Microsoft is already working on the successors to the next-gen Xbox Series X and S, which only launched late last year in November 2020.

According to Xbox Gaming Experiences And Platforms CVP Liz Hamren (via GamesRadar), while Microsoft is pushing cloud services like Xbox Game Pass cloud streaming, consoles will remain at the centre of the Xbox brand. What that means is that new consoles will still be in the works.

She said:

“Cloud is key to our hardware and Game Pass roadmaps, but no one should think we’re slowing down on our core console engineering.

In fact, we’re accelerating it.

We’re already hard at work on new hardware and platforms, some of which won’t come to light for years.

But even as we build for the future, we’re focused on extending the Xbox experience to more devices today so we can reach more people.”

What’s surprising is that Xbox is also working on introducing the Xbox experience to TVs. She added:

“We’re working with global TV manufacturers to embed the Game Pass experience directly into internet-connected TVs so all you’ll need to play is a controller.

Beyond that, we’re also developing standalone streaming devices that you can plug into a TV or monitor, so if you have a strong internet connection, you can stream your Xbox experience.”

It looks like Xbox fans need not worry about Microsoft abandoning the hardware side of the Xbox brand. Currently, the brand is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2021 with various activities and special content.