Xbox Series X All-Digital Console Refresh Planned For Late 2024

Well it looks like Xbox is hurtling to an all digital future and why on Earth is there another Series S and still at £300? That's madness.

If that PS5 Pro rumour is true and the Switch successor is coming next year, then Xbox's strategy of "it's now round and doesn't have a disc drive" is certainly a bold move

Finally Todd's dream can come true. We can play skyrim on Alexa. Jokes aside how they are gonna fit all the components in a cylindrical shape. I'm curious It looks like some pc case you see on Amazon.

@carlos82 these 2 are revisions for better production cost and efficiency. Xbox is likely not going to build pro version this gen but who knows.

@Tonmoy one of them is, the other is a brand new product and I'm not against them revising the S again for such reasons, consoles get iterations all the time but you don't have another launch for them

I said it when they released that more expensive series S that it should have been an all digital X instead.

However I don’t believe the price point will be 500 because that’s just way more expensive than a digital ps5.

I'd buy the controller, looks neat

@carlos82 No idea how much a 'Pro' console is likely to cost - even without a Disc Drive as that too was rumoured not to have one 'built-in'. The PS5 itself is still as expensive as the XSX and this is substituting a DD for an extra TB over storage as well as reducing its power consumption (lower running costs for the consumer) and a more 'advanced' controller for the 'same' cost as 1TB XSX with a DD.

Its already around $500 price point for a XSX/PS5 console and whilst Sony may want to offer a 'Pro' to offer their Games at a more 'competitive' performance and/or visual quality to the PC, with Microsoft, they already have the 'PC' market for those wanting higher performance etc.

If I want to Xbox games at 4k, at 120+fps, on 'ultra' settings etc, I can day and date with Game Pass on PC. Sony doesn't really have that option as if they 'sold' their games day/date on PC, they'd lose hardware sales which would also mean a loss of 3rd Party, Accessories etc sales too because you'd buy on PC through a third Party (like Steam who'd get their cut too so less money going to Sony). MS have their own store on PC, Game Pass on PC etc so realistically can still cater to those wanting higher performance without incurring the costs of researching, developing and releasing an 'expensive' higher end console to 'compete' with PC's...

This is exciting news, the new controller looks fantastic

@Tonmoy Looks great to be honest, will see!

So they said they wouldn't be refreshing the console and the Series X was their Pro model huh.... not entirely honest were they.

@BAMozzy I myself play their games on PC and you make a very good point about that. I think this is more of a final push towards all digital for Xbox, given the current X seemingly isn't in line for these updates and them making their games available across multiple devices, the console just being one of them. As opposed to Sony and Nintendo who are very much still in the realm of buy our hardware to play our games

@S1ayeR74 they said they were not releasing a mid gen upgraded pro, and it looks like they are not. This is an revised series x and s, just replacing the older model with a refresh. Not a higher spec'd machine.

Think it's a mistake not including a disc drive in the top of the range console

@Sakai Not a mistake, an option and a good one at that.
Just how it is, 2tb, NEW CONTROLLER and more in the console, makes sense, Sony have a digital version dude!

@Ep_13 I think it's a mistake, and I personally won't be buying one if it does not have a disc drive

Exactly what I've wanted, a digital X. But that date seems unreasonably far out, hopefully it releases sooner!

@Sakai Well it remains to be seen how much faster the die shrink will be, seems you usually get a small performance boost at least with die shrinks. Also new WiFi and new chips seems like a bit of an upgrade to me. Not a full on 'Pro' model but not a simple like for like refresh either. Oh and a brand new controller with more haptics too.

Meh designed to push everyone towards a digital ad stuffed future.
I think Sonys idea of an optional disk drive is a far better solution. One console same power across the board.

Interested in the controller but that's it.
Still find it difficult to believe Microsoft would not release a pro version of the Series X if and when Sony release the rumoured Playstation 5 Pro.
I have a Series X so why would I be interested in a disc less version of the console?

I think people need to get used to a digital future as it's clearly where we are going considering the significant proportion of digital purchases. Plus, Playstation is also revising their PS5s to make them digital only as standard, with an optional discdrive. They are clearly pushing people towards discless.

@carlos82 Again - the difference is that games you buy on Playstation/Nintendo hardware are 'locked' to that hardware but with Xbox, buying their games digitally means you can play on PC or Console and with Direct Storage, you get the 'version' specific for the Hardware...

The PC is practically all Digital these days anyway and with 'many' using Game Pass to play, more and more are using Digital delivery over Physical. Digital too works better with Quick Resume - swapping discs defeats that 'quick' access. As the Series S and PC are basically 'All-Digital' platforms, the 'only' people buying Physical are those 'few' on Series X who prefer to own discs - despite those discs only being used to verify you have a valid licence after installing. Assuming the complete game is actually on the disc - not just a launcher with the Licence to play...

