Gaming
Microsoft accidentally reveals the next Xbox Series X
Coming next year
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
Call of Duty drops the PlayStation 4 starting with its next game
Is this the beginning of the end for the PlayStation 4?
When can we declare that a console is officially dead? Is it as soon as the launch of the next generation? Is it when games no longer come out on the console? Recently, Call of Duty has confirmed that the next game will not be available anymore on the PlayStation 4, which presents an important question: Is the PlayStation 4 officially dead?
Call of Duty is one of the most persistent gaming franchises today. The last entry, Black Ops 7, is still available for the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Both consoles were launched over twelve years ago. (If that doesn’t make you old, the current generation was launched almost six years ago.)
As such, the franchise is one of the last stalwarts keeping the past generation alive. This week, Call of Duty, via a post on X, confirmed that the next game will not arrive on the PlayStation 4. Presumably, this also means the Xbox One.
Not sure where this one started, but it’s not true. The next Call of Duty is not being developed for PS4.
— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) May 4, 2026
Currently, we don’t have details about the upcoming game yet. But a new entry is confirmed to arrive later this year.
With the departure of the Call of Duty franchise, it’s fair to ask what will become of the old generation moving forward. Over the years, developers have started shying away from the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One. Since the franchise still maintains a steady fan base today, a lot of PlayStation 4 users might be forced to make an upgrade to play the latest entry.
SEE ALSO: PC Game Pass gets cheaper, but Call of Duty delays are coming
Gaming
Stranger Than Heaven is a Yakuza prequel with Snoop Dogg
The story spans different eras and regions across half a century in Japan.
In my review of Yakuza Kiwami 3, I groaned about how every new entry in the Yakuza and Like a Dragon franchise — original and remake — looked identical with each other. I ended that playthrough hoping desperately for a new era. Thankfully, those hopes did not fall on deaf ears. In its first trailer, the upcoming Stranger Than Heaven showed off an interesting reimagining of the Yakuza universe. Oh, and Snoop Dogg is in it.
First announced back in late 2024 as Project Century, Stranger Than Heaven has now confirmed itself as a prequel to the prequel to the Yakuza games. It didn’t start that way, though. When it was announced, there was hope that the then-untitled game featured a new story disconnected from Yakuza. It looks like the final game is making the best of both worlds.
Stranger Than Heaven chronicles the rise of the infamous Tojo Clan. Unless this is decidedly different from the Tojo Clan in the Yakuza series, this is the clearest sign that this is, in fact, a prequel.
Makoto Daito, a Japanese boy living in Chicago, escapes America to forge a new life in Japan. Along the way, he meets Orpheus, a smuggler played by Snoop Dogg, who drags Makoto into the criminal underworld. Eventually, Makoto decides to do things his own way by creating a new crime family called the Tojo Clan.
Unlike other games in the series, Stranger Than Heaven spans different eras and regions in Japan, starting with Fukuoka in 1915 and ending with Kamurocho in 1965. It will also have different fighting mechanics by mapping the left and right bumpers/triggers to left and right attacks.
Off the bat, Stranger Than Heaven looks like a new era for the series. It launches winter this year for all major platforms.
SEE ALSO: Now Playing: Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is set to launch on October 6, 2026, bringing a new high-speed twist to the Star Wars universe. The game is published by Secret Mode and developed by Fuse Games. It arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC with support for up to 12 players.
Pre-orders are now open across Standard, Deluxe, and Collector’s Editions. Pricing starts at $59.99 for the Standard Edition, with both digital and physical versions available depending on platform.
A different kind of Star Wars story
Set in the lawless Outer Rim, the game introduces the Galactic League—an unsanctioned racing circuit where skill matters more than destiny. You play as a mysterious pilot named Shade, navigating a single-player campaign built on rivalries, alliances, and unfinished business.
There’s no Force or prophecy here. Instead, the focus is on build strategy and racing mastery. Players can customize three types of repulsorcraft and even take on classic podracers, blending familiar Star Wars elements with a more competitive, arcade-style edge.
Multiplayer supports online races where players can test their builds and driving skills against others.
Pre-order bonuses and editions
All pre-orders include a bonus livery usable across vehicles, with platform-specific colors, plus a Player Banner background for multiplayer.
The Deluxe Edition adds three extra vehicles, exclusive Arcade events, a livery pack, and cosmetic upgrades like new player banners and insignias. It also includes a digital art book featuring early designs of characters, locations, and vehicles.
Collector’s Edition for dedicated pilots
For collectors, the physical Collector’s Edition bundles a model of the Kor Sarun: Darc X landspeeder, themed patches, a printed art book, and a steel case housed in premium packaging. It also includes all Deluxe Edition digital content.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches on October 6, 2026, for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, with pre-orders now available.
-
Gaming2 weeks agoLevel Infinite launches Gangstar Mirage City exclusively in PH
-
News2 weeks agoThis rumored iPhone 18 color will make you switch phones
-
Reviews2 weeks ago5 games with the nubia Neo 5 GT 5G
-
Convenient Smart Home2 weeks agoGiving up counter space for reverse osmosis: Living with Waterdrop M6H in NYC
-
Automotive1 week agoThe VinFast VF6 is perfect for urban travelers
-
Gaming1 week agoThe Blood of Dawnwalker launches September 3
-
Gaming2 weeks agoThe Steam Controller is coming out on May 4
-
Gaming1 week agoFinal Fantasy VII Rebirth demo out now on Switch 2 and Xbox




