Microsoft’s smaller, faster and 4K-ready gaming console Xbox One S will start shipping on August 2. The Redmond-based software giant recently dropped the price of the original Xbox One to $249 to clear the inventory ahead of the Xbox One S release. Microsoft announced Tuesday that it is going to launch two new Xbox One S bundles – Halo Collection and Madden NFL 17 on August 23.
The Madden bundle will launch only in the US and Canada
The company has started taking pre-orders for both bundles. The Madden NFL 17 bundle comes with a download of the football title, a 1TB hard drive, one month of EA Access, and seven Madden Ultimate Team Pro packs. All for $349. However, the bundle will only be available in the US and Canada. Users from other parts of the world may have to wait a little longer. Also, there is no 500GB version for the Madden NFL 17 bundle.
The Halo Collection Xbox One S bundle will be available in 500GB for $299 and 1TB for $349. It includes five games with Halo 5: Guardians and Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The Halo Collection bundle will be available in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Microsoft added that, in the US, the 1TB version will be available in limited quantities online and at its retail stores.
Will Xbox One S be a hit?
The Xbox One S is 40% smaller than the Xbox One. It features a built-in power supply, 4K and HDR support. Microsoft has announced that it would launch Project Scorpio – the world’s most powerful gaming console – next year. Experts believe that the announcement of Project Scorpio alongside the Xbox One S could hurt the sales of Xbox One S as some users may prefer to wait for an even more powerful device.
Microsoft’s Xbox One has failed to catch up with Sony’s PlayStation 4, which is estimated to have sold more than 40 million units since launch. It would be interesting to see how the Xbox One S fares against PlayStation.
