First look at the new 'budget friendly' addition to the Xbox family, and how much you'll be paying
So, we've already seen what the Xbox Series X will be bringing to the table later this year, but now Microsoft has surprised gamers with an announcement on social media that the cheaper version will also be available.
The heavily rumoured Xbox Series S console, codenamed Lockhart in the past, has finally been confirmed along with a first look image of the console which Microsoft has said will feature "Next gen performance in the smallest Xbox ever". The console's price has also been officially confirmed at just $299 (so around £249 for UK gamers) - with the Xbox Series X rumoured to be retailing at $499 (£449).
As reported by Windows Central, sources have suggested that the Xbox Series S will also be available to purchase via financing options, meaning players can pay around $25 per month rather than paying the full amount upfront. This finance option is believed to be part of the 'Xbox All Access' which will also include Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live subscription.
Following the surprise announcement of the new Xbox Series S, Xbox's Marty Hess (Global Product Marketing) was quick to tease that more big news could be on its way in the near future.
He tweeted: "If you think announcing a next-gen console in the middle of the night due to leaks is wild, just imagine what else we have cooking..."
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet tw-align-center" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you think announcing a next-gen console in the middle of the night due to leaks is wild, just imagine what else we have cooking… 😉 <a href="https://t.co/mredAtbxB4">https://t.co/mredAtbxB4</a></p>— Marty Hess (@martyhess) <a href="https://twitter.com/martyhess/status/1303239577864294400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The $299 price of the XSS is the closest that we've come to any information on expected prices for the exciting next-gen consoles.
How does it compare to the Xbox Series X
There are, of course, some considerable differences between the the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles. But Microsoft is clearly pushing the XSS console as a 'budget friendly' addition to your household.
One of the key features that gamers will be mindful of when choosing between the XSX and XSS is that the latter is disc-less, so those of you with physical copies of games may have to look for digital replacements - they might already be on the Game Pass!
Here's a rundown of the alleged comparisons between the new Xbox consoles, courtesy of Tweaktown.
