft admitted this in a legal filing. The recent price increase happened just eleven days before the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Some analysts think a drop in pre‑orders for the new game pushed the price hike. The upcoming Battlefield 6 also adds competition.
The last reported Game Pass subscriber count was 34 million in February 2024. No new data shows how the price change affected that number. Before the hike, Microsoft said Game Pass generated nearly $5 billion in revenue for the fiscal year that ended in June.
What This Means for Gamers
Gamers can feel reassured that Xbox hardware is not disappearing. Microsoft’s statement confirms ongoing investment in consoles. However, the price hike on Game Pass may make some players think twice about the service. The company will need to balance new console plans with subscription pricing to keep the community happy.
Source: Dark Horizons
