Could Microsoft finally be preparing to reveal the Xbox Series S (codenamed Lockhart) sometime soon? It’s pretty much an open secret that Microsoft will be offering a less powerful, more reasonably-priced console alongside the Xbox Series X, but they’ve yet to provide any official Xbox Series S details.
Well, Microsoft may not be talking yet, but it seems ratings boards like the ESRB are already preparing for the reveal of the Xbox Series S. As noticed by Twitter user Andrew Marmo, the ESRB is no longer specifically referring to the Xbox Series X in its ratings, simply listing “Xbox Series” in the list of platforms for Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War…
Looks like we might be getting Xbox Series S announcement very soon as the ESRB started listing games that have an Xbox Series X version as Xbox Series suggesting another console is coming from Microsoft. pic.twitter.com/cPr1QU8fGE
— Andrew Marmo (@the_marmolade) September 7, 2020
The European ratings board PEGI has started doing something similar, listing “Xbox (2020)” rather than Xbox Series X.
Buenos dias muchachada (de nuevo)!
Acabo de encontrar otro indicio de que #XboxSeriesS está más cerca de lo que pensamos, buscando en los sistemas de certificacion #PEGI y #ESRB me he topado con esto.
Engloban la next gen de #Xbox como #Xbox2020 y #XboxSeries 👀
Ahí lo dejo: pic.twitter.com/27YhvlyWo0— Mark (@MACOS380) September 7, 2020
The implication of these changes is clear – ESRB and PEGI are no longer referring specifically to the Xbox Series X, because there will, in fact, be two next-gen Xbox consoles. Now, of course, nothing is set in stone until Microsoft actually makes the announcement, but these kind of ratings board leaks almost always end up being the real deal.
When might we finally get that Xbox Series S announcement? Well, the rumor was the console would finally be unveiled as part of a digital event in August, but that event was eventually pushed back to September. The latest scuttlebutt is that we'll be hearing something before the Tokyo Game Show, which will kick off on September 24, so keep an eye out! As for what to expect from the Xbox Series S, its rumored to be approximately as powerful as a PS4 Pro (with some more modern features like an SSD) and will likely have a more traditional form factor (as opposed to the XSX’s fridge design).
What do you think? Could you see yourself buying an Xbox Series S if the price is right? Or is it the top-of-the-line model or nothing for you?
About the author: Professional writer of trivial things. Nathan has been covering games, entertainment, and online culture for over a decade with bylines at IGN, GameSpy, Cracked, Uproxx, ComicBook, and more. Joined Wccftech gaming team in 2017, and has written hundreds of game reviews and thousands of news stories since.
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