Could This Be Microsoft’s Response to the PlayStation 4.5?

[Update: 4/5/2016: Microsoft has since struck down this rumor, stating that the Xbox NeXt was simply an internal name for a group that worked on releasing Xbox One and is not related to a future console.]

A LinkedIn profile belonging to one David Garner, a Microsoft visual designer, could hint towards the existence of a new Xbox console, reports VideoGamer. Garner has been a visual design lead since 2008 and has worked on Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox Smart Glass, and most curiously, “Xbox NeXt.”

Xbox Head Phil Spencer has gone on record saying he doesn’t want to do an “Xbox One and a Half” in response to the rumor of the existence of a Playstation 4.5, so it’s unlikely that whatever Microsoft is working on will be a half step above the Xbox One.

In Spencer’s own words: “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. 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.”

Considering the Xbox One just launched a little less than two years ago, it would be very unusual for Microsoft to show off a brand new console so early. Still, it’ll be interesting to see what happens once Sony reveals just exactly what the PlayStation 4.5 is, and how Microsoft will respond to that news.