In 2021, many of you remember Keystone. Behind this name hid a console Xbox whose main characteristic was that it could only connect to the cloud. The idea had been on the table for some time, so much so that Microsoft ended up canceling it not so much because of its usefulness, but rather because the price at which it would be released would not be attractive enough for players to buy it (they wantedit costs 100 euros, controller includedbut it was unfeasible).
Time has shown that cloud gaming is more ubiquitous than ever, and it’s even possible to enjoy the Xbox cloud with just a mobile phone. If you want to go back in time to learn more about Keystone, we learned more through the publication of a patent.
Visually, this Microsoft console would look a lot like the Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X, as seen in the images. We can see that its square shape would be accompanied by a circular upper part, with some similarities with the first PlayStation. In addition, it would also include a HDMI port and a network cableas well as the classic button to pair the controller.
The patent images are from June 2022just a few months before Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, spoke openly about this console and why it was abandoned.
Keystone was manufactured and tested by several Xbox workers, who were delighted with its performance. However, the mentioned price prevented its mass production for its later marketing. The question now is, will we ever see her in the future? We are clearly convinced that yes.
