Microsoft’s Phil Spencer: ‘I’m not a big fan of Xbox One and a half’

As rumors swirl of a potential PlayStation 4.5 and an Xbox 1.5, we can all but rule out the latter. Phil Spencer, the head of Microsoft’s Xbox division, isn’t interested in offering an upgraded Xbox One. He wants a substantial successor, not just a small iteration.

“I’m not a big fan of Xbox One and a half. If we’re going to move forward, I want to move forward in big numbers,” Spencer told Game Informer. “I don’t know anything about any of the rumors that are out there, but I can understand other teams’ motivations to do that. For us, our box is doing well. It performs, it’s reliable, the servers are doing well. If we’re going to go forward with anything, like I said, I want it to be a really substantial change for people — an upgrade.”

Of course, Spencer’s statement doesn’t mean Microsoft isn’t toying with an “Xbox One and a half.” Such a device is certainly still a possibility in the future, but at least right now it looks like such a scenario is unlikely. When Microsoft does build the next Xbox console, you can bet the company will make it very clear that it is not a small bump but rather a significant upgrade that all Xbox One owners will want to invest in.

The rumored 0.5 upgrades to the PS4 and Xbox One are supposed to have improved internals so they can run more graphically intensive games and potentially to boost PlayStation VR and HoloLens capabilities, respectively. Virtual reality and augmented reality aside, the idea is similar to Nintendo’s handheld update strategy, something analysts apparently approve of.

But analysts are analysts. Such a move doesn’t necessarily align with what Sony and Microsoft want, and more importantly, what most gamers would be interested in.

Until we hear confirmation of either console, this is all still speculation.