Comically low resolution leaked images suggest that a white digital-only Xbox Series X could be coming soon

28.03.2024 - 11:57 / techradar.com / Series X

New leaked images have been circulating online that appear to show a white Xbox Series X console without a disc drive.

The images, which were linked to by the gaming blog Exputer, were allegedly sourced by the long-time Xbox leaker 'eXtas1s' who also believes that this upcoming model will arrive later this year. 

Although the photos are incredibly low quality, with pixelated edges that make it difficult to discern too many details, they appear to show an Xbox Series X console in a clean white color which is not too dissimilar from the Robot White of the Xbox Series S. Interestingly, the system lacks any form of visible disc drive suggesting that it would only be compatible with digital games.

It’s a very genuine-looking design and could be our first real look at a digital-only Xbox Series X console in the wild. Do bear in mind, however, that this is far from an official announcement and 'eXtas1s' has a mixed track record when it comes to leaks. To highlight a recent example, they previously claimed that sprawling role-playing game (RPG) Baldur’s Gate 3was targeting an Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S launch on December 6, 2023. 

While this turned out to be false, with Larian Studios Direct of Publishing Michael Douse humorously dismissing the rumor with a tongue-in-cheek post to Twitter / X, the game did eventually arrive on December 8, 2023. Still, as this isn't too far off that leaked date, it could suggest that the information was accurate at one time.

Even if this rumor should be taken with a mountain of salt, this isn’t the first occasion that we’ve heard rumblings of a digital-only Xbox Series X console in the works. The concept was originally spotted as part of leaked documents from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuit against Microsoft last year, where it seemed to be in development under the codename “Brooklin”. 

Appearing alongside the tagline: “the most powerful Xbox ever, now adorably all digital,” the console seen in those documents looked very different to the one we see today. It was entirely black, with a strange cylindrical design. Judging by the popularity of the game subscription service Xbox Game Pass, it seems almost inevitable that Microsoft would be considering a more powerful digital-only system for those interested in playing the most demanding games on the service. 

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Although there is nothing new to report in regards to the system’s potential cost if it is ever officially released, it could prove a very competitive offering if it comes in substantially cheaper than the $499 / £479 asking price of the original Xbox Series X model.