Panic won part of the Xbox fans this weekend after the appearance of leaks evoking a possible cancellation of the next console. While controversial decisions are chaining in Microsoft, a regular in the Neogaf forum set fire to the powder. The company was forced to get out of the silence to calm speculation.
It all started from the message posted on October 4 by Sneakersso, a well -known user of Neogaf, renowned for his internal information. He claims to be there that the announcement of the arrival of Call of Duty on the Xbox Game Pass would have cost millions of dollars to Microsoft, to the point of calling into question the development of the future Xbox. According to him, several employees were informed that the console could be released in 2026. He also argues that the firm now wishes to refocus on software.
Microsoft officially responds to leaks
Faced with the rise in questions, Microsoft spoke publicly on October 5 to reaffirm its hardware strategy. In a statement sent to the press, the group specifies: “We actively invest in our future consoles and proprietary devices designed, developed and manufactured by Xbox. For more details, the community can consult the announcement of our agreement with AMD.”
In June 2025, Microsoft had formalized a multi -year partnership with AMD. The manufacturer will equip the next new generation Xbox console, with the aim of improving “players experience thanks to improved graphics and advanced graphics”. A way for the brand to emphasize that no disengagement is on the agenda, despite rumors.
The climate around Xbox remains extremely tense
The declaration comes after several advertisements that are unheeded by the community. On October 1, Microsoft announced a new increase in the Xbox Game Pass rate: the Ultimate subscription increases to 29.99 dollars per month, an increase of 50 %. Immediate result: a wave of terminations saturated the official website. In response, Xbox has deployed advertisements directly on the reception screens to retain subscribers.
This increase is added to a series of increases already applied to Xbox Series X and S. and the continuous trend: the Xbox Rog Ally X portable console, expected for October 16, will be marketed at 999 dollars.
Another striking fact: Costco, a giant of the distribution, announced the abolition of Xbox consoles from its shelves and its website, simply evoking “a commercial decision”. For Sneakersso, this decision would only be the first in a series of withdrawals to come to other brands.
Towards a new strategy focused on services?
Behind these decisions, some analysts and fans fear a repositioning of Xbox, turned more and more to the services and the Cloud Gaming. Sneakersso evokes a strategic transition, suggesting that Microsoft could ultimately reduce its investments in hardware.
The company, for its part, insists on its partnership with AMD as proof of its desire to maintain a powerful material ecosystem. But in a context of generalized costs of costs, user distrust and reinforced competition, each announcement is closely scrutinized.
For the time being, Microsoft seems determined to keep the course. It remains to be seen whether that will be enough to restore the confidence of an increasingly suspicious community.