Highlights
- Leaked court documents reveal Microsoft's plan to launch a disc-less version of the Xbox Series X called Brooklin in November 2025, featuring a USB-C port and 2TB of storage.
- An upgraded Xbox controller, codenamed Sebile, is expected to be announced in 2023 with features like gyro support, Bluetooth 5.2, precision haptic feedback, and speakers that double as VCA haptics.
- A second revision of the Xbox Series S console, codenamed Ellewood, is projected for September 2025, with upgrades including Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 support, and reduced power consumption.
Images and details of Microsoft’s disc-less version of the Xbox Series X have leaked online. In the onslaught of recent document leaks from the FTC’s ongoing attempt to halt the Activision Blizzard acquisition, a lot of interesting information about various projects in the gaming industry at large have come to light.
For the court case, Microsoft was required to submit a range of documents, several of which have become available online. One of the major revelations from this dump of court documents was that Microsoft is aiming to launch the next Xbox console in 2028. Likewise, according to the documents, the PlayStation 6 is expected to release in that timeframe. This information was discussed in a chat between Microsoft and Xbox leadership in May 2022, though the messages didn’t reveal any further details about the next generation of consoles from either company.
In a future closer than 2028, Xbox fans may still have something to look forward to, however. In what The Verge’s Tom Warren is calling the biggest leak in Xbox history, the court documents have revealed details about a disc-less version of the Xbox Series X. Codenamed Brooklin, the new iteration of the console will feature a USB-C port on the front and 2TB of storage, an increase from the current Series X's 1TB. These documents include images of both the console and controller, and also reveal the projected console launch date of November 2025 and price of $499.
Besides unveiling the disc-less Xbox Series X, the documents showed that the Xbox controller will also be seeing an upgrade, codenamed Sebile, which is expected to be announced sometime in 2023. Retailing for $69.99, this new iteration of the peripheral will sport an accelerometer for gyro support and will also come with Bluetooth 5.2. Additionally, the Sebile controller will feature “precision haptic feedback” and VCA haptics that “double as speakers,” as well as a rechargeable and swappable battery, modular thumbsticks, and quieter buttons.
On September 1, Microsoft released a revamped Xbox Series S console that featured a black casing and 1TB of storage space. However, the leaked court documents hint that a second revision of the smaller console is expected in September 2025. This project is codenamed Ellewood and seems to upgrade the device to have Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 support. It will come with the new version of the Xbox controller, as well as a few other tweaks like reduced power consumption when in standby mode.