@species8472 you are not meant to be interested in it. It's a revision for new customers and, similar to the upcoming PS5 revision, will likely have something that makes it cheaper to make. These revisions happen all the time, most are just small enough that no one really notices.

@S1ayeR74 according to the leaks it is not more powerful. But it is more energy efficient. Its just a sku refresh from the information we have, nothing more nothing less

@Lightning720
I just hope this doesn't mean Microsoft will go all digital in the future, but I guess many people will say this is inevitable and "progress."

@species8472 it is inevitable and is clearly the direction both Sony and Microsoft are going in, and to be fair, consumers as well. If consumers weren't buying digital, the market wouldn't be going in this direction.

@Kaloudz remember that these leaks appear to be a few years old. Quite a lot can change over many years, especially pricing.

well slightly key would be if they stop selling the x with a disc drive, which i suspect they will so yes death of physical is here.
really not good .

@MrList You will own nothing and be happy.

I've been waiting for xbox to get a gyro controller for a long time. Absolutely interested in the controller. Don't care about any of the console revisions.

@carlos82

Xbox Series S should be £200 to aggressively target anyone with even a hint of interest in Xbox games.

Betheseda Games
Activision Games
Epic Games

At that price point, you would tempt a lot of people to get an xbox as a secondary console or even make it their main one.

@Lightning720 I can't remember the last time I bought a game on disc brand new from Amazon or second hand from CEX as I now buy my games digitally when they are on sale.
I do however, have dozens and dozens of games on disc that if Microsoft go all digital in the future I will never be able to play again.
Hopefully Microsoft will offer consumers the option of disc drive add on.

New controller is the only exciting thing here, hopefully we finally get the Elite 3.

About time we had a series x with no disc drive.
They should have done it from the start like the PS5 discless at a lower cost.
And dare I say it had no series s.

No disk drive is a no buy for me. I like having an all in one device that can play digital and physical media, and the Series X is the only console that plays old games, DVDs, Blu Ray, 4k Blu ray, and CDs (the PS5 doesn't play CDs despite Sony co-developing the format).

Might look at the new controller though.

Xbox becomes Xcylinder? Absolutely hate it, what are they on?

However the revised controller is interesting. Its at least 5 years behind the curve, but at least we get Gyro now for those that want it and those games which can support it.

@Sakai fair play, millions will though I hope, I like digital, but I have a series X, fantastic machine!

@Titntin it looks great, chill, might not be final design my friend.

That’s not a box… it’s a cylinder!!!!

For real, I do like the controller have a gyro, though.

I lay my consoles horizontal and use discs

if they stopped offering these i would not be happy and buy a competitors console that does

@Maddie47
Believe it or not, no disc drive in a current Gen system is not a deal breaker for as many people as you'd think. Physical sales are way down compared to digital, hence why everyone is moving towards an all digital future.

so the discs i own are useless now

backwards compatibility for digital only

@Sakai "Not a higher spec'd machine."

2TB internal storage as standard. It quite literally IS a higher spec'd machine?

1) it’s not a “pro” version of Series X
2) no disc drive

….2 reasons I won’t be buying it.

If this is an additional SKU, fine. If they remove the disk model from sale, I’ll be very annoyed (unless they start selling USB disk drives.)

@Titntin I meant processing power, not storage capacity. Sorry I though that would have been obvious to anybody.

If I add an extra SSD to my series X it doesn't magically make it a pro console

No disc drive to play games and movies. No interest for me.

@Kaloudz So something the relies on the internet and your internet connection is better then a piece of hardware plugged into your console? I can't see how. Also the PS5 is current gen, this hybrid console is next gen and who knows what Sony will do then.

I was going to get the "pro" version but this doesn't appear to be it. I've been accumulating physical too i'm not going discless

Not for me, but I love the look of this thing.

@EvenStephen7 "I love the look of this thing."
I hear you, but it still rankles that a box is potentially a cylinder

I also have mine lying down, which would then roll off the table!!
(Standing up, the usb is so close to the bottom that I cant use my Xim nexus dongle - I do prefer it standing up aesthetically:))
Off course, with a new controller I wouldn't need the nexus to get gyro anyway, lol.

Its also old news of course, so its quite possible the design and specs have changed. I'd be happier to see a different design, but ultimately it could look how it likes as long as it runs Game Pass games!

