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In a discussion on NeoGAF forums, AMD leaker Kepler L2 confirmed that the leaked AMD Magnus APU will power both the console and a line of gaming PCs. However, only the console will support backward compatibility with previous-generation Xbox games, mainly because publishers are not willing to allow an Xbox game license to be converted into a PC game license. Outside of a legal grey area involving potential dual-boot scenarios, Microsoft will likely have no way to make backward-compatible Xbox games run on PC.
The next-generation system is expected to support Steam and GOG games without significant legal issues, as these can technically be run inside a virtual machine. However, supporting third-party stores on the system may increase its price by around double, due to the need for profit without the 30% cut on every game sale, plus the added cost of the Magnus APU, which is reportedly large.
The higher price of the Xbox next-generation system, as speculated based on the AMD Magnus APU details leaked online, is becoming less surprising. This big APU with a chiplet design will provide Microsoft with flexibility to produce a wide range of systems that will likely compete with pre-built gaming PCs rather than other consoles like the PlayStation 6 and Nintendo Switch 2.
Meanwhile, Sony is reportedly developing a system aimed at delivering a 4K, 120 FPS capable console with significant ray tracing performance enhancements while keeping costs down. They are also working on a portable system that is expected to outperform both the Xbox ROG Ally X and even the base PlayStation 5 when games are patched to take full advantage of the console’s capabilities.
With these diverse approaches, the next generation of consoles promises to be one of the most interesting in recent history.
