Report: Microsoft to reveal next-generation consoles at E3 2019, Halo Infinite as launch title

By Asher Madan
last updated

The rumors are coming in strong!

Xbox One S
Xbox One S (Image credit: Windows Central)

Last year, Microsoft announced at E3 2018 that it was working on the next-generation Xbox console. While there are rumors floating around that it may be a series of devices — ranging from an Xbox One X successor to a streaming box — it seems that the consoles will be officially unveiled at E3 2019. Since Sony isn't attending the major event this year, it's a great platform for Microsoft to dominate the news cycle by revealing new hardware.

According to Thurrott, Microsoft will talk about its upcoming "Lockhart" and "Anaconda" devices at E3 2019. The outlet said, "Don't expect to hear pricing just yet, but the company wants it to be known that they are moving full steam ahead." Anaconda is supposed to be the Xbox One X successor and the new most powerful console ever made.

That's not all though, Halo Infinite is allegedly a launch game for the upcoming hardware. Thurrott added, "With a brand new game engine, the team behind the game is trying to make the story adapt to decisions the user makes and the game may have more... role-playing... elements" than earlier titles in the acclaimed franchise.

As with any such leak, take it with a grain of salt until we receive official confirmation. However, that may not happen for many months. Thurrott has leaked numerous accurate news stories in the past so this report may have merit.

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Asher Madan
Asher Madan

Asher Madan handles gaming news for Windows Central. Before joining Windows Central in 2017, Asher worked for a number of different gaming outlets. He has a background in medical science and is passionate about all forms of entertainment, cooking, and antiquing.