@Sakai " I meant processing power, not storage capacity. "
That's fair enough and I can see you've edited your post to make it more clear.
No malice intended, and your quite right its not a pro model with any more horsepower, though I suspect many will appreciate extra storage without paying the inflated propriety prices.
Its not for me either, though extra choices is always welcome eh?
If it were more powerful, then people would have a reason to be annoyed at the lack of drive. Have a lovely day!

@Kaloudz The way it’s worded does come across as though you will need the internet, and MS is NOT afraid about you needing an internet connection to use your console. Not a good thing in my mind. Either way no internet probably means no gaming, certainly seems as though it could mean reduced power possibly processing and reduced features. So it remains to be seen just how powerful the actual console would be.
It has a hint of the Kinetic Xbox One mess about it.

Looks like you can guarantee MS will be ditching the disk drive from next year…

@Titntin I haven't edited any of my original posts since you @ me. I have no interest in any console without a disc drive, unless I am forced kicking and screaming and there is no other option. You have a good day 2 buddy

@Titntin Hahaha it's just now dawning on me that it's an X "Box" that's cylindrical. That's hilarious, and normally the kind of thing that gets under my skin too lol.

I weirdly like my consoles to be kind of discrete and easily hidden. I have the Series X tucked away. It's a little harder to hide the PS5, haha. But this would be easy to tuck away in a corner.

@PsBoxSwitchOwner
Totally agree they should have released a digital series x 1tb at £370 ish for this coming Christmas 2023.
Thrown in a month’s GPU to get people interested in GPU and continue with a subscription.
Sometimes I do question Microsofts strategy on the console front.
That would generate more console sales than this 2024 model at 2tb and a higher price and generated more GPU subscriptions.

Taking the box out of xbox.

In Japan high-speed internet is ubiquitous and the US enacted legislation last year to make high-speed internet ubiquitous throughout urban, suburban, and rural areas. With this in mind and the ever-increasing size of video games it's hard to believe consoles will exist for much longer. Maybe we'll get another console generation in 2028, but after that I'd wager we'll all be subscribing to streaming video game services, somewhat similar to Netflix. So a greater push for all-digital consoles, even if they're downloading content to an internal hard drive, makes a lot of sense as an intermediary step.

And for what it's worth, I don't think the UK market really plays into this, or the Canadian market (where I'm based) for that matter. Nor am I actually advocating for the scenario described above, that just seems to be how it's playing out.

I'm happy with my original SeriesX with disc drive etc, especially as this one is the same hardware, ie not a "pro".

However I sure do wish the existing SeriesX came with a USB-C port, kind of bizarre it doesn't for modern hardware.

Just watch MS can all these plans now haha

@Kaloudz The brief by Microsoft states in its first paragraph that ‘we will enable new levels of performance beyond the capabilities of the client hardware alone’

That is basically using the cloud to boost performance in games, in black and white. No internet lower performance in games.

Motion controllers yes please. Hopefully fair sticks. Eh d-pad we will never see go.

Console direction and future of gaming no thanks. The design looks fine... I only use my Xbox One X for tv shows and games on disk (BC or Xbox One).

So with the new dashboard being less appealing to me at least, no games I really care to play on it from first party I'm not missing out really just whatever I can play of third party copies and BC games I find cheap and can insert the disk, and play.

(doing research on what I can put in the console, got a 360 but for OG Xbox especailly for 360/One BC lists for the download not buy it, put it in and go oh I can't well doing research ahead then).

@Kaloudz Sure, the console may be powerful, for a games console, but you are missing the point in your own comment as it still means, no internet reduced power of your console.

I know that discs and disc-drives are going to disappear, but until they do, I'm gonna hold on to them.
I keep buying games on disc on Xbox (bought Starfield, recently), but also, I'm a huge fan of 4k bluray movies. They play like a charm on Series X.

@Kaloudz No it’s not, they also want to use ARM instead of X86 looking at the slide, so backwards compatibility will be questioned too as it’s not been great with computers using ARM. Relying on the internet to have games perform properly isn’t exciting, it’s going backwards and moving to an entirely service based system, where you will eventually not actually own anything apart from maybe the physical controller. You don’t effectively own digital media, you only rent it.

All digital renders buying anything post series x completely pointless imo. Might as well get a PC for a similar price. Backwards compatibility with my 360 discs is one of the main reasons I got mine.

@Kaloudz It is in black and white, ARM processor, and it’s a fact that ARM has not been easy at all to make backwards compatible, and it states the cloud will be used to increase performance beyond the client hardware, black and white stating they will be using the cloud to boost games performance, that’s what it means. I’ve said that about three times now. So don’t be surprised if you lose your internet you can still play games but the performance will drop.

Also if they are ditching the disk drive next year across the board, you can be certain generation 10 consoles will ditch it from the start, so you won’t be able to play your disk based collection anymore.