Skip to main content

Microsoft job postings suggest new Xbox console development?

Xbox 360 250GB Console with KinectMicrosoft launched its Xbox 360 gaming console in 2005 and it’s still going strong today. More than that, gaming as a whole has reached new peaks of popularity since the latest console generation began, with everything from online gaming to digital content delivery to mobile technology to high-definition displays inspiring larger numbers of people to embrace interactive experiences. The traditional 5-6 year console life cycle no longer applies as a result of these changes, though that doesn’t mean the industry’s top companies aren’t looking ahead to what’s next.

It certainly seems that Microsoft is. A series of new job postings on LinkedIn (spotted by a forum member at Beyond3D) pretty explicitly point to long-term development plans for a next-generation console. Three positions are being filled: graphics architect (Xbox hardware), performance architect (Xbox hardware) and hardware verification engineer (Xbox console). A snippet from the graphics architect posting’s job description may be most telling: “The team is responsible for defining and delivering next generation console architectures from conception through implementation.”

To be clear, these open positions do not necessarily indicate that work is underway on a next-gen Microsoft console. You can bet that somewhere within the depths of the company’s research & development department, someone is sketching out what the future of Xbox might look like. But these positions specifically could mean any number of things.

Perhaps Microsoft is looking at improving the current console’s internal hardware. Or maybe the company is at long last considering a leap into the portable gaming space. It could even simply be a case of employee turnover, with newly vacated positions needing to be filled. There are any number of possibilities. Now you’re thinking about them all though, right?

Editors' Recommendations

Adam Rosenberg
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…
Xbox games on PS5? It’s not as shocking as you think
Key art for Starfield

It's been a busy few weeks for console war soldiers.

Tensions spiked last month when "Nate the Hate," an industry insider with a decent track record, claimed that Hi-Fi Rush was headed to Nintendo Switch. The rumor sparked some mixed feelings among Xbox fans, some of whom expressed dismay over one of the console's system-selling exclusives coming to another platform. Other reports at the time claimed that Rare's Sea of Thieves could also be bound for PlayStation and Switch. That rising anger came to a head this weekend when XboxEra reported that Xbox is planning to launch its biggest exclusive, Starfield, on PS5.

Read more
The 4 best monitors for Xbox Series X in 2024
Xbox Series X Stylized Graphic

The Xbox Series X is a delightful console, but can ironically be a headache to get a suitable monitor for. Why? It can't necessarily take advantage of all of the stats the best gaming monitors are going to be able to give it. It's rated to run 4K at 120Hz max. This means the usual high definition, high refresh rate lists of monitors — what gamers typically go for — is thrown out the window. However, with lower requirements, there are actually also lower quantities of monitor for you to choose from without, essentially, paying for extra. No matter what your situation, however, here are the best monitors for the Xbox Series X that you can buy right now.
The best monitors for the Xbox Series X in 2024

Buy the

Read more
Xbox lays off 1,900 developers, cancels Blizzard’s survival game
A hunter crouches before footprints in Blizzard concept art.

Concept art from a now-cancelled Blizzard survival game. Blizzard Entertainment

Microsoft is laying off around 8% of its Gaming Workforce, affecting game developers across Xbox, ZeniMax Media, and the newly acquired Activision Blizzard.

Read more