Microsoft’s cheaper next-gen console, Xbox Series S, could reportedly be revealed in May

Microsoft could reportedly announce a cheaper next-gen console, titled Xbox Series S, during a hardware reveal event in early May.

The long-rumoured console – previously referred to in leaks by the codename Lockhart – is designed to appeal to cost-conscious players and will target 4 teraflops of computing power (compared to the 12 of Series X), Windows Central reports.

Although the system is reportedly less powerful than Series X, it’s claimed Series S will still offer aspects of the next-gen experience currently unavailable to past-gen consoles, possibly in the form of faster SSD loading speeds and limited ray-tracing.

[UPDATE: The logo for Xbox Series X has been revealed in a new trademark listing.]

It was previously claimed that Lockhart would ship with a faster CPU, no disk drive and target 1440p gaming.

Game developers would be expected to support both Series X and S, it’s claimed, in a setup similar to the existing Xbox One X and Xbox One S consoles, and PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro.

Microsoft has already said the first few years of Xbox Series X’s releases will be expected to run on its less powerful legacy hardware and PC.

Series S may be heavily promoted with Microsoft’s xCloud streaming service, which could theoretically allow the console to stream Series X-quality performance when Microsoft transitions its server blades to incorporate the next-gen processor.

Windows Central claims this week that Xbox employees are now testing Xbox Series S in their homes and that the timing could line-up with reports of an upcoming Xbox reveal event.

It’s been claimed Microsoft is planning reveals for May, in addition to a digital showcase around June, which matches with what VGC has been told.

Microsoft said on Monday that the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077-themed Xbox One X console will be the last special edition version of the hardware, and Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad suggested the company could discontinue the current-gen model ahead of Xbox Series X’s launch during the 2020 holiday season.

Ahmad also claimed last week that E3’s cancellation will see “the first proper next-gen console/games showcase” take place “much earlier” than June, when the annual trade show was originally scheduled to be held.

Windows Central suggested Microsoft may be planning to show off some next-gen games in May too, potentially 343 Industries’ launch title Halo Infinite and Playground Games’ Fable reboot.

Microsoft released the full Xbox Series X hardware specifications in March.