• Microsoft has announced that an improved version of the Xbox Series S console is set for release on 1st September 2023.
• The machine will feature upgraded storage space and a new colour, but not much else in the way of hardware upgrades.
• Xbox is hoping to capitalise on the hype train around upcoming title Starfield, releasing worldwide just days after the new Series S hits shelves.

In order to capitalise on the buzz around its biggest-ever exclusive videogame, Xbox Game Studios is set to launch a new and improved Xbox Series S console.

The Series S is the more affordable version of Microsoft’s latest gaming system, with less impressive specifications than its big brother the Series X.

However, all the latest and greatest titles can still be enjoyed on the Series S, including the upcoming and highly anticipated Starfield on 6th September 2023 – barring any further delays.

The new Series S will feature an all black colourway, similar to the Series X and 1TB of SSD storage space, double the space of the original. It will launch on 1st September 2023 “just in time for Starfield,” according to a blog post. We foresee the game being bundled with the console in the future.

Apart from this, the machine will be identical to the previously released Series S, which landed internationally in 2020 alongside the Series X.

This includes 10GB of RAM, an 8-core Zen 2 CPU and the custom RDNA 2 graphics card – this means the machine can produce “up to 120 frames per second”, according to Xbox. Obviously, depending on the game.

Since their launch, the Series X/S is estimated to have sold around 21 million units, around 1.5 million less than what Sony has managed with the PlayStation 5.

To rival Sony’s advantage, Microsoft has aggressively pursued gamers with its more affordable Xbox Game Pass subscription service and has made key purchases, including that of Starfield-developer Bethesda’s parent company in 2021.

“Whether you’re looking to upgrade from your current console or are new to Xbox, the Xbox Series S – 1TB offers you another option within the Xbox family of devices,” writes Bree Adams, senior marketing officer for Xbox.

According to Adams, the new Xbox Series S will be sold for an estimated retail price of $349.99 or ~R6 526.82 at the current exchange rate.

Pre-orders for the machine have already started overseas, but they are not yet available in South Africa. The local market has long favoured Sony products, but chances are still high that the new Series S will indeed land on Mzansi’s shores.