Xbox Series S could replace 'discontinued' Xbox One

(Paradigm credit: Reddit - u/jiveduder)

Microsoft'south strategy with the upcoming Xbox Serial X (and strongly rumored, though still not official Xbox Series S) couldn't be more different than Sony's with the PS5. While the latter wants to put a clear line in the sand between generations, Microsoft intends to be more fluid with experiences shared across generations – or so the company says.

However, a few eagle-eyed people have spotted that Xbox One availability seems to exist slowing down. Amazon lists the Xbox One X as discontinued, and according to a Reddit user, all Xbox I Ten consoles are getting discontinued at Target.

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Earlier we go any further, nosotros should annotation that one Microsoft employee has denied that the Xbox One is discontinued in a discussion on Twitter. "Xbox One S is very much still bachelor," tweeted Dan Tavares, Xbox Console Business organization Planning Lead at Microsoft, in reply to someone highlighting Amazon's discontinued listings. "Amazon is only messy in how they show products."

Xbox One S is very much still available, nosotros just changed SKU numbers. Amazon is just messy in how they bear witness products.July 4, 2020

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Information technology'due south entirely possible that this innocent explanation is true for Target as well, and a new SKU is incoming. After all, it would exist pretty unusual for a manufacturer to discontinue a console so rapidly. Notably, Sony kept manufacturing PlayStation 2 until every bit recently as 2013, so why would Microsoft say goodbye to Xbox I before its successor arrives on shelves?

Only there's some other possibility: Microsoft is winding down Xbox I production because the Xbox Series Southward will finish up replacing it.

Xbox Series S: the new Xbox Ane?

We know that Microsoft has put backwards compatibility front and middle with the Xbox Series X with every title playing nicely with the new hardware. If that's the instance for Xbox Series S too, then why would Microsoft demand to keep the Xbox I? This would exist a auto capable of playing everything the 'discontinued' console can, with the added advantage of pushing 1080p versions of Series X exclusives, after all.

Wouldn't that negate the demand for Smart Commitment – Microsoft'south engineering that allows games to be played across hardware generations with a single buy? Not necessarily. There are, at final count, but shy of 50 million Xbox One consoles out there, and discontinued or non, they'll still exist available via the second-manus market. And for multi-screen households, they'll make an splendid backup panel.

If this speculation is right, then it's not surprising that Microsoft hasn't officially commented on the Xbox One'due south 'discontinued' condition – to practice so would be to announce that the Xbox Series S is real and coming soon, which isn't something the visitor has decided to practise merely yet. But if nosotros are on the coin with this prediction, and so we can't be too far away from an official unveiling. Lookout this infinite.

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, roofing phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional mag as well. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his e'er-growing games backlog. Or, more than probable, playing Spelunky for the millionth fourth dimension.