Xbox Series X Digital-Only Mid-Gen Refresh Has Been Leaked In Court Documents

Xbox's plans for a mid-gen digital-only refresh of the Xbox Series X|S, including three new models, have been leaked by FTC court documents that weren't properly redacted, as posted to Resetera. A number of files showing internal Microsoft plans were left attached to a court document, revealing plans for the mid-gen refresh, a new controller codenamed "Sebile", and plans for Microsoft's next generation of consoles.

Despite Microsoft previously stating that it had no plans for a mid-generation console refresh in the vein of last generation's Xbox One X upgrade, the new documents show a refresh is indeed planned for 2024.

The three consoles in the refresh are all digital, with no included disc drive. The first, Ellewood, is a "light" refresh of the Xbox Series S, while the Brooklin is the new disc-free iteration of the Xbox Series X. The third, codenamed Uther, has the same specs as the Brooklin but is "in XDL"--presumably denoting it'll be available with Microsoft's Xbox Design Lab customization. All three will ship with the upgraded controller, nicknamed Sebile, which is set to release some time ahead of the mid-gen consoles.

Photos included with the Brooklin slide show a design refresh from the Xbox Series X's iconic fridge shape, looking to be a round or oblong tower. The Brooklin boasts "more internal storage, faster Wi-Fi, reduced power usage, a more immersive controller and a beautiful redesign" as its upgrades over the base Xbox Series X. All of the consoles are listed as having improvements to sustainability.

The Sebile controller comes with upgrades including an accelerometer, haptics that double as speakers, new modular thumbsticks, quieter buttons and thumbsticks, new app features, as well as sustainability improvements including a swappable battery, recycled materials, and easier repairability.

Unlike the PS5's cheaper digital console, the disc-free Xbox Series X and S will retail for the same launch price as the base models--$499 for the X, and $299 for the S.

A schedule for the upcoming consoles shows that the Sebile controller is due out first in May 2024, with the mid-gen consoles announced shortly after that in June. Then, the Xbox Series S refresh Ellewood is due to launch in August 2024, with the Xbox Series X refresh Brooklin due two months after in late October. The leaks also revealed apparent game schedule plans, with titles like Dishonored 3 on the list, as well as first details on Microsoft's next-gen hardware.