Plans for New Xbox in Doubt as Retailers Refuse to Sell — Insider

Insider SneakersSO, who previously exposed Xbox’s third‑party strategy with notable accuracy, has posted fresh rumours on the NeoGAF forum about the future of Microsoft’s gaming arm. He says that following the latest round of layoffs internal discussions took an unexpected turn and plans for a new hardware platform have grown uncertain.

According to the source, Xbox leadership originally targeted a 2026 release for new hardware, but “the real, concrete plans for Microsoft’s consoles have become unclear.” Critical preparatory steps for a next‑generation launch were not carried out, and decisions that were once settled have started to be postponed — a sign, he argues, of eroding internal coordination.

The insider also highlighted Costco’s choice to stop selling Xbox and predicts other major retailers will follow suit. “Costco dropping Xbox — and that’s only the beginning — told me everything I needed to know,” he wrote.

The Verge’s editor Tom Warren corroborated the source’s credibility on the XboxEra podcast: “He’s genuinely well‑versed in internal affairs — I don’t think he’s a bad source.”

If these claims hold up, Microsoft appears to be pivoting sharply toward software and services. The company is said to be concentrating on its most profitable franchises — including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Candy Crush, and Forza Horizon — while leaning into cloud gaming and the Game Pass ecosystem. Subscriptions are expected to become the primary route to xCloud, with further price increases likely in the future.

Source: iXBT.games