News by Lindsay M.
The rumours of the Xbox One S’ release date have been running rampant these past few weeks, with retailers such as Amazon and GameStop having the release date set to the end of the month but nearly everyone assuming the updated Xbox One console would launch August 2. This date has officially been confirmed by Microsoft today, with the 2TB version expected to be available in several regions.
Related reading: If you’ve forgotten what else Microsoft announced at E3 2016, here’s our recap!
Announced at E3 following weeks of rumours, the Xbox One S is an update to Microsoft’s current-gen Xbox One. The One S is 40 percent smaller than the One (a huge relief to those tight on space — the one is a beast!) and has moved one USB port and the pairing button to the front of the console for easy access.
The Xbox One S still plays games at the same resolution at the One, but it promises a higher contrast ratio that enhance how the graphics are seen. However, its set resolution is much higher: 4K. The One S is, as of this moment, the only console that will play Blu-ray disks and stream videos in 4K Ultra HD. The console comes bundled with the new Xbox Wireless Controller, which has a textured grip, improved signal, and Bluetooth support. The controller will also be available to purchase on August 2.
The regions where the 2TB Xbox One S model will be available on August 2 are: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK, and the United States. The console will be available with smaller hard drives (1TB and 500GB) later this year.
– Lindsay M.
News Editor
