What you need to know
- The Xbox Series S "Carbon Black" edition brings 1TB internal and a new colorway to the Xbox Series X|S lineup.
- Costing $349, the Xbox Series S Carbon Black model launches on September 1st.
- Microsoft revealed the console at the Xbox Games Showcase 2023, where Xbox lead Phil Spencer revealed that supplies of Xbox Series X|S consoles had also been increased.
- Preorders for the new console go live later today.
At the Xbox Games Showcase 2023, Xbox lead Phil Spencer took to the stage to discuss and wrap up one of Microsoft's best showcases in years. The show debuted a mountain of new games, gave us a deep-dive into Starfield, and release windows for various titles like Hellblade 2 and Forza Motorsport. During the closer, Spencer addressed some hardware concerns fans have had for quite some time.
First, Spencer announced that the firm has "increased" the supply of Xbox Series X|S consoles. The Xbox Series X is frequently sold out at many major retailers across the world, particularly outside of the United States, but the increased supply should help them take advantage of interest in games like Starfield and Forza moving towards the holiday period. Unexpectedly, Spencer also revealed a new Xbox Series S model, dubbed Carbon Black.
The Xbox Series S Carbon Black edition has 1TB of storage, up from the paltry 512GB it comes with as standard. It costs a little more at $349.99 up from $299.99, but for newcomers into the ecosystem, it provides more storage for the best Xbox games as they get increasingly huge. Many titles are pushing 100GB these days, and it's getting to the point where games are allowing you to install texture and language packs separately to keep file sizes more manageable. Microsoft also recently debuted a new WD_Black expansion card for Xbox Series X|S consoles, bringing the price of storage expansion down a little in the process.
If you haven't had enough gaming news for the day, Windows Central's Xbox Games Showcase 2023 live report is the best place to go for all the latest Xbox and PC games announcements, news, and exclusive commentary.
Microsoft notes that the Xbox Series S Carbon Black will launch on September 1st in time for Starfield, which is launching on September 6. Preorders for the slick new console are going live later today.
