Xbox Series S: No, Microsoft Did Not Intentionally Leak The News

One theory about the Xbox Series S that has gained traction on social media is that Microsoft intentionally leaked the console to the press to put pressure on Sony. That's a bunch of baloney according to Xbox developers who worked on the announcement.

Microsoft's Brad Rossetti said on Twitter, "We all tried so hard to not leak; running global programs is hard and the leak is so frustrating. Yeah great, you got a scoop, but so many better try hard to keep it under wraps for so many reasons."

Meanwhile, Xbox's senior marketing manager, Josh Munsee, joked on Twitter that the Series S announcement went exactly as the company planned it.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer chimed in as well, saying the original plan was to make these announcements at a later date. The scheduled moved up after the leaks.

Following a series of leaks, Microsoft officially announced the Xbox Series S after midnight PT on September 9, and that right there should be evidence enough that revealing the console this way was not the plan. Even before the leaks this week, the Xbox Series S had been an open secret thanks to numerous leaks and reports over the months.

The announcement of the Series S might not have gone to Microsoft's plan, but the console has been received in a positive light, due in part to a lower price point than many imagined.

The Series S costs $299 and it will be an attractive system for those looking to buy into next-gen without breaking the bank. The console lacks a disc drive, and that may prove to be a deal-breaker for some, however.

The Series S launches on November 10, and is the same day that Microsoft will launch the more powerful Xbox Series X for $499 USD. Pre-orders begin in less than two weeks.

While Microsoft has begun to share its launch plans for the next-gen Xbox consoles, Sony is keeping that information a secret for now. We still don't know when the PS5 and the Digital PS5 will release or how much they will cost.