We summarise the information known so far about Microsoft”s future consoles
The Xbox Series X and Series S have already been on the market since November 2020 and the question is slowly coming up whether there will be a MidGen refresh or whether successor consoles will even be released soon. We have summarised the most important leaks, rumours and available information for you.
Release and price
Leaked FTC documents from Microsoft indicate that a refresh of the Xbox Series X, codenamed “Brooklin” is planned for November 2024 – exactly four years after the launch of the first Series console.
The console is to be released at the same price as the first Xbox Series X: 500 euros.
A refresh of the Xbox Series S came out on September 1, 2023, with the new features being very limited: It”s black and has 1 terabyte of storage, instead of just 512 gigabytes.
There is no concrete information yet about a real successor to the Series S – not even in the leaked documents.
Technical specifications
The leaked Microsoft documents reveal some specs of the new Xbox Series X, however, it should be kept in mind that Xbox boss Phil Spencer himself has said that the leaked data is outdated and a lot has changed in the meantime (They are from May 2022). Still, they give us a clue as to the direction Microsoft wants to take the Xbox consoles.
We”ve seen the conversation around old emails and documents. It is hard to see our team”s work shared in this way because so much has changed and there”s so much to be excited about right now, and in the future. We will share the real plans when we are ready.
– Phil Spencer (@XboxP3) September 19, 2023
The new Series X is said to be all digital. The drive disappears and instead you”ll find an SSD with up to 2 terabytes of storage. It is very likely that the old Xbox Series X will remain on sale, but there are no concrete indications of this as yet.
The second very obvious change is the design: The digital Xbox Series X has a cylindrical body – at least in these 2022 documents.
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The new console is still expected to have 4K as the target resolution. Pure graphics performance is not expected to change with the new Series X, as it is also expected to have 12 teraflops.
The only other technical innovations are limited, but are sensible additions:
- Wifi 6E
- Bluetooth 5.2
- Power consumption reduced by 15 percent
- USB-C port
There should be two USB-A ports on the back of the console and the slot for the proprietary SSD cards.
First info on the real successor to the Series X also exists:
Microsoft is said to have a new console planned for 2028, which is said to be a “hybrid gaming platform”. The operating system, codenamed “Thin OS”, is said to combine the power of the console with that of the cloud.
This should even make it possible to install the operating system on a handheld on which you can still play performance-intensive games. However, 2028 is still a long time away and the plans are of course not set in stone.
In the leaked documents, Microsoft also talks about their “vision”.
Microsoft”s vision for its next console is a “hybrid gaming platform,” targeting 2028, with an OS that could work on consumer devices or handhelds.
That”s via another document released via the FTV vs Microsoft case. This one was an attachment to a Phil Spencer deposition. Crazy pic.twitter.com/CsK3KySRLY
– Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) September 19, 2023
Sebile: The new Xbox controller
According to FTC documents, the new controller, codenamed Sebile, was supposed to have been included with the refresh of the black Xbox Series S. That didn”t happen. Instead, it is to be released separately in May 2024. It is very likely that the next Xbox Series X will be delivered with this controller.
FTC Leak Reveals All-New Xbox Controller To Launch Next Yearhttps://t.co/4avIxGB5Nk
– Insider Gaming (@InsiderGamingIG) September 19, 2023
Apart from the two-tone design (black and white), it offers some interesting new features.
Connectivity: The new controller supports “Xbox Wireless 2”, which should probably provide a more stable and faster connection to the Xbox consoles. Plus Bluetooth 5.2 and direct-to-cloud functionality: this should reduce input latency in games streamed via the cloud.
Battery instead of batteries: The Sebile controller is said to come with a replaceable battery. This could be similar to the one used in the Play-and-Charge-Kit for Xbox, which is currently available separately.
Improved feel: The vibration motors are said to become “more precise”. This could mean a feature similar to Nintendo”s HD Rumble. In addition, so-called “VCA haptics” are also supposed to be able to serve as speakers.
An acceleration sensor is also supposed to be built in. This is used to automatically switch on the Xbox when the controller is picked up. The buttons and analogue sticks are also less noisy on the Sebile controller.
Analog sticks: The installed modules are new and according to the documents “modular”. So it would be conceivable that the analogue stick caps are interchangeable. What exactly is meant by “modular” is not yet clear.
Xbox writes that the new sticks are more durable and have an improved build quality. Whether magnetic Hall sensors will be used here is not mentioned.
This is the information available so far on the Xbox Series console refresh. We will update this article regularly as news about the two consoles becomes available. So check back regularly if you want to stay up to date!
What new features would you like to see in a new Xbox? What do you think about Microsoft moving into a digital future without physical games? Write us your wishes and your opinion in the comments!
