Microsoft Might Have Ditched a Huge Xbox Series X Redesign for This Mild Refresh

That big Xbox Series X refresh we’ve been waiting for might not be as exciting as we first thought.

Microsoft revealed three updated versions of its consoles during the Xbox Games Showcase, showing off an all-digital Xbox Series X in all-white, a limited-edition Xbox Series X that goes up to 2TB of storage, and a new Xbox Series S that’s also in white. Microsoft said these three refreshed consoles will be available for this year’s holiday season.

With this official announcement, it looks like the cylindrical redesign that was previously leaked thanks to a lawsuit between Microsoft and the Federal Trade Commission might be out of the question. All the documents revealed during the hearing pointed towards this rounded Xbox Series X being released this fall, but the plans have clearly changed since.

Sticking to a Safer Shape

We first learned that Microsoft was considering changing the design of the upcoming Xbox Series X in September. Documents suggested that instead of the traditional boxy look, the new Xbox would have a cylindrical design and would come without a physical disc drive. According to a roadmap revealed in the hearing, Microsft planned to release this rounder refresh, which went by the codename Brooklin, for the 2024 holiday season.

With the official reveal of its latest Xbox console refreshes, that hope for a drastically different design is gone — at least for this year. In place of that, we get an all-white Xbox Series X with 1TB of storage and no disc drive that starts at $449.99. That’s a $50 savings compared to the original price of the all-black Xbox Series X. Along with an all-white look, Microsoft showed off a limited-edition Xbox Series X in “galaxy black” with colorful speckles all around the console that resemble a starry night. This model still has a physical disc drive, up to 2TB of storage, and starts at $599.99. We can’t forget about the Xbox Series S, which has a 1TB model in white and stays the same price of $349.99.

Maybe Still on the Roadmap

It’s a shame that Microsoft has seemingly tabled the cylindrical Xbox Series X change, but we get why. A round design may look cool, but it does present some challenges — for one, it wouldn’t be as stable sitting horizontally.

Instead, we have rather mild refreshes, which even though they were announced during the Xbox Games Showcase, won’t be available until the fall. Unsurprisingly, that lines up perfectly with Sony’s plans to release a PS5 Pro for the holiday season. Looking at both options, Xbox may have some serious competition on the other side since Sony’s upgrade may be more substantial thanks to the Pro naming.