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A new controller for a system that has not yet been launched? That’s interesting enough, sure. But the news comes when you turn the box.
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Notice “Xbox Series X | S” as descriptor? That’s legitimate.
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The controller works with existing Xbox One consoles, and one owner we’ve been in contact with, who goes through Zak S on Twitter, praised: “The d-pad is one of my favorite parts on it.”
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A second box was found in the wild.
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It also includes mention of the unannounced Xbox Series S.
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As a direct contact made by Ars Technica, Zak S forwarded our images from the included manual. These include an apparent image of Xbox Series X, but not older consoles (if not the Series S yet to be seen).
Zak S
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The other side of the instruction manual.
Zak S
The next version of the standard, cross-console Xbox controller has been unveiled in the wild, ahead of its official retail announcement. Mar de two lekt controller we’ve seen so far more intriguing because of something they have in common: a seemingly official listing of “Xbox Series S” as an additional Microsoft next-gen console.
Ars Technica can confirm that this is in fact the name of an upcoming, unannounced Microsoft product, based on conversations with people familiar with Microsoft’s hardware plans. The Series S will apparently exist alongside the well-publicized Xbox Series X, which does not yet have a publicly known date or price.
S marks the place – but questions remain
The controller itself was previously announced alongside the reveal of Xbox Series X during the December 2019 broadcast of The Game Awards. While it bears a strong resemblance to the existing Xbox One controller, its overall mold has shrunk to better support a wider range of handhelds. Functionally, it is identical, other than a new “share” button, while its d-pad has been updated to resemble one of the d-pad options found in the first-party Xbox Elite Controller line. One owner of the new controller, which goes through Zak S on Twitter, specifically pointed to the updated d-pad as “one of [his] favorite parts. “
Zak S was kind enough to send Ars Technica photos directly from the new controller’s instruction manual, showing the power button of a console resembling an Xbox Series X, along with images from a laptop and a smartphone. These explain how to sync the new controller with compatible hardware, but the manual does not show older Xbox One models, nor does it show a possible alternative as a smaller console design for Series S. Or does that mean Series S has the same monolithic shape? will have if Series X remains to be seen.
As photos of the leaked controller show, Ars’ sources would not go beyond confirming the existence of Xbox Series S as a product. We’re still assuming it’s in line with more than a year of rumors about the codenamed “Lockhart” console, which would come at a lower price than Xbox Series X and its software play with specific performance downgrades – maybe a 1080p -friendly version of XSX 4S resolution and “Velocity Architecture” aspirations, as a more direct focus on Game Pass-enabled streaming of xCloud game.
Our suspicions about a Lockhart console grew when Microsoft pulled the Xbox One X off store shelves last month, leaving a substantial gap for performance of new console buyers between the current Xbox One S and the upcoming Xbox Series X.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has previously assured fans that existing Xbox One controllers and peripherals (other than Kinect) are pre-compatible with Xbox Series X software, making purchases of new controllers less imperative for anyone already in it Xbox One ecosystem is. This is in contrast to PlayStation 5, as its next-gen games require Sony’s new DualSense controller.
We have reached out to Microsoft representatives with questions about Xbox Series S and will update this report with each response.
Image displayed by Zak S