31 Comments
  • I'm so hyped
  • I hope they keep their forwards compatible promise.
  • They definitely will. I wouldn’t worry about that.
  • Don't think that meant indefinitely. Think they were referring to launch Xbox one to One X. I doubt they will make games compatible with One S. Maybe One X. But One S although slightly slightly more powerful than launch Xbox One is still 2013 tech. No way it runs Xbox 2 games even stripped down. Xbox 2 has entirely new CPU as well. Meaning more than just visuals will change. Physics, AI etc all will be to much for a 2103 console tech.
  • Perhaps the new XBox....will be called XBox Infinite.
  • That's actually not a bad name
  • If it's the last Xbox generation that would even make sense. And a way better name then this generation..
  • Makes sense since it ties into the Halo name.
  • Wasn't Halo Infinite supposed to be on this generation of consoles? They are flooding the market with to many different consoles and it could hurt the Xbox brand. The X hasn't been out 15 months yet.
  • Are you paying attention? Halo Infinite will come out for not just this next-Gen Xbox, but currently Xboxes as well. Microsoft isn't abiding by outdated rules that says if you're bringing out a new console than it stops making games for the previous console. Their games will be both backwards and forwards compatible. What you just said sounds just as dumb as a person saying "with too many different iPhones, and it could hurt the iOS brand." Apple brings out multiple iPhones every year...and while price is hurting them, the mere fact that they are producing these phones are not. Next-Gen is coming...Microsoft has to be ready for it.
  • Over saturation can hurt any brand. Look at Sega they had Genesis, Sega CD, Saturn and Dreamcast all came out in about a 9 year period. Game consoles aren't like phones. You can market them the wrong way and they can fail, the Xbox is proof of that. For Xbox to succeed they need 1st party titles something that has been lacking for years and after 5 years still hasn't been addressed. They might have bought a few studios but the games still aren't there yet. 4 consoles out at 1 time can hurt a brand as well as help it.
  • there will be hundreds of xbox platforms out soon enough as it moves to a service and it wont matter which xbox, pc, phone, switch or other platform you have
  • That's not right. The Xbox One, Xbox One S and Xbox One X are all the same console generation. It's more or less the same hardware. The X is just a more powerful version for 4k TVs. Sony is doing exactly the same.
  • Plans change. It happened before (even the original Halo CE, which was an Apple game once).
  • All the previous statements that have been made by Phil Spencer has been pretty much the hardware will change and get better but will stay in the Xbox one architecture when developing games. It's was as if this is the last generation of changing architecture i.e. Xbox to Xbox 360 to Xbox One. More like improving and developing more powerful hardware over time but keeping games development in the Xbox One architecture so that everything now is forward compatible with future hardware. No more having to create a system to do backwards compatible. Well that's how I have been interpreting what Phil has been saying.
  • Halo Infinite had a leaked image which was removed within days. It showed a waypoint 63 km away. Rumour is its based on an entire Halo ring, with its own weather ecosystems and wildlife. Basically everything you can look up and see (the ring your on) you can traverse to. Got. Feeling Halo Infinite is going to be a reboot gameplay wise like God Of War was to God Of War. Viuslaly it was the best thing at E3 last year. I would expect Forza 8 and maybe even Playground Games Fable 4 could be launch titles as well. Something Noone has thought of. At launch you just buy the console. Take it home. Not having to buy any games. Because you can download an play Xbox Studio Games launch day on Gamepass. Making entry point on Xbox much cheaper than the competition as well.
  • God of War was excellent. I would love to see Halo rebooted if it is done as well as God Of War was.
  • I heard Xbox game pass is coming to PS4.
  • There was an article on it going to switch but would not count out them trying to bring it to pan to but it will be by x cloud and if they do its a massive move by microsoft
  • im ready to ******* go digital. the last disc i bought was gta4. cant believe we finally have a choice of two types of consoles.
  • This report may have merit. As if the world doesn't know yet that Brad Sams and this site's Jez Corden are handpicked by Microsoft for controlled leaks.
  • Less than two years after launching and making their "fans" buy the X for 500 bucks...
  • Nobody made anybody do anything. Also both console manufacturers will be releasing their systems in 2020, it's basically an expectation now. The One X and Pro will have had basically a three year run.
  • No but we know that the faithful "fans" will buy and hype whatever new product they launch. The amount of noise and marketing around the X was insane.
    For 4 years, they said power didn't matter, then in 2017 it suddenly became the most important thing.
    And they hyped the importance for a console that will have a 3 year run.
    I've seen so many XB fans buying the original XB1, the XB1s and again the XB1x.
  • I skipped the S but I upgraded to the X from the One, I also upgraded to the Pro from the PS4, was that a stupid idea too? To choose to utilise the full extent of the new equipment I had available to me (4K TV)? The way I see it paying $500 for a console I plan on using for four or five years is a pretty good return. Also it's worth mentioning that Sony was more than happy to market the PS4 Pro as the most powerful console available during it's brief stint at the top too, so neither company is immune to big noting themselves.
  • I never said that it was stupid to buy a X or a pro.
    I haven't bought a X nor a pro because power and resolution wasn't my priority. If it was I would have just upgraded my PC and play mostly on it. But it's ok if people bought it. Everyone can do what he wants to do with his money...
    It's just that with the amount of marketing I would have thought that it would have a bigger cycle. You can't deny that MS and their fans have hyped the X a lot more than Sony with the pro. Even now you can see a "native 4k" topic regularly. The thing is that it's not 500 bucks every 4 or 5 years but in this case it'll be 2017 to 2019/2020? I mean if they are going to talk about it at E3 2019 we can't expect it to come in 2021/2022 (4-5 years).
  • Streaming will be the next big thing in gaming. So hardware won't be so important anymore...
  • Yeah, tell that to places in the world that don't have sufficient data limits or speeds for streaming.
  • usb-c please please please
  • I'm holding off buying any new console from MS, what if a few months after releasing it they say they are streaming their exclusives to all consoles? That would mean I wasted my money on an Xbox when I could have gotten a Playstation and Switch and played all the games. I hope MS announces that the Xbox controller now works on the Playstation as that would mean I could make the swap to Playstation with no hesitations.
  • There are ways of playing PS4 with a XB1 controller. I would imagine it'll be possible with the PS5.