Microsoft unveils unredacted documents about future Xbox refreshes and next-gen systems in a case of the FTC v. Microsoft

In what’s being cited as the biggest leak in the company’s history, Microsoft revealed a massive amount of information about forthcoming Xbox refreshes, next-gen systems, and more after uploading a series of unredacted documents to a court website as part of the ongoing Federal Trade Commission v. Microsoft case. The leak, which ricocheted across the internet Tuesday, offers not just a road map for the gaming giant’s years to come, but also never-before-seen insight into Microsoft’s inner workings.

The real world has never seen Sony’s or Microsoft’s speed advantage. The PS5 did better than the xbox series x at launch. John Linneman said in June 2022, that the PS5 pulled ahead twice as the Xbox pulled ahead eight times.

Another previously redacted chunk: Microsoft admitted that PS5 might have a “long term” price advantage on expandable storage because Sony chose to use a standard M.2 NVMe SSD slot. “In the long term, their approach may provide price advantage.”

Phil Spencer said that he was proud of the team after almost 12 hours of soaking in their unveil, taking apart their specifications and looking at the community responses.

In a different document, Microsoft revealed that it planned to subsidize the Xbox Series X and S to the tune of $1.5 billion in 2021 to hit its price targets of $499 and $299, respectively. The document says that the hardware subsidy is the biggest ever in the gaming P&L.

The Discovery of the Xbox Leaks on ResetEra During the Games Run: Microsoft’s Next Console vs. Nintendo

The files were discovered early Tuesday morning by users on gaming forum ResetEra. FTC spokesperson Douglass Farrar tells WIRED that the organization was not responsible for the uploaded plans; the court later confirmed. Leaks happen constantly in the game industry—earlier this year, Sony suffered its own leak as part of the FTC v. Microsoft trial over some poorly done sharpie redactions—but this particular instance is exceptional in its size and breadth, and the sheer volume of speculation about Microsoft’s future the documents caused.

According to the internal documents, mid-cycle console refreshes are on the way. The Series X console refresh, internally known as Brooklin, is expected in November. It’s more cylindrical in design than its boxy predecessor, has no disc drive, and will offer 2 terabytes of storage and a USB-C front port. It also promises features like faster Wi-Fi capabilities and a new controller, at a $499 price point.

The codename for the Series S refresh isn’t quite as specific. The documents promise better internal storage and Wi-Fi for $299, with a 60-day gap between the two console releases to give Ellewood “its own ‘moment’ earlier in the holiday to maximize sales.”

The Sebile controller has a direct-to-cloud connection, battery, quiet buttons, and lift-to-wake capabilities.

According to the documents, Microsoft is thinking of its next console as a “hybrid game platform” that will fully utilize the cloud. The company wrote in an internal slide that it will allow new levels of performance beyond the client hardware alone.

Spencer says he would support a merger with or acquisition of either Nintendo or Valve if there was an opportunity.

However, Spencer noted that he didn’t see a “mutually agreeable merger” for the two companies, and he didn’t believe “hostile action would be a good move so we are playing the long game.”

Source: The Biggest Revelations From the Microsoft Xbox Leaks

An Update on the First Release Predictions of Elder Scrolls VI for PC, Xbox, and Xbox X-ray Gamma-ray Players

In news sure to disappoint a lot of fans, Elder Scrolls VI won’t be released until 2026 at the earliest, and PlayStation 5 owners shouldn’t expect it at all; its launch is only for PC and Xbox.