Xbox kicks off the show with the announcement we all expected (and had been leaked earlier) the Xbox One S.
The One S will be 40% smaller, with the capability for 4K output, Blu-Ray HDR compatibility, an IR blaster as well as up-to 2 TB internal hard drive. Also announced was the price, the Xbox One S will retail with price increasing relative to storage;
- $299/£249/€299 for the 500 GB model
- $349/£299/€349 for the 1 TB model
- $399/£349/€399 for the special launch edition 2 TB model
Announced to slightly less fanfare is the updated controller for the One S, with a textured back on the controller, Bluetooth radio to simplify connection to Windows PCs and tablets, an increased range of use and a slick white finish to pair with the One S console.
Overshadowing the Xbox One S somewhat was the announcement of "Project Scorpio" the "Monster" new console that's coming from Xbox and Microsoft. The Scorpio will be coming with 6 teraflops of GPU and true 4K gaming, while the One S is careful to limit its mention of 4K to streaming services like Amazon and Netflix in press materials. The One, One S and Scorpio will all be compatible with all Xbox One games but there is concern that the Scorpio's arrival in 2017 will caniballize any market for the Slim version of the Xbox One
The existence of the Slim had been leaked earlier from a number of sources and this quick announcement seems to confirm everything we had expected to hear from the console giant. The One S is available for pre-oder now with consoles delivering later this summer in August 2016
We will update as we hear more about this new version of the Xbox One, until then, find more of our E3 coverage at out E3 2016 Coverage Hub!
Quick Take
Slim consoles always happen as technology gets better and costs go down so this was never going to be a surprise. What is surprising to me is the rapid announcement of the Scorpio that would seem to make the One and the One S moot. Consoles' strength is that they are a one time purchase and relatively low cost. I can't see anyone spending $299 in August and then exponentially more in late 2017.
