Xbox have yet to introduce a mid-console generation upgrade the way PlayStation did the PS4 Pro, or Nintendo with the New 3DS. But it looks like the time has come for the Microsoft gaming arm, as documents aired as part of its legal battle to acquire Activision Blizzard has shown. And it may come as soon as next year.
Said documents show what is referred to as the Xbox Series X Refresh, with a codename of Brooklin. It’s a cylindrical console where the original was more a cuboid, but beyond the shape it has many similar elements. This includes what looks like a grille of some sort on top.
On the inside, this Xbox will have 2TB of storage space, as opposed to the 1TB in the current model. Other improvements include support for WiFi 6E, Bluetooth 5,2 and better power efficiency. The documents also show an Xbox Series S, known as Ellewood, sporting most of these improvements, as well as a storage bump up to 1TB. The design looks mostly unchanged for this one though.
Appearing alongside these mid generation console upgrades is a new Xbox controller codenamed Sebile. The major takeaway here is something listed as “precision haptic feedback”, as well as another that reads “VCA haptics double as speakers”. For now, it’s unclear what these mean, but it may be a feature made to challenge the haptic feedback of the rival DualSense controller. Also listed benefits are swappable rechargable batteries, as well as buttons that are quieter and modular.
According to a roadmap that was revealed alongside all these details, the Ellewood Xbox Series S refresh is set to be released at the tail end of August of 2024. As for the Brooklin Xbox Series X, this is coming in October of the same year instead. They will also launch with the same price as their originals, that is US$499 (~RM2,343) and US$299 (~RM1,404), respectively.
The Sebile Xbox controller will actually be the first to launch of the three, with a debut window of late May, and an accompanying price of US$69.99 (~RM329). Unfortunately, no word on if this something that’s coming to our shores, as usual. Microsoft has been completely silent on that front since its previous SEA expansion announcement.
(Source: The Verge)
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