Hope comes for console gamers as Microsoft has just released the latest XDK documents for Xbox developers. Security researcher TitleOS on twitter spotted out mentions of the long-rumored Xbox Series S in the release. The talk about a disc-less all-digital console has been going around for a while now.
Previously, Microsoft had released the Xbox One S All Digital Edition, with Sony also following suit with an all-digital version of the PlayStation 5. This trend gives users the future hope that there will be an all-digital version for the new generation of Microsoft’s consoles too.
The digital version of the new Xbox is codenamed, Lockhart. However, Microsoft is taking a different approach as compared to Sony with the Series S. While the PS5 offers the same hardware without an optical drive in the digital edition, the Xbox Lockhart/Series S will aim to provide lesser performance in a smaller footprint instead.
This version of Xbox will have less graphic capabilities than its bigger brother but may come with a larger storage solution. Where the Xbox Series X focuses on providing ultimate performance, this variant will be better-suited for mid-tier gamers. The Xbox Series S will, therefore, have enough power to run games at 1080p rather than the 4K resolution promised by the Series X.
This version of Xbox had been long in rumors until recently, Microsoft released Xbox XDK documents. The Twitter user TitleOS essentially discovered “Profiling Modes” for two devices in it. These devices were Lockhart and Anaconda. We already know that Anaconda is the codename for the Xbox series, so the other one must be the rumored console. Here is the original tweet.
More proof of Lockhart, this time from the XDK/GDK release notes for June 2020. pic.twitter.com/hulDoC9owv
— TitleOS @titleos@infosec.exchange (@XB1_HexDecimal) June 24, 2020
The all-digital release has the potential to bring good profit to Microsoft. The users will then be buying directly from the Microsoft store. This also benefits users, and they will not have to pay for discs and can get games cheaper.
Until now, Microsoft has said little to nothing about the new generation of consoles. But we do know that developers have been hard at work to develop games for Microsoft’s newer platform too.
For instance, the new Halo Infinite teaser dropped yesterday signaling that we will see full gameplay or a possible trailer at the July Xbox event. The trailer also revealed that the Banished will be making a return to the series.
As for the Xbox Series S, many believe that Microsoft will unveil the console next year and will focus solely on the Series X for now. Having said that, who knows that despite Microsoft’s habit of canceling products last minute, we might actually get an announcement about the digital console in the upcoming July event.
The Inside Xbox Show in May by Microsoft disappointed a lot of fans as the promise of showing Series X gameplay wasn’t honored. The company executives did accept that they set the wrong expectations for the event at that time.
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However, the fan expectations are again high this time around with Halo Infinite leading the charge of product releases. This time Microsoft might just drop the best of its products including the likes of Forza 8 and the rumored Fable game from Playground Games.
As for Lockhart, we are still unsure whether it will be included in the event or not as the only selling point of the product is its price.
We do not have a price for the PlayStation 5 or the Xbox Series X at this point, so it makes sense to assume that Microsoft will release the Series S when the parts eventually get cheaper. However, one could always hope for the best as no one knows what’s brewing behind closed doors at Redmond.