Microsoft to send next-gen Xbox prototypes to game developers in 2027

2026-03-12 01:51:56 ET

Microsoft ( MSFT ) said on Wednesday it will send video game developers prototypes of its next-generation Xbox console in 2027 as it seeks to close the gap with Nintendo and Sony . The hardware will feature a custom chip from Advanced Micro Devices ( AMD ) , Jason Ronald, a vice president in Microsoft’s Xbox division, said in a blog post ....

“It delivers an order of magnitude leap in ray tracing performance and capability, integrates intelligence directly into the graphics and compute pipeline, and drives meaningful gains in efficiency, scale, and visual ambition,” Ronald wrote. “The result is more realistic, immersive, and dynamic worlds for players.”

“I’m excited to share we plan to ship alpha versions of the hardware to developers beginning in 2027,” Ronald said.

The announcement comes weeks after the tech giant said longtime gaming head Phil Spencer was retiring and would be replaced by AI executive Asha Sharma. In a message to employees, Sharma said the company would make a renewed commitment to Xbox, starting with console gaming.

Xbox consoles have undersold alternatives from Nintendo ( NTDOY ) and Sony ( SONY ) since the flagship Xbox Series X and more affordable Series S came out in 2020, CNBC reported, citing estimates from video game website VGChartz.