A large leak has simply positioned all of Microsoft’s playing cards on the desk relating to its future Xbox recreation console plans. The leak was courtesy of unredacted paperwork (first seen at Resetera) uploaded as a part of the continued FTC vs. Microsoft court docket case associated to the latter’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. As ever with leaks, take the information with a pinch of salt.
Not solely do the docs present specs for the alleged upcoming Xbox Sequence X refresh (codenamed Brooklin) and a brand new controller design (Sebile), however there are additionally photos. The Xbox Sequence X refresh options an all-new design that’s not a field in any respect. As a substitute, it’s a tall, black cylinder considerably harking back to the previous “trash can” Mac Professional. This design appears greatest fitted to sitting vertically, though we surprise if Microsoft will embrace a plastic cradle accent within the field to sit down it horizontally on a shelf or leisure heart.
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You will be upset for those who have been hoping for a efficiency enhance with the refresh. As a substitute, Microsoft says it is utilizing a brand new 6nm die shrink of the present AMD Ryzen SoC for improved effectivity. The lowered energy calls for additionally imply that the interior PSU is now 15 % smaller and the brand new Xbox Sequence X’s standby mode solely consumes 20 % of the ability required by the present console.
Different modifications embrace doubling the interior SSD capability from 1TB to 2TB and upgrading the wi-fi radios to Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E. Nonetheless, probably the most controversial change will little question be the elimination of the interior Blu-ray drive. Sure, the Xbox Sequence X refresh is all-digital, or as Microsoft’s inside slide proclaims, “Now adorably all digital.” For avid gamers with a agency grip on bodily media, this can be a stunning reminder of the path the business is heading in direction of.
Microsoft’s Xbox Sequence X console will even include a redesigned wi-fi controller with Xbox Wi-fi 2, Direct-to-Cloud and Bluetooth 5.2 assist. The controller consists of precision haptic suggestions, quieter buttons, modular thumbsticks, an accelerometer and “VCA haptics [that] double as audio system.” The brand new controller additionally has a swappable and swappable battery pack.
In keeping with the leaked roadmap, Microsoft’s new Xbox wi-fi controller will launch in June 2024, whereas the Xbox Sequence X refresh will launch in November 2024 for $499. An Xbox Sequence S refresh (Ellewood) with 1TB of storage, Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6E will land in September for $299. Once more, take the information with some salt till it may be verified.