A huge amount of confidential information has leaked today from Microsoft court documents, including plans for the Xbox Series X’s mid-generation refresh.
Codenamed “Brooklin”, the upcoming refresh of the Xbox Series X not only changes the shape of the console, but it removes one key feature: the disc drive. “Adorably all digital”, the document reads. Hmm: we’d argue there’s nothing adorable about Xbox fans suddenly not being able to make use of their years-long collection of physical media. But that’s by the by.
This is just one of many leaks from an unprecedented outpouring of sensitive Xbox information all over the internet today. We’re not even sure where to start with it all, but this Xbox Series X refresh seems as good a place as any. Surprisingly, it doesn’t feature any performance boosts: it’s not like the Xbox One X that will make your games look and play better.
According to the documentation, there will be some improvements, however: the PSU power will be reduced by 15%, it’ll have a larger internal storage (2TB), better WiFi connectivity and an improved controller. The most notable thing, though, is its new cylindrical shape, making it look like an Xbox-branded Alexa device.
As stated by Axios, the leaked slides report the updated console to have a launch window of autumn 2024. But we’ve no idea if this is current information, or plans that Microsoft has since shelved.
Still, even if this rounded ‘Brooklin’ console never sees light of day, it points towards the future that Microsoft envisions: a discless economy, where Xbox consoles – and the larger Xbox ecosystem in general – relies on Game Pass, streaming and the Cloud. Let’s face it: when Microsoft pushes Game Pass subscriptions so heartily, physical media doesn’t really fit into its business plan.
Whether or not Xbox ‘Brooklin’ sees light of day in 2024 then, it’s likely that the days of your Xbox disc library are numbered. You might want to think twice about picking up the next big Xbox release on disc if it’s not going to be usable in a year or so.
