While the rumors of Nintendo’s NX console debuting at E3 have been squashed, it seems Sony and Microsoft may be the ones with the new hardware. We’ve already learned about the PlayStation NEO, the codename for the 4K-capable console from Sony, and we’re now getting information that Microsoft has something as well.
According to thurrott.com, a new Xbox console will be revealed at E3 in June. Paul Thurrott is a Microsoft insider, so this information should be taken pretty seriously. While he mentions he doesn’t have all the details, Thurrott does confirm a big hardware announcement is coming from Microsoft.
What could this new console be? On one hand, the safe bet is a reworked Xbox One. This could mean improved hardware to allow for 4K gaming, like what Sony is doing with the PS4. This could also be a “Slim” version of the Xbox One we already have, like what Microsoft did with the Xbox 360.
On the other, more risky, hand, we’ve seen Microsoft really pushing the relationship between Xbox One and Windows 10 hard over the past few months. Games like Quantum Break even gave you a copy for both PC and Xbox One if you bought it, and Killer Instinct has full cross-platform support. A “Windows Machine” or something similar could be enough to disrupt the console market, blending the PC and console crowds together better than ever before.
It should be noted that all of this is pure speculation. The only facts we have are that an anonymous source said Microsoft will unveil some major hardware. We’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
One thing that is for certain: Microsoft will be presenting a new controller at E3. Thurrott isn’t expecting much of a change to the design though, as he says it looks identical to the ones already available. It will probably be a standard controller, but in a new color.
So what do you think? Are you interested by the possibility of a new Microsoft console? Do you want Microsoft and Sony to focus on the consoles we already have? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
