Smaller version of next-gen console will cost $299
- Microsoft said the new console, called the Xbox Series S, is the «smallest Xbox ever» and will cost $299.
- The Xbox Series S is around 60% smaller than the Xbox Series X and won’t come with a disc drive
- Its unveiling comes after Microsoft was plagued by leaks about the more affordable machine.
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Microsoft confirmed Tuesday that it is set to launch a smaller, cheaper version of its upcoming next-generation console.
The company is currently gearing up for the release of its Xbox Series X device later this year, promising powerful specs and improved graphics quality in a bid to convince gamers to part with their cash for new gaming hardware.
It will go head-to-head with Sony’s PlayStation 5, or PS5, with both consoles expected to hit shelves ahead of the holidays. You can check out a breakdown of the main differences between the Xbox Series X and PS5 here.
Microsoft teased the new device, called the Xbox Series S, in a tweet Tuesday. It said the Xbox Series S would be the «smallest Xbox ever» and cost $299. It later revealed that the console would debut on Nov. 10.
The company added that the Xbox Series S is around 60% smaller than the Xbox Series X and won’t come with a disc drive, meaning users will have to download or stream games and movies. Sony has done something similar with the PS5, with both standard and digital-only versions of the console set to be released this fall.
For context, Microsoft has said the Xbox Series X will be four times more powerful than its predecessor, the Xbox One X. It’ll come with an eight-core AMD Zen 2 processor — like the PS5 — but will have a better graphics card than Sony’s rival machine.
With the Xbox Series S, there are also some impressive specs — such as support for realistic so-called ray tracing graphics — but it will have less internal storage. Microsoft has been heavily marketing its Game Pass Ultimate subscription service, which is set to include a cloud-gaming feature that lets users stream games from their phone or tablet, from Sept.
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Microsoft was plagued by leaks about the more affordable next-gen machine ahead of the announcement Tuesday. Windows Central — a publication that closely follows Microsoft news — reported overnight that the main Xbox Series X console would cost $499, while the Xbox Series S would come with a $299 price tag.
Citing sources, Windows Central said that both consoles would have monthly financing options. Consumers would reportedly be able to buy an Xbox Series X for $35 per month or the Xbox Series S with a $25 a month plan. Microsoft said it had nothing further to share beyond its tweets Tuesday.
It’s the first time either of the major console manufacturers have disclosed any pricing details for their next-gen devices. Sony unveiled the PS5 for the first time in June, but didn’t reveal any pricing or release date information. According to Windows Central, both of Microsoft’s new consoles are set to launch on Nov. 10.
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Xbox Series X price: What Microsoft’s next-gen console will really cost you
Microsoft’s official list price for the new Xbox is either $500 or $300, depending on the model.
The Xbox Series X (which comes with an optical drive and outputs at 4K resolution) costs $500, while the more modest Xbox Series S lists for $300. The Series S has a slower processor, less internal storage, 1440p output instead of 4K and no optical drive. Despite crippling inventory shortages, all the major retailers continue to respect this pricing and sell the consoles at Microsoft’s list price. That’s cold comfort, though, because of the chronic out-of-stock status means that the only real marketplace to snag the Xbox Series X/S is through resellers where it regularly sells for no less than twice the price.
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For months, whenever retailers have gotten inventory and released units for sale, they’ve sold out within minutes, in large part thanks to resellers’ use of bots that complete transactions far faster than any human. Some retailers have begun to crack down on these reseller bots, but the bots continue to prevent many people from getting consoles.
These bot-acquired consoles are being resold at a premium. On eBay, for example, it’s possible to find the Xbox Series X priced between $700 and $1,100. Some of the pricier deals are actually bundles that include accessories and games, but they’re still grossly overpriced and not a good value, especially since you probably wouldn’t buy the included accessories if you had a free choice.
We’ve been offering the same advice for months now: Wait until you can get an Xbox Series X at the $500 retail price and avoid resellers and bundles.
In the meantime, Xbox restocks do happen on a regular basis, and gamers with fast reaction times have managed to snag a console. We are keeping an eye on inventory drops and let you know when one is imminent. Be sure to check out our Xbox Series X restock status article for more details. Below is a list of all the major retailers (and a couple of reputable resellers, if you absolutely must) to help you get your own console.
- Xbox Series X review: Game Pass is the secret weapon
- Xbox Series X vs.
