Phil Spencer says more Xbox news is coming in August

Head of Xbox Phil Spencer has suggested that the platform holder’s next big reveal could take place in August.

Speaking to iJustine, Spencer said he was “encouraged to be able to talk more” about Xbox Series X’s backwards compatibility features, adding that, “I think in August we will have more to say on that.”

Media reports had previously indicated that Xbox would use an August event as the platform to announce its second next-gen console, codenamed Lockhart.

As reported by multiple media outlets including VGC, Lockhart – or Series S, as it’s likely to be called – is a less powerful version of Series X that will likely target cost-conscious consumers.

Lockhart development kits are understood to have been with studios for several months, with next-gen Xbox developers expected to support both Series X and Lockhart in a setup similar to the existing Xbox One X and Xbox One S consoles.

According to Venture Beat, Microsoft had originally intended to announce Lockhart in June, but pushed back its plans due to the Black Lives Matter protests.

August would also fit within the traditional timeline for pricing and pre-order announcements. This would also align with a potential Lockhart announcement since the console’s USP is likely to be its cheaper price.

Microsoft recently confirmed it would halt production of its Xbox One X and Xbox One S All-Digital Edition consoles, likely in anticipation for the cheaper next-gen hardware.

Xbox One X, originally billed as “the world’s most powerful console”, was launched in November 2017, while the disc-less All Digital Edition was launched only last year.

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