Microsoft may announce its cheaper Xbox Series S console in August, new reports have claimed.
It’s been long rumoured that Microsoft will be releasing a cheaper next-gen console alongside its announced Xbox Series X. Codenamed Project Lockhart, the cheaper console will reportedly be disc-less with lower specs than the Series X but both consoles will play the same games.
According to Eurogamer, the console was originally planned to be unveiled at Xbox’s E3 2020 but when Microsoft’s employees were pushed to work from home and when E3 was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Microsoft was forced to re-plan its initial announcement. This led Microsoft to decide to spread its announcement over several months rather than a shorter timescale.
Eurogamer’s report echoes previous findings from VentureBeat from earlier this year which claimed that the console, dubbed as Xbox Lockhart by VentureBeat, was scheduled to be announced in June before being pushed back to August.
Microsoft’s Next-Gen Consoles
Microsoft announced its Xbox Series X next-gen console at The Game Awards 2019 where its final design was unveiled with a late 2020 release date. Rumours of Xbox Lockhart began to surface shortly after and haven’t died down.
Starting in May and running through until launch, Microsoft announced that it will be holding monthly digital events to unveil details about the console and its upcoming video games in response to the cancellations of E3 2020 and the 2020 Game Developers Conference (GDC).
In March, Xbox boss Phil Spencer stated that the company still expects its Xbox Series X console to launch at the end of 2020 without delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Towards the end of the month, the console’s official specs were announced.
The Lockhart console hasn’t yet been officially announced but if the rumours are true, we can expect an unveiling and more information on the Xbox Series X within the coming weeks. So stay tuned to keep up-to-date on all things next-gen including the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 console.
Image Credit: Screenshot, Microsoft Xbox Series X Announce Trailer – YouTube
