Xboxhead Phil Spencer recently appeared in a video and some fans couldn’t help but noticing an unreleasedXboxconsole sitting on his shelf. Game consoles often have lengthy development processes and go through various prototyping stages that bear little resemblance to the product that eventually ends up in the hands of consumers. There are also times when consoles have not made it to retail, as in the case of the Xbox console in Phil Spencer’s possession. Prototypes and unreleased consoles typically have very limited use for gamers, but they are often highly sought-after as collectibles.
Xbox is gearing up for a games showcasethat will give players a better look at some upcoming games with the exciting possibility of some new announcements. Earlier this year the Xbox and Bethesda Developer Direct event shadow-droppedHi-Fi Rushafter the possibility of new announcements was downplayed. The rhythm-based action game took fans and critics by surprise and enjoyed a highly positive reception despite the fact that its development was kept tightly under wraps.
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Phil Spencer recently appeared in a video welcoming the rollout of PC Game Pass in 40 new countries, and fans spotted the unreleased Project Keystone console on his shelf. The unreleased console was intended to be an affordable and accessible means of accessing the Xbox Cloud Gaming service. The service is still in beta but has been made available on Samsung Smart TVs and other devices, allowing players to access dozens of high-quality games without buying a console.Xbox is shaping up to be a dominant forcein the cloud gaming space after Google’s ill-fated Stadia platform was discontinued in January 2023.
Other curiosities on Phil Spencer’s shelf include a Vault Boy figure from theFalloutseries, a couple of Xbox controllers, and a sword that is reportedly fromObsidian Entertainment’s upcoming Xbox exclusiveAvowed.Some fans believe that Phil teases upcoming announcements through the placement of items on his shelf. Historically, the Xbox Series S console was visible on one of his shelves months before it was officially announced in September 2020.
While the innocuous device sitting on Phil Spencer’s shelf has sparked the interest of some fans, it will likely remain a curiosity asXbox brings its cloud gaming service to other platforms. While a dedicated streaming console may have made sense a few years ago whileXboxProject Keystone was in development, the technology in other consumer electronics like smartphones and TVs has grown capable enough to stream video games.
