Two major pieces of next-gen Xbox news appear to have leaked online early, and it's all thanks to a controller that was released into the wild earlier than it should have been. A second, cheaper next-gen Xbox console and a potential release date for Microsoft's upcoming hardware have potentially been revealed ahead of time.
Rumours suggested that Microsoft was planning to announce a more affordable next-gen Xbox later this month, and new images all but confirm that this machine will be called the Xbox Series S. I'm sure that won't get confusing for all the parents out there come Christmas.
Twitter user Zak S was recently able to buy a white Xbox Series controller that came in packaging referencing the Xbox Series S. The Verge has since confirmed the controller and its mention of the second console to be the real deal.
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In a seriously strange sequence of events, Zak S was somehow able to purchase the controller through a resale website, though nobody has any idea just how it ended up there in the first place. The design matches up with leaked images of a white Xbox Series X controller from last month, and the accompanying booklet mentions that the controller works with both the Xbox Series X and the - currently unannounced - Xbox Series S.
The existence of the Xbox Series S has been hinted at for several months now, although it was previously referred to in leaked documents as 'Lockhart'. These documents suggest that the second console won't be as powerful as the Xbox Series X, but will offer a cheaper price point as a result. Unfortunately, it's still not clear just how much either console will cost.
According to these same reports, the Xbox Series S will feature 7.5GB of usable RAM, around 4 teraflops of GPU performance, and will launch with the same CPU found on the Xbox Series X. For comparison, the Xbox Series X is confirmed to be packing 16GB RAM and 12 teraflops of GPU performance, making it a much beefier console in terms of raw specs.
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Meanwhile, eagle-eyed users over on ResetEra spotted something else interesting about the leaked controller. The next-gen kit came packaged with a warranty card that specifies the controller's limited warranty lasts until November 5th of 2021. As a number of users pointed out, it's typical to see one-year warranties upon release... which would imply that the controller - and presumably the next-gen console itself - will hit shelves on November 5th this year.
Of course there is a chance that this next-gen controller could simply be releasing a little bit ahead of the console itself, but this almost certainly narrows down the next-gen launch date for Xbox to November. This would also suggest that PlayStation won't be far behind, officially making November the month gamers really need to keep an eye on.
Featured Image Credit: MicrosoftTopics: Xbox, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S