Microsoft is currently planning to launch two next-generation Xbox consoles for holiday 2020. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that Microsoft is planning a second, cheaper and less powerful Xbox console, codenamed “Lockhart.” While Microsoft has revealed its Xbox Project Scarlett high-end plans, the company did not mention its two-console strategy at E3 earlier this year. Windows Central originally reported Lockhart’s existence nearly a year ago, and Kotaku now reports it’s part of Microsoft’s next-gen plans.
Microsoft is essentially launching two next-gen consoles that will serve as successors to the Xbox One S and Xbox One X. Lockhart will debut without a disc drive, much like the Xbox One All-Digital Edition, and Microsoft is tweaking the console’s hardware so it’s less powerful than the main Project Scarlett console, codenamed “Anaconda.”
We understand that Microsoft has been seeking feedback from developers on its next-gen Xbox plans in recent months, and we initially heard the company had scrapped its Lockhart plans ahead of E3. Microsoft still hasn’t finalized its next-gen Xbox hardware specs, but we understand Lockhart will now be part of the holiday 2020 launch.