Despite a leak on the company's website stating the new system would debut on Thanksgiving, Microsoft is now committing to the broader "holiday" window.
Microsoft on Wednesday briefly revealed a launch date for its next-generation console, the Xbox Series X, of Thanksgiving 2020. However, shortly after the site listed that specific date, a Microsoft spokesperson clarified in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter: "An Xbox product page in some regions inaccurately listed the launch date for Xbox Series X as Thanksgiving 2020. We are committed to launching Holiday 2020.”
Furthermore, the company tells THR that the Thanksgiving date was "inaccurate."
"The future of gaming has never been more inspiring," Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, wrote Wednesday in a letter. "We know you expect the next generation of consoles to set new standards in graphical power and processing speed, converging together in games that look incredible and feel alive. This will be defined by worlds that are visually astounding and immediately immersive, with innovative leaps in CPU, GPU and storage technology to give you frictionless access to new stories and new creators constantly."
Microsoft first revealed that the Xbox Series X would launch over the holiday season this year, without naming a specific date. While the company has slowly rolled out more information about its upcoming console (mostly detailing the tech specifics of the new hardware), Wednesday marks the first time a specific date for launch was revealed. The console is expected to bow with a new entry in the Halo franchise, Halo Infinite.
Xbox was set to host a preview event this week at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, but the event was postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.
One of Xbox's main competitors, Sony's PlayStation, is also set to launch its next-generation console later this year, slated for sometime during the holiday season. Sony has yet to reveal a specific date for the launch of the PlayStation 5.
March 18, 12:45 p.m. Updated to reflect that Microsoft has revised its launch for the console to be during the 2020 holiday season rather than available for Thanksgiving.
