Xbox Series S just leaked from Microsoft itself — so where is it?

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Microsoft leak pretty much confirms Xbox Series S is coming

xbox series x controller
(Image credit: Zak S)

The Xbox Series S hasn't been officially announced yet, but even Xbox can't hide the evidence of its new console's existence.

Twitter user BraviaryBrendan (via T3) bought himself a new Xbox controller, and found a mention of both the Xbox Series X and Series S on the insert offering a free trial of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

If you can't make out the text in the image below, the incriminating line reads: "Includes Xbox Live Gold and unlimited access to over 100 high-quality games on Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, and Windows 10."

Having information leaked by employees or obscure parts of software or website code is one thing, but revealing your console prematurely via a coupon seems like an interesting oversight by Xbox.

That said, there's not a lot about the Xbox Series S that we don't already know. The Series S will be positioned as Xbox's budget next-gen console option, offering similar graphical power to the current Xbox One X, but the ability to enjoy all the same content as the Series X will have. However, that may only be true from a streaming perspective, as the Series S may ditch the disc drive to save space and production cost.

The concept of the Series S is seriously interesting. With the Series X and rival PS5 thought to cost around $500 or more, a cheaper option (around $400 or less if rumors turn out to be true) will allow Xbox to get a bigger slice of console gamers looking to upgrade right away, when many potential buyers would otherwise wait in order to save their money.

But when will we see the actual reveal of the Series S? There are rumors of an Xbox showcase event happening later this month, which would make sense since we're expecting the console to go on sale in November. 

Richard Priday
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.