With Microsoft's push to cloud services, is their end game to bring about the end of Xbox console hardware altogether? Hardly.

Here are a few pretty simple reasons why Microsoft isn't bailing on Xbox home console hardware any time soon, and why you shouldn't "worry" about Project xCloud streaming services becoming the norm.

1. Look at Surface

For people who think Microsoft wants to get out of the hardware game, they should first and foremost look at the Surface range. The Windows laptop ecosystem isn't the powerhouse it once was, facing hard competition from Chromebooks and mobile devices in general, but there are still many big players in the space making tons of cash. Between Surface and Xbox, Microsoft now boasts some of the most advanced industrial design capabilities on earth. Dell, Lenovo, and HP are the most well-known PC brands out there, and even with them serving consumers and enterprise well with a huge array of PC options, Microsoft still pushes ahead with its Surface line. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more Why does it do this? It's a simple case of because they can, and because there are advantages that come with marrying hardware and software under a single roof. Between Surface and Xbox, Microsoft now boasts some of the most advanced industrial design capabilities on Earth. Surface as a growing, billion-dollar business ultimately represents the best that Windows has to offer, showcasing all of Windows' features, whether it's touch, inking, and adaptive 2-in-1 hardware, Surface drives a "halo effect" over the Windows ecosystem, representing cool factor in a way that Dell, HP, and others, for the most part, don't. Xbox hardware will do the same for Xbox games, even if (big if) most people opt for Project xCloud streaming. 2. Retail still matters (for now)

While trends are moving towards digital, retail is still a big driver of both sales and general information, especially for parents picking up games for youngsters. Some people simply enjoy owning the physical disc as well, and there are things like collector's editions that many gamers take joy in possessing (myself included). If Microsoft was to remove itself entirely from the retail scene, removing both hardware and physical games, it would dent people's exposure of the platform, and harm perception of Xbox as a gaming platform. Of course, there are some examples to the contrary. Steam was virtually able to single-handedly destroy the physical PC games market, shifting PC gamers over to more convenient digital options. PC hardware has generally followed suit too, with most modern laptops and PCs ditching optical disc drivers altogether, driven by a shift to online distribution not just for games, but for software, music, and movies. Microsoft doesn't have the luxury of Steam-level total platform dominance in gaming and to some degree still relies on physical retail distribution to help push its platform. 3. Project xCloud is powered by Xbox hardware

Another pretty obvious reason why Microsoft isn't about to ditch Xbox home console hardware is the simple fact that Project xCloud itself is powered by Xbox home console hardware, converted into server racks. Today, xCloud is powered by Xbox One S-level hardware capped at around 1080p, but as internet speeds increase, so too will the need to upgrade the server rack hardware, eventually to the Xbox One X level, then to Xbox Anaconda level, and so on. If Microsoft is already making server racks that support Xbox game delivery systems, why not simply package it and sell it as a home console as well? There's no real downside to doing both. 4. Licensing conundrum with xCloud