The Xbox architect reflects on Series X|S and looks ahead to the future of hardware

Carl Ledbetter celebrates 30 years at Microsoft and talks about the present and future of the brand.

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Microsoft’s current generation of consoles is beginning to face its final stretch. Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, which debuted in 2020, have been the company’s largest hardware leap to date, but they also faced challenges such as chip shortages and tough competition from PlayStation 5. Now, one of its main leaders wants to share his vision of what this journey has meant and, above all, what’s to come. As we’ve gathered through Windows Central.

Carl Ledbetter, hardware architect and director of device design at Xbox, has just completed 30 years at Microsoft and has published a review of his career at the company, which spans products like the Microsoft IntelliMouse to milestones like the Xbox Adaptive Controller. In his message, he also dedicated special words to the current generation of consoles.

Xbox Series, the present and what comes next

Ledbetter highlighted that Series X was designed to offer uncompromising power and become a central piece in the modern living room, while Series S bet on compactness and accessibility. According to the designer, both reflect the same philosophy: “creating powerful, useful technology that integrates perfectly into people’s lives”.

But the most striking thing about his message is that, although he acknowledges that the Xbox Series X|S stage is close to closing, his work on Xbox hardware is far from over. Ledbetter stated that he is “excited and inspired by what’s ahead”, making it clear that Microsoft continues to bet on new devices.

With the rise of projects like Xbox Ally, the portable console developed with ASUS, and rumors of a future “Xbox PC” from OEM manufacturers in 2026, everything points to the brand expanding beyond traditional consoles. Additionally, Microsoft has already confirmed that it is working on a new console with AMD chips, fully compatible with the current library.

In short, Ledbetter’s words are a reminder that, although Xbox Series X|S is approaching the end of its cycle, the future of Xbox hardware is still in motion, with new ways to play and devices that will shape the course of the next few years.