Documents provided as part of the lawsuit between the Redmond giant and the FTC revealed that Microsoft is preparing a new Xbox Series X with a new design and definitively abandoning games on physical media.
The trial between Microsoft and the FTC (the American competition regulator) in the context of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard is a veritable mine of information on Microsoft’s next projects. As proof, internal documents from the Redmond firm, which have not been redacted of their confidential data, were published a priori accidentally this week. And we learn lots of interesting things about the Xbox.
New design and abandonment of the optical drive for the Series
Microsoft plans to update its home console by 2024. For its new Xbox Series . According to documents that have been shared on the Web, the next Series X would have 2 TB of internal storage (compared to 1 TB currently). A choice which could undoubtedly explain the abandonment of the optical drive in the high-end model of the console. Microsoft has in fact planned to officially begin its transition towards a world where games will only be available in dematerialized form. The console would also abandon its front USB-A port in favor of a USB-C port capable of providing charging. The next Series X would also be equipped with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. The price, for its part, would not change one iota. Microsoft plans to market it for $499, with a release date scheduled for the end of October 2024.
A “refresh” for the Series S and a new controller
The Redmond firm would also have planned to update its entry-level console, the Xbox Series S. Ellewood, that’s its code name, will have 1 TB of storage, as well as a Wi-Fi 6E connection and of Bluetooth 5.2. Here again, Microsoft would maintain the price of its console which would therefore remain at 299 dollars. Its release would come a few months before that of the Xbox Series X. Microsoft would have planned to launch it at the end of August 2024.
To accompany these two new consoles, Microsoft has also planned a new Xbox controller. This controller, identified under the code name Sebile, will be Bluetooth 5.2 compatible and can be used to play on a console, but also to play directly on the Cloud, with compatible devices. The controller, which will also include an accelerometer, will also be equipped with a haptic feedback system which can act as a speaker.
This new controller would also have modular joysticks and would integrate a removable rechargeable battery. Its launch would be planned before that of the new Xbox Series X and Series S, at the end of May 2024.
Source :
The Verge