From a 2020 release date, to what kind of direction Microsoft wants to go in, the speculation surrounding the next Xbox is endless as next gen talks ramp up for both the Team Green console and the PlayStation 5. Earlier today we shared a report from Microsoft's CFO and COO about how they are "investing aggressively" into more gaming content alongside the five new studios they've acquired, and now a well-known analyst in the industry is taking that report a step further regarding the games library at launch.

Industry analyst Michael Pachter recently sat down with our friends over at GamingBolt to discuss the future of Xbox and what their first-party content could shape up to be. He told the site, “Yes, I think the five new studios are intended to beef up their first party content for a next generation launch. I am not sure any of them is going to move the needle, but they’re all pretty solid developers, so Microsoft may have a good launch lineup."

In the same interview, which we covered earlier this week, Pachter also predicted that the Xbox would launch prior to PS5. He told the site, "I'm sure Microsoft intends to launch first, and I am equally certain that the new Xbox will be backwards compatible with any Xbox One X software."

He then added, "I agree that it's hard for Xbox One X purchasers, but they should know 4 years into a cycle that there is another one coming. My guess is that Microsoft intents to launch in 2020, but if they think is going to launch the PS5 then, they will launch early."

The plot thickens! Microsoft's Phil Spencer more than delivered on his promise of a hearty showcase during this year's E3, with more titles than many were expecting and more than a few surprises. He's also committed to expanding back the Xbox brand, bringing more titles and restoring what made this platform so great when it first launched during generation 1.

Though Pachter is correct and that the normal cycle should have been expected, it definitely feels like it was just yesterday that the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One were announced. We're not ready! But ... at the same time, we are. Both platforms have grown exponentially since launch and we honestly can't wait to see what else the future holds as the bridge between PC and console continues to get smaller and smaller.

Posted: Jul 22, 2018 8:37 pm
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/07/20/next-xbox-first-party-games/