E3 2019 preview: Xbox predictions, rumors and expectations

What we won’t see: New console hardware

A huge part of Microsoft’s E3 presentation is absolutely about their plans for where gaming is heading in the next few years. This undoubtedly includes plans for both a console box you can play games on and almost assuredly a streaming service that allows you to play Xbox games on many other devices.

They will spend a significant amount of time talking up the hardware, what it’s capable of, what it can do that arguably other hardware can’t (maybe some unique features). They will likely show some really impressive early “in-engine” footage of a game that we will likely never see because it’s just meant to be a tech demo. Even if it’s got a familiar name attached to it, the actual game we will see will vary quite a bit. They will throw out impressive sounding numbers and phrases that won’t mean a ton to most people but will still sound impressive.

What we almost certainly won’t see is any actual console box — the hardware itself. If Microsoft was launching the new hardware this year, that’d be a different story. But it’s far too early and while they will have a box for sure, their real focus — especially this year — seems to be streaming technology; not hardware.

It’s possible the design for the next Xbox isn’t even completely finalized yet. I can almost guarantee that while Microsoft will talk plenty about what the next Xbox is at this year’s E3 2019 presentation, they won’t show what it looks like. They’ll save that for a big unveiling for later this year at the very earliest. It’s more likely, however, to be shown at next year’s E3.