As of late, Xbox has been a little confused about its place in the market. On one hand, there are some exclusives that have already moved to the PlayStation space. On the other hand, there seems to be no silver lining for the consoles themselves.
Even though there are new generations of Xbox consoles coming in a few years, the current generation has barely managed to keep sales up, giving Microsoft a hard time deciding what to do with the Xbox experience. Fans may have a hard time believing this, but at the end of the day, the truth may be a bitter pill to swallow.
A 30% Drop in Sales for Two Years Is Never a Good Sign
In an IconEra forum, user Etifilio has shared some important stats about the Xbox Series S/X sales in the last two years, and a 30% drop is nothing but concerning. According to this information, in just the first four months of this year, around 800,000 units were sold, which is the lowest in the consoles’ lifetime.
Based on the latest rumors, Microsoft may be bringing a brand new generation of Xbox consoles in late 2026. But in what direction is this taking Xbox? After all, there’s no exclusivity as such that players have been keen on lately, and as far as power goes, we have the PS5 and PC platforms that make the best use of modern-day gaming potential.
A comment by user Hezekiah accurately points out how the future may shape up for the Series S in particular:
They’ve practically tried to give away Series S consoles and are still stuck in the mire, and soon Sony will have PS5 Pro coming out and it’s biggest first-party studios showing off their latest games.
The user further talked about Game Pass’ attempt at keeping the service alive.
Breaking Away From Exclusivity May Be the Only Chance at Survival for Xbox
While this in no way guarantees sales, earlier this year, Phil Spencer spoke about how the future of the company will largely focus on accessibility and not just exclusivity. That being said, some games have already moved to multiple platforms.
There’s little chance at survival and revival here, and it will be interesting to see how Microsoft maneuvers in a direction that keeps the consoles alive. Given how current sales have been looking, the chances seem slim, though.
If, by some means, there are no exclusives left for the platform, what exactly will Xbox fans demand in the long run? Only time will tell.
What are your thoughts on the future of Xbox? Let us know in the comments below.
