As 2018 nears its end, the looming specter of next-generation consoles grows all the more real. Rumors continue to swirl regarding what Sony, Microsoft, and even Nintendo may be working on next. Two new next-gen Xbox rumors are the latest to reignite the ongoing discourse. Introducing the Xbox code names "Anaconda" and "Lockhart," Microsoft's two planned next-gen consoles, and the successors for both the Xbox One X and Xbox One S, respectively.
Windows Central is reporting that multiple anonymous sources have confirmed that, in addition to the earlier reported disc-less "Scarlet" console in the works, Microsoft has two other next-gen disc-supporting consoles tentatively planned to launch in 2020 that are part of the Scarlet family. The Anaconda platform will be Microsoft's true next-gen console, with pricing equivalent to the Xbox One X at launch, and a performance boost to justify it. The Anaconda is also said to be the basis for Microsoft's next-gen Xbox dev kit, though that's seemingly still a ways off.
The Xbox Lockhart console, on the other hand, will be better compared to the Xbox One S. The Xbox Lockhart will evidently be a more moderately priced console that's less powerful than the Anaconda, but otherwise will be capable of playing all of the same games. The rumor says that the Lockhart will effectively be a refined Xbox One X with similar power, which implies just how ambitious Microsoft could wind up being with the Anaconda.
As for more specific details regarding the Xbox Anaconda and Lockhart models, there's little to discuss. Microsoft is reportedly considering an SSD for the Anaconda to dramatically improve loading times, which is one of Phil Spencer's personal goals alongside framerate for the next console. It's also being said that the new consoles will fully support players' Xbox One libraries, including Xbox 360 and original Xbox titles via the current backwards compatibility feature. Also, Microsoft seems to be working on ways to make it easier for developers to co-develop their Xbox games for PC, too.
Needless to say, Xbox is going to have a very interesting 2019 as these consoles each have their hardware finalized and are shown for the first time to the world. Few would deny that the greatest challenge for Xbox is hardware, however. Microsoft has to deliver on its promise of excellent first-party exclusives for these new consoles to counter the current skepticism. Those announcements would likely come in 2019 as well. While things could always change, the lead-up to 2020 is looking to be a wild ride for Xbox.
Source: Windows Central