Gaming

Microsoft accidentally reveals the next Xbox Series X

Coming next year

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Accidentally revealing the next Xbox probably wasn’t on Microsoft’s bingo card this year. However, the ongoing court proceedings between Microsoft and the FTC have turned the company into an open book. Practically everything about Microsoft’s plans and opinions are out in the open. Now, the biggest revelation (so far) is the next Xbox coming in 2024.

As you might have seen, an entire tome’s worth of documents were recently released to the public today. Among these documents are Microsoft’s desire to acquire Nintendo and Bethesda’s future games. Today, via The Verge, Microsoft has also revealed its plans for an Xbox Series X refresh coming next year.

The next Xbox Series X

The upcoming console, codenamed Brooklin, takes the current generation’s power and packs it into a new form factor, bigger storage space, and an improved controller. The biggest change, as is apparent with the associated images, is the design change. Instead of the rectangular form of the current Xbox Series X, the Brooklin will have a cylindrical design.

Because of the change, the console will lose the disc drive, opting instead for a larger 2TB drive inside. It will also come with a USB-C port for power delivery. For connectivity, it will come with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.

It will retail for US$ 499.

The Sebile controller

The other big announcement is a new controller codenamed Sebile. It will feature haptic feedback and an accelerometer. Users will be able to wake the controller by simply lifting it from a table. It also promises connectivity to the cloud and improved button handling.

Additionally, the document reveals that the controller’s battery is swappable. The thumbsticks are also modular, hinting at the same customizability as more advanced controllers are today.

The Sebile is expected to be announced later this year and to be launched sometime in 2024. It is also expected to cost US$ 69.99.

What else is new

In other news, a diagram associated with the document also reveals a refreshed Xbox Series S codenamed Ellewood coming a bit before the Brooklin. The unannounced console will feature 1TB of storage and will retail for US$ 299.

Microsoft also anticipates that the next generation of Xbox — that is, beyond the Series X|S — will arrive sometime in 2028. That’s still quite a long time for the Series X|S generation.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft was planning to buy Nintendo

Gaming

Project Helix is Xbox’s next console, and it plays PC games

It might be as powerful as a modern PC.

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Among all the platforms in today’s generation of consoles, the Xbox has to be biggest loser. Compared to the PlayStation 5 and the Switch 2, the Xbox Series X|S isn’t as memorable. To rectify its position in the rankings, Xbox is heavily teasing its next console codenamed Project Helix.

As was hinted before, Xbox is trying something different with its next-generation console. Rather than just a simple iteration over the current-generation console, the upcoming one will reportedly double as a PC. Today, the company itself has confirmed that this is the case for Project Helix.

Through a post on X, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said that the console will “lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games.”

There are two things to unpack here. Firstly, Project Helix will aim to bridge the perilous divide between console players and PC players. Unlike the past, there will be a way to play both platforms on both devices… except for games exclusive to the PlayStation and the Switch, that is.

Secondly, a “lead in performance” seems to indicate that this isn’t just a mini-PC. Most recently, Valve announced the Steam Machine. Though it offers a convenient way to play Steam games in one device, it doesn’t have the best specs. Project Helix, if Sharma’s words are to be believed, might be as powerful as a modern PC.

Xbox won’t wait long before revealing more details about the console. Sharma, who only recently started her post as CEO, will be at next week’s Game Developers Conference to explain Project Helix more.

SEE ALSO: AMD teases next-gen Xbox coming in 2027

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Gaming

Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remake

It’s officially called Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced.

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If you ask an Assassin’s Creed fan what their favorite game of the series is, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag will likely be one of the top contenders. Because of its reputation, gamers are constantly asking for a remake of the popular pirate simulator. Now, the dream is finally here. Ubisoft has confirmed that a remake, called Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced, is coming.

Released in 2013, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag saw the journey of Edward Kenway, a vagabond pirate haplessly thrust into life as part of the Assassin Brotherhood against his will. The critically acclaimed game was something that all gamers have been clamoring for since Sid Meier’s Pirates: a true pirate simulator. It was no surprise that the game got as popular as it did.

Today, through an official roadmap shared by the company, Ubisoft has confirmed that Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced is real, and it might launch later this year. The company also released the first concept art for the remake.

Currently, there’s no official word as to how Ubisoft is remaking the game. At the very least, we can expect significant graphical upgrades to put it up to par with the modern games. We wouldn’t be opposed to more stories and missions too.

Now, though the Black Flag remake is already a big deal, the same roadmap also emphasizes that Codename Hexe, the next mainline title, is still coming. Ubisoft hasn’t confirmed the actual timeline yet, but the game will depict “a pivotal moment in history.” With post-launch development for the ongoing Shadows winding down, efforts to launch Codename Hexe should be ramping up soon.

SEE ALSO: Assassin’s Creed Shadows gets Attack on Titan-themed content

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Gaming

PlayStation will stop releasing its games on PC

A new reports suggests that Sony is going back to console exclusives.

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PC-only gamers have been eating well for the past few years. The formerly exclusive PlayStation library opened its gates and released worthy ports for PC. Unfortunately, Sony is putting an end to this short-lived era of openness to PC gamers. According to a new report, the company is once again making first-party PlayStation games exclusive to the console.

During the pandemic, Sony started releasing its critically acclaimed first-party games on PC. The new wave saw gamers get the ability to play titles such as Horizon Zero Dawn, The Last of Us, Marvel’s Spider-Man, and God of War on another platform. Even now, players are still eagerly awaiting the PC launch of Death Stranding 2, due out later this year.

However, as reported by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Sony has just had a change of heart and will no longer release any more games on the PC, beyond those already confirmed for future launches.

This will mean that last year’s Ghost of Yotei and the upcoming Saros will remain PlayStation exclusives for the foreseeable future.

It’s a big change to Sony’s direction. However, it’s not without its precedents. For one, Microsoft has started to compete in the non-exclusive market. The company is already set to launch Fable and Forza Horizon 6 on other platforms, including PC and PlayStation, concurrently with the Xbox launch. To compare, PlayStation still waits a long time before launching exclusive games on PC.

Also, now that rumors have begun to speak of a fabled PlayStation 6, Sony might want to keep things close to its chest for now. After all, selling the console might be its top priority for now.

SEE ALSO: PlayStation 6 reportedly delayed to 2029 because of RAM shortage

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