Microsoft very much would like you to know that there will be another Xbox console, as recently rumours have been circulating that there will not be. But not only, that, it’s apparently going to be a “very premium and high-end curated experience”.

That’s according to Xbox president Sarah Bond , who recently sat down with Mashable to answer a few questions.

The interviewer asked Bond about the rumours and leaks which suggest that the next Xbox is going to be more akin to PC than a traditional console, or something of a hybrid.

“Well, I can tell you you’re right that the next gen console is going to be a very premium, very high-end curated experience,” Bond replied.

“You’re starting to see some of the thinking that we have in this handheld, but I don’t want to give it all away,” she continued, gesturing toward the ROG Xbox Ally X.

Exactly what she is referring to is never addressed. My guess, though, is that she’s referring specifically to the custom version of Windows that runs on the Xbox Ally X, a streamlined version of the OS that was designed to be better for gaming, with mixed results. If so, that’s an admission that the next Xbox console will be closer to a PC than ever.

Some of the rumours have stated that the next Xbox may even be able to run Steam. There was also a rumour last year that Xbox was considering allowing 3rd parties to create Xbox-branded hardware. This has led to some speculation about a Steam/Xbox hybrid, since Valve has also be rumoured to be returning to the hardware space.

But that’s all speculation. All we can safely say for now is that Xbox seems to be intending on making its next machine “premium”, a very scary prospect for our bank accounts. After all, the Xbox Series X is currently $800, following two price hikes this year alone.

All in all, it’s still difficult to get a sense of what Microsoft’s plan for Xbox is. They’ve massively increased the cost of Game Pass, shifted to being the world’s biggest publisher of games and also decided to bump up the price of Xbox development kits.

Perhaps the goal is to market the next Xbox toward the wealthiest gamers, those who want high-end PC performance but also the couch gaming experience?

These days, though, who really knows what Xbox is up to.