Pour one out for the humble Xbox One, as the console’s lifespan has finally come to an end. Well, that may be a bit dramatic, as some third-party titles will still be released on the system, but Microsoft itself has officially parted ways with its only-semi-successful Gen 8 console. During the most recent Xbox Games Showcase, all the first-party titles shown only mentioned PC and Xbox Series X/S in terms of platforms, but that could have just been a marketing thing. Sony always emphasizes the PS5 in their trailers and marketing… but then often quietly releases games on the PS4 as well. Don’t expect something similar with the XB1 going forward.
In a new interview with Axios, Xbox Game Studios boss Matt Booty stated Microsoft has “moved on to Gen 9.” And it seems he really means it — there are currently no internal Xbox teams working on anything for Xbox One, aside from updates for long-running live-service titles like The Elder Scrolls Online. Of course, Xbox One owners can still technically get into new first-party games if they sign up for Game Pass Ultimate and play via the cloud.
The news that the Xbox One is finally being left behind may upset some still clinging to the system, but it’s likely to be a relief to many others. Given hardware shortages and the high price of next-gen consoles, the “crossgen” era, with games being released on both last and current-gen consoles, has dragged on much longer than usual. Perhaps too long, as it’s arguably limited the potential of titles that still have to design around the limitations of the XB1/PS4. Microsoft’s rival Sony has not yet committed to fully leaving the PS4 behind, but many of their upcoming games, like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, are PS5 exclusive.
While Microsoft is leaving behind the Xbox One, don’t expect them to ditch their less powerful current-gen console Xbox Series S anytime soon. Booty has admitted getting games to work on both the Xbox Series X and S is “more work,” but internal teams have gained more experience with working around the Series S’ limitations and “sharp edges” now.
Any Xbox One owners out there? With the console’s days numbered, do you have any particularly fond memories of the system?
