The US Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, has reportedly uploaded unredacted court documents from its ongoing legal battle with Microsoft and Xbox to the public record in one of the largest information bungles in recent gaming memory. The unintentionally massive information dump comes by way of slides apparently meant for use during legal proceedings that detail major hardware and software plans for Microsoft and Xbox’s future, even going so far as to talk about the next generation of consoles and further industry acquisitions.
The slides reveal a planned mid-generation redesign for the Xbox Series X, a new Xbox controller, and a slew of Bethesda titles slated for years to come. The upload was first caught by the forum Resetera but can be seen in the X thread below.
Xbox Series X Refresh/mid-gen info leaked thanks to FTC documents https://t.co/3KHgiOnQJd
— Wario64 (@Wario64) September 19, 2023
-Xbox Series X refresh digital only (2TB storage), target launch Oct 2024
-New Xbox controller with gyro
Source from attachments in PDF https://t.co/tuikvo2h5F pic.twitter.com/fFzEbepHdl
Codenamed Brooklin, the planned reworking of the Xbox Series X is shown to be sporting a new rounded form factor with reduced power consumption and 2TB of internal storage leading the promotional points. Despite looking like a very thicc air humidifier, the refreshed console is also planned to include several updates such as a USB-C front port, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2 Radio, as well as 100% recyclable packaging to continue Xbox’s focus on sustainability in the gaming production space.
To go with the Brooklin, Xbox is also seemingly looking to refresh the Xbox Universal Controller with the Sebile, a stark black and white unit that is packing some substantial changes. In addition to the new colour scheme with matching glossy finish and rubber black grips, the Sebile will apparently feature “Direct-to-Cloud technology” and precision haptic feedback along with an accelerometer and updated Bluetooth. That desire for a more sustainable output crops up again too as the unit is designed to be repair and disassembly-ready with a rechargeable, and swappable, battery pack and made from recycled materials.
The leaked documents also disclose a fairly busy time over at Bethesda with five as-of-yet unannounced titles popping up in a release schedule leading into 2024. Fans of the RPG makers older work will rejoice as it seems two of its biggest hitters are due for the remaster treatment with Fallout 3 and The Elder Scrolls Oblivion set for re-release with some degree of bells and whistles. Elsewhere we have soft confirmation of a sequel to Ghostwire Tokyo, a hugely surprising Dishonored 3 and something called Doom Year Zero.
Fallout 3 Remaster, Ghostwire Tokyo Sequel, Dishonored 3, Oblivion Remaster, Doom Year Zero appear on a release schedule listhttps://t.co/xttFBM30wp pic.twitter.com/A1sv7TAuL7
— Wario64 (@Wario64) September 19, 2023
Additionally, it seems like Phil Spencer has Microsoft’s support in his apparent goal to acquire Nintendo, a company he allegedly calls “THE prime asset”. In a 2020 email to two of Microsoft’s marketing heads, Spencer wrote of his goals of bringing the mammoth Japanese game developer and publisher in-house to bolster Xbox’s path to consumer relevancy, noting that he believed the best future for the Mario maker would be one in which its games were no longer tied to its hardware. Later in the email, he goes on to say “It’s just taking a long time for Nintendo to see that their future exists off of their own hardware. A long time…. :-)”. You can check out the email for yourself below.
Phil Spencer - "At some point, getting Nintendo would be a career moment and I honestly believe a good move for both companies. It's just taking a long time for Nintendo to see that their future exists off of their own hardware. A long time.... :-)" https://t.co/SBnjw2384s pic.twitter.com/xzDjRT4g8r
— Wario64 (@Wario64) September 19, 2023
Given the nature of this leaked information, we have withheld from uploading these images ourselves and extend thanks to the community for the still currently available screenshots and slides.
How does this glimpse behind the green curtain make you feel? Be sure to let us know in the comments below and on social media.
One part pretentious academic and one part goofy dickhead, James is often found defending strange games and frowning at the popular ones, but he's happy to play just about everything in between. An unbridled love for FromSoftware's pantheon, a keen eye for vibes first experiences, and an insistence on the Oxford comma have marked his time in the industry.
