Xbox imagines the future of gaming with an "Xbox 2042" console in a recent Battlefield 2042 promotional video - but could the console really exist in just 21 years?

2042 may seem a ways away, but Xbox is already looking towards the future for the next and best in gaming. To build anticipation for Battlefield 2042's November 2021 release, Xbox dropped a new video featuring an incredible-looking console - the Xbox 2042.

Though Xbox hasn't announced it as an official console, the Xbox 2042 appears to truly be the ultimate system. With an impressive laundry list of hyper-advanced features, its proposed specs blow past any gaming console currently on the market.

Could such an advanced console really exist, and can it be done in just 21 years?

THE XBOX 2042 Console - HOW POSSIBLE IS IT?

"Imagine a gaming experience indistinguishable from reality." This is what Xbox proposes in their video showcasing the imaginary Xbox 2042. Powered by "quantum technology," this console would support "1 quintillion floating-point operations per second."

On top of that, it'd use a "living thinking AI" that connects players through a new holographic interface. Xbox goes as far as to suggest that it could even be compatible with smart optical technology or neural-based tech.

Looking more closely at its specs, the proposed Xbox 2042 would have 32k resolution video with 240 frames-per-second (up to 480) with zero latency. This is 8 times the resolution and double the framerate of the Xbox Series X|S.

With these kinds of stats, it's hard to believe we can go that far in just a little over 20 years. To compare, the Xbox Series X|S boasts 12 TFLOPS of processing power, 12 trillion against the Xbox 2042's 1 quintillion (a billion billion). This means that the Xbox 2042's GPU would be tens of thousands of times more powerful than Xbox's current consoles.

The Xbox 2042 would have to be enormous, but it'd supposedly be 90% smaller than other gaming consoles. The Xbox Series S is already Xbox's smallest console ever at just 27.5cm tall, but the Xbox 2042 would essentially be a palm-sized ultra-powerful supercomputer.

Xbox 2042 console with Player

Xbox 2042 with Player

This kind of processing can currently only be done by supercomputers of massive scale, and we've barely scratched the surface of holographic tech. Though the original 2001 Xbox can do a fraction of what the Xbox Series X|S can, it's not nearly the same rate of advancement Xbox is suggesting here with the 2042 console. But you have to admit, it's fun to imagine the possibilities, isn't it?

For now, we're going to have to stick to tracking down Xbox Series X|S consoles. They still remain elusive, but if you manage to snag one, you can play Battlefield 2042 on November 19th. The game will also be available on PS4, PS5, PC, and Xbox One.