Microsoft is engaged on a serious revamp to the Xbox controller. The data comes from slides shared with the courtroom as a part of the corporate’s authorized battle with the FTC. The leaked doc options detailed plans of Microsoft’s {hardware} division.
The brand new controller is codenamed Sebile, and probably the most fascinating factor about it’s that it will comply with the DualSense’s lead in implementing haptic suggestions. Just like the PS5 controller, the subsequent Xbox controller refresh will even characteristic VCA haptics (audio system), and an accelerometer.
Microsoft can also be planning to ship rechargeable (and swappable) batteries with the controller, which is a good suggestion, contemplating how taxing the brand new options are going to be on commonplace AA batteries. Exterior of anticipated options, like an up to date Bluetooth commonplace, Sebile will even embody modular analogue sticks to enhance longevity.
You too can count on quieter buttons, and a smartphone-like characteristic that enables the controller to be woken up when lifted. Sebile is pencilled in for a summer time 2024 launch, late-Might or early June.
Microsoft can also be engaged on a refresh of the Xbox Sequence X, codenamed Brooklin. The brand new console doesn’t supply any upgraded energy, however it comes with 2TB of built-in storage, a extra eco-friendly redesign, and WiFi 6E.
The large information is that Brooklin doesn’t have a disc drive, that means it will transfer Xbox formally right into a digital-only future. The console refresh is deliberate to launch on the identical present worth of the Sequence X – $500.
Exterior of the place the paperwork originated from, what offers these specific plans extra credibility is the very fact they reference bulletins which have already been publicly made. On a slide exhibiting the way forward for the Xbox model’s {hardware} releases, we see Ellewood – which is the 1TB Xbox Sequence S introduced in June.
Nevertheless, the plan was seemingly initially to announce each consoles concurrently, with Sequence S Carbon Black releasing in September 2024, and the Sequence X refresh following on in November. The Sequence S refresh has as a substitute landed in September of this yr, and the Sequence X refresh has but to be formally introduced. That stated, there’s nonetheless time within the yr for Microsoft to announce/launch Brooklin correctly.
It is also value preserving in thoughts that the Sequence S refresh was deliberate to value $300, however ended up retailing for $350. It is clear these slides are a bit previous, and will have been produced earlier than Microsoft raised Xbox Sequence X costs in a number of territories (although not the US).
As all the time, plans do change, and have on this case, at the very least. So it is value taking the information with a pinch of salt.
As a part of the identical leak, we additionally discovered that Microsoft continues to significantly contemplate shopping for Nintendo. Past pie within the sky plans, the Microsoft-owned Bethesda label seems to be engaged on Oblivion and Fallout 3 remasters, alongside Arkane’s Dishonored 3.