Console manufacturers are constantly working on new systems, creating prototypes and internally testing the next PlayStation or Xbox. Considering this, it's no surprise or secret that Microsoft has an Xbox One successor in the works in some form, but a new rumor suggests that the console may launch much sooner than expected.

According to YouTuber DreamcastGuy, the next Xbox console is currently slated for release in 2019. DreamcastGuy reportedly has a source within Microsoft that leaked this information to him. We have reason to believe DreamcastGuy's source exists, which gives his claims a little more legitimacy than they would have otherwise, but it's entirely possible his source is giving him inaccurate information. So it's important to take this news with a massive grain of salt.

Check out DreamcastGuy's video right here:

Assuming DreamcastGuy's source is leaking accurate information, the question is, why would Microsoft launch the Xbox One's successor in 2019? What many gamers may not realize is that the transition from the seventh to eighth generation of consoles was abnormally long, with an eight year gap between the release of the Xbox 360 and the Xbox One. Most console generations tend to last around five years, so the Xbox One's successor releasing in 2019, six years after the Xbox One's launch, is certainly not outside the realm of possibility.

Of course, there is the Xbox One X to take into account. The Xbox One X launched just a couple of months ago, and is touted as the most powerful video game console ever made. If Microsoft releases the Xbox One's successor in 2019, then it would presumably be even more powerful than the Xbox One X, rendering it a largely obsolete system. Furthermore, the Xbox One X is priced at $500, meaning that the next Xbox would likely be around the same price or even more expensive if it released in 2019, which could be a big roadblock for consumers.

Then again, the Xbox One has clearly lost this console generation sales race, and Microsoft may want to get a headstart on the next generation by launching its next console before the PlayStation 5. It did something similar with the Xbox 360, and while rushing that console to market resulted in it suffering from some rather catastrophic technical issues like the Red Ring of Death, it was still a major advantage for Microsoft in the seventh generation. Ultimately, it's hard to say at this point if DreamcastGuy's information is accurate or not, but if Microsoft is planning to launch a new Xbox console in 2019, expect to hear something about it at this year's E3 event.