How Long Will the Xbox One Last Into Next-Gen?

Microsoft indicates that the Xbox One will still play for years into the Xbox Series X’s lifespan. How will that work and what can current Xbox One owner expect for the console? To be fair, it’s impossible to imagine that the Xbox One will work for years and years. Not only is the console privy to wear down over time, but support for old consoles just isn’t in the cards for most game makers. The goal is always what’s new and hot, and that means at some point, the Xbox One will become a thing of the past.

The surprising thing isn’t that this will happen; we know that old consoles lose support in favor of new ones. What’s surprising is that Xbox execs are talking about the One being a current system for at least a few more years. The model Xbox seems to be going after is the PC experience of buying a rig, using it, and eventually upgrading. PC players know that you can expect a current, fully-powered PC to last a fairly long time. Usually after 5 years or so, however, some new games stop working to the best of their ability.

If Xbox moves to this sort of “upgrade when you find it necessary” model, Xbox One players could be able to play new games for a while before needing to upgrade. Although, it’s not like they’ll be able to stay on the old gen forever. The Xbox One X and Digital-Only Xbox One are already discontinued and no longer being produced. We know that this can’t last forever and at some point, the new console will become necessary. That said, it’s refreshing to see Microsoft looking to extend the life of their old consoles by any means necessary.

This move doesn’t make Microsoft money or help them sell more of the Series X. Instead, it allows players more freedom, which is usually more of a PC thing than a home console thing. It might not sway PS4 owners to the new generation, but it does help keep their core fan base on Microsoft consoles a little longer.