Key Highlights:
- The next gen Xbox runs a full version of Windows 11.
- It also has no paywalled multiplayer aspects.
- This puts it as a serious contender against PlayStation.
The console wars are beginning to heat up with the arrival of next gen counterparts for existing devices, with both Xbox and PlayStation bringing their A-game to the table this time around.
Xbox in particular has been trying some interesting new things as of late, and this is supposedly going to translate over to the next gen Xbox (Magnus) as well. Magnus features a ton of quirky new additions, one of which could make it the PS6 killer it was destined to be.
Next Gen Xbox ‘Magnus’ to Feature Full Windows 11 Support
As per a recent report via Jez Corden of Windows Central, the next gen Xbox is designed to be a more ‘premium’ experience. In other words, it will most definitely cost more than a PlayStation 6.
While this strategy is strange to say the least, it does somewhat make sense. After all, Xbox is trying to unify its services and ecosystems together (as seen in the recent Xbox Play Anywhere initiative).
The recently released Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X handheld devices might have been a glimpse at the future in store for Xbox, it’s claimed.
Magnus (the next gen Xbox’s codename) is expected to be running a full version of Windows 11 under the hood, with a secondary Xbox user interface designed for TVs in mind. As such, this means that players can freely switch between the Xbox experience and Windows 11 after going through a few settings, which is quite the radical shift.
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The experience is expected to be similar to that of the already well established Xbox Fullscreen Mode seen in the Xbox Allys. This means that you will be able to navigate the system using just a controller – without ever having to touch Windows.
Alternatively, there will be the option to boot into a full version of Windows 11, for those who wish to use the console more as a PC, and run PC specific apps on it (such as MS Office, a PDF reader, and even alternative game app stores such as Steam, Epic Games, and more).
A side effect of the Xbox turning into what is essentially a PC is the fact that most PlayStation PC exclusives will also be ‘indirectly’ playable on the console, a rather curious phenomenon.
Multiplayer Is Also Expected to Not Require a Subscription Any Longer
Interestingly enough, the report also mentions the lack of a multiplayer paywall. For those who don’t know, multiplayer used to be free on consoles too (just like PCs), before being ultimately paywalled to a subscription starting with the Xbox One/PS4 era.
Assuming that this turns out to be true, it could be a complete game changer. Having to pay an additional subscription fee to access online services is nothing short of asinine, and this is very good move from Microsoft.
Hopefully, both Nintendo and PlayStation follow suit soon enough.
Xbox Is Going for a Very Different Strategy Here
Xbox is starting to shift gears here and is going for a very different market. Instead of directly competing against PlayStation and Nintendo (who have the upper hand currently), Xbox has chosen to chase greener pastures.
In other words, Xbox is chasing the PC market, which appears to be growing at breakneck speeds. With the ability to swap between console and PC modes on the fly, this makes for quite a unique product – and one that now seems a lot more fairly priced when we take the PC competition into the mix.
However, only time will tell whether Xbox’s attempts will prove to be fruitful.
