Report: A Cheaper, Disc-Less Next-Gen Xbox Is Still In Development

The next generation of Xbox is only a year away, but surprisingly little is known about Microsoft’s plans for the future console; however, a new report from Kotaku states that sources say the company is still working on a less expensive alternative to Project Scarlett that will be disc-less. 

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Reports of this have surfaced in the past under the rumored name “Lockhart”, but they were seemingly put to bed in June when Microsoft said they were working on a single, high-end console. Outlets even reported that Lockhart had been canceled. Apparently, the project may still be alive.

Kotaku says one game developer likened Lockhart to the Playstation 4 Pro regarding graphical power and a better CPU than any current gaming consoles on the market. The disc-less aspect makes Xbox Game Pass and an easy sell to anyone using Lockhart. The subscription allows access to an impressive list of new and old games that can be download straight to your system.

Again, Microsoft is not commenting on any of this officially. “We do not comment on rumors or speculation,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Kotaku through email.

Microsoft has said that fans can expect Project Scarlett to be released during the holiday 2020 window.