Published , by Sam Chandler
Published , by Sam Chandler
The FTC’s recent lawsuit against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has resulted in documents being leaked. These documents allegedly detail Microsoft’s plans for an Xbox Series X refresh. Included in the files is information on price, specifications, and images of the console as well as a look at a new type of Xbox controller featuring haptic feedback and an accelerometer.
On September 19, 2023, a ResetEra thread popped up that linked to the court documents of the FTC v Microsoft lawsuit. The thread was then amplified by Wario64 on X (formerly Twitter). Within these documents are a series of images that showcase the design of an Xbox Series X refresh, the specifications Microsoft is currently targeting, a new controller, and a launch window.
Firstly, the refreshed design of the Xbox Series X, codenamed “Brooklin," looks to be an all-digital console with a bevy of updates and improvements. The internal storage sits at 2TB, there's a USB-C port with power delivery on the front, and some technical improvements on the guts including “southbridge to modernize IO”, 6nm die shrink, and Wi-Fi 6E and BT 5.2 radio. On top of this, Microsoft continues to push what’s possible with sustainability, reducing the PSU power by 15 percent, offering a new low-power standby mode that is 20 percent of the current Xbox Series S standby mode, and it comes in a 100 percent recyclable packaging. All of this is wrapped in what looks to be a cylindrical chassis.
The other standout detail is that “Brooklin” will come with the new Xbox controller. This thing touts “Xbox Wireless 2” and “Direct-to-Cloud” along with a seamless pair and switch system to let players see paired devices and the cloud. Users may also be pleased to hear that this new controller will feature haptic feedback and an accelerometer, which is used for a “lift to wake” feature.
The documents also revealed a refresh for the Xbox Series S, codenamed “Ellewood”. It looks to target 1440p, offer 10GB of RAM, and physical storage reaching 1TB.
Obviously, the details surrounding these products are subject to change, but the documents also make mention of launch windows. Users might expect the new Xbox Series S to arrive in late August 2024 with the refreshed Xbox Series X to arrive in late October 2024, right in time for the holiday. Prices are currently set at $299 USD for the Xbox Series S and $499 USD for the Xbox Series X.
It’s certainly unfortunate for Microsoft and the developers that worked on the refreshed Xbox Series consoles to have the information revealed via the FTC documents. However, these sorts of things always tends to generate discussion and interest. I, for one, want to hear more about this fancy new controller. Be sure to keep it locked to Shacknews as we bring you the latest on Xbox and anything else that comes from the FTC lawsuit.