Xbox Two: 8 Rumours And Details You Need To Know
It's time to take the console crown back from Sony.
Fleeting as the announcement was, Phil Spencer ripped open a giant can of worms when he confirmed on E3's global stage that the Xbox One's successor was currently "in development."
No name, release date, specs, concepts: nothing. The only thing to accompany the Xbox boss' carefully curated words were audible cheers from the audience present, the lack of information clearly signalling that the next hardware leap for the Xbox brand is still a ways off.
Simply put, it's a genius move on Microsoft's part. Intentionally or otherwise, being coy with the finer details whips consumers and analysts into a speculative frenzy for the next two years plus as both attempt to dredge up hints and rumours that could partially lift the veil on Microsoft's plans for the Xbox Two.
With 2020 being earmarked by analysts as the date that Microsoft intends to transition into the ninth console generation, the hype machine is still in its infancy, but that hasn't stopped the internet from dissecting Spencer's E3 announcement for clues and likewise, it appears that some reliable whistleblowers have already obtained confirmation of Microsoft's future plans.
As always, and especially this early on, take everything to come with a pinch of salt, but don't be surprised to see the name "Scarlett" take on a whole new meaning in the weeks and months to come.
8. Backwards (And Forwards) Compatibility Will Continue
Microsoft hasn't been able to keep up with Sony on the exclusives front this gen (Spider-Man, God of War, Nioh, Bloodborne, the list goes on) but one area where it has continued to outshine its competitor is functionality.
Primarily, Xbox Live remains the most fleshed-out online service of the Big Three and, combined with Game Pass and backwards compatibility, the platform holder continues to perpetuate its image of providing a consumer-friendly hub that will never leave a man behind should they chose not to immediately upgrade their hardware.
The base model Xbox One can comfortably run anything the One X can and, according to one particularly reputed whistleblower, the Xbox Two will follow suit, allowing longtime customers to continue playing games from as far back as the original Xbox while also accounting for what's to come even further into the future (Xbox One XX, anyone?).
Downloading Perfect Dark Zero to play it on the next Xbox won't be your first port of call once the wrapper is off, but the option to play games more than a decade old on a brand new device sets a precedent for compatibility we've not yet seen from a games console.