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Mid-gen Xbox roadmap hardware leak. Series S|X refreshes (digital Series X refresh at $499), controller with haptics and quieter buttons at $69.99. (www.resetera.com)
submitted 3 years ago by to c/gaming@beehaw.org
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Archive link: http://archive.today/B2RBv

Things can change but this is the current planned roadmap for Xbox mid-gen refresh hardware as part of a whoopsie from the FTC documents with files attached.

The update appears to be an all digital design

Comparison table between the updated Xbox Series S, the updated Xbox X, and the updated controller

The Xbox refresh features a round design and doesn't appear to have a disk drive, but does have a USB-C port in front

The updated controller is bi-chromatic and features lift to wake

The updated Series S launches August 2025, t updated Series X launches October 2025

There is a new chipset design that features ARM processors and an AMD license

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[–] 6 points 3 years ago (2 children)

Short of legislation that requires these machines to allow you to hook into alternate digital storefronts, or a requirement for even console purchases to be DRM free, I don't think consoles will ever have a bright future for preservation regardless of a disc drive.

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    I fully agree that game preservation is not a priority for any gaming company. The playability of old games and not requiring paying again for a remaster/ release can only hurt their bottom line.

    The good thing is that they don't have to like preservation, or even support it, when there's physical game disks. In 40 years if I have a copy of Breath of the Wild and a working Switch, I can still play it; but the same likely cannot be said of a digital copy.

    The fact that companies care so little for (or actively dislike) game preservation is the very reason physical games are so important.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago*

    No, I'd say that's why you want DRM-free games. Plenty of games don't even get physical releases because the economics don't make sense, and then they get crucial patches that fix game-breaking bugs. Your console will break over a long enough timeline, and eventually the parts to fix it won't be produced anymore; I doubt your Switch will still play Breath of the Wild 40 years from now. Basically the only way to preserve modern games that makes sense to me is to make them run on PC, DRM-free.

    The playability of old games and not requiring paying again for a remaster/ release can only hurt their bottom line.

    Nah, because making that remaster or re-release costs them money and is more of a gamble than just putting out the old version for cheaper. Most of GOG's business is built around this, and then you see things like Sega putting out a huge collection of their ROMs entirely DRM-free with ROM hacks built into the Steam workshop.

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