Xbox Series S: It’s all about 4K vs. 1440 - The best Xbox Series X games you’ll need to play
- PS5 vs. Xbox Series X: The next-gen consoles we’re buying and why
Xbox Series X Retailer and Resellers
Amazon
When in stock. Amazon sells the Xbox Series X for $500 and the Xbox Series S for $300 from the same product page.
See at Amazon
Best Buy
Best Buy lists the Xbox Series X for $500 on this page.
See at Best Buy
GameStop
At GameStop, the Xbox Series X lists for $500.
$500 at GameStop
Target
This is Target’s product page for the Xbox Series X, where the console sells for $500.
See at Target
Walmart
Walmart offers the Xbox Series X (when in stock) for $500. You might also want to visit the retailer’s Xbox landing page for both new consoles.
Read our Microsoft Xbox Series X|S review.
See at Walmart
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Newegg
NewEgg sells both the Xbox Series X for $500 and the Xbox Series S for $300 on this page.
See at Newegg
We highly recommend waiting for inventory to appear at ordinary retailers, so you can buy an Xbox Series X at the regular retail price. If you can’t wait, you can find Xbox Series X consoles at eBay with bids starting around $500, but actual sale prices are closer to $850 and up.
See at eBay
StockX
If you’re willing to pay hundreds of dollars over the list price, then StockX is a reputable eBay-style site that will let you buy new Xbox consoles. That said, the lowest price we could find is around $650 and averages closer to $800.
See at StockX
This story is frequently updated with the latest Xbox Series X news.
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11/25/2022 [00:44], Vladimir Mironenko Microsoft and Sony do not plan to release the next generation of consoles until at least 2028. This was reported by the Video Games Chronicle resource, citing documents provided by both companies to the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which is investigating the acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard by Microsoft.
Image Source: Video Games Chronicle The CMA has expressed concern about how the upcoming deal will affect PlayStation’s competitiveness, given that the merger would give Microsoft ownership of the Call of Duty series of games. «This impact is likely to be felt especially at the launch of the next generation of consoles, when gamers make decisions about buying the next console,» noted the regulator. To allay the CMA’s concerns, Microsoft said that it would be many years before the next generation of consoles were released, and that claims about the deal’s impact on market competition were highly debatable. While not ruling out the possibility that gamers may switch vendors when buying a next-gen console, Microsoft clarified that «this event (a new console release) happens about every eight years.»
With Sony and Microsoft releasing their current generation consoles, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S respectively, in November 2020, the next generation Xbox (if Microsoft is right) will be released in 2028. Sony says there is a very real threat that Call of Duty will be exclusive to Xbox, while Microsoft insists it has little business incentive to do so. In a statement to the UK regulator, Sony announced Microsoft’s proposal to keep Call of Duty available on the PlayStation platform only until 2027, which could affect the popularity of the next-generation console that will be released around that time. The loss of access to Call of Duty and other Activision games could hurt the competitiveness of the new version of the PlayStation, according to the Japanese manufacturer. Note that Microsoft announced in a document to the CMA about Sony’s proposed ten-year contract for Call of Duty. Source:
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«The release of the next generation of the console should not be expected until the fall of 2028,» confirmed Microsoft. 
Sony PlayStation 6 and next generation Xbox will not be released for at least five years
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According to the latest report, Sony has made it clear that 2027 is the release window for the next generation gaming console.
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In January of this year, Microsoft Xbox announced that it had spent $68.7 billion to acquire gaming giant Activision Blizzard. Sony has made it clear that it opposes this acquisition due to concerns that Call of Duty will become an Xbox exclusive.
The reality is that most PlayStation versions of Call of Duty contain exclusive content, and Sony itself has a wide selection of exclusive games in addition to this game.
Sony and Microsoft are expected to release next-generation console platforms in seven years, according to UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation documents already released.
According to the demand report, Sony has made it clear that 2027 is the next generation gaming console release window, which means that Sony will not release next generation home consoles for at least seven years after the PS5 release.
According to the VGC, the UK Competition and Markets Authority expressed concern about the possibility of sharing Call of Duty after Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard. “We will see the result at the launch of the next generation of consoles, when gamers will decide which console to buy because of exclusive content,” the UK regulator said.
In response, Microsoft and Activision responded that «it’s undeniable that some gamers may reconsider their buying direction when a new generation of consoles is released.» The company also noted, «This event happens about once every eight years.
