Xbox Series X controller box leak points to November 6 release date

By Heather Wald
published

The leak suggests Microsoft's next-gen console could come early in the month

(Image credit: Microsoft)

A leaked Xbox Series X controller box could suggest a November 6 release date for Microsoft's next-gen console.  

The Verge journalist Tom Warren posted a tweet with an image obtained from a tipster that is said to be boxes of the new Xbox Series X controllers. The packaging has a "do not open date" of November 6, which might potentially be the actual release date of the upcoming Microsoft console. 

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As with every leak, it's best to maintain some scepticism, but given the recent confirmation yesterday that the Xbox Series X will be launching in November, it doesn't seem outside of the realms of possibility. 

This latest leak follows not long after previous controller images surfaced that seemingly confirmed the existence of the Xbox Series S. The long-rumoured all-digital console was referred to with the codename Lockhart, and along with leaked code, the images seem to give further credence to the idea that another console is on the way along with the Series X. 

As well as getting news confirming a November release date, 343 Industries posted a statement revealing that Halo Infinite has been pushed back to 2021. Originally set to be the big launch title for the Series X, studio head Chris Lee wrote that the decision to delay the next entry in the Halo series came as a result of development challenges, including the "ongoing COVID-related impacts affecting us all this year". 

After acknowledging the hard work of the team at 343 Industries and their commitment to making a great game, Lee explained that "it is not sustainable for the well-being of our team or the overall success of the game to ship it this holiday." 

The exact release date of both the Xbox Series X and PS5 has been the source of much discussion over the past year. Whether or not the PS5 also releases in November remains to be seen, but given it also has a Holiday 2020 window, it could very well launch around a similar date. 

Looking ahead to the next-gen console? Here are all of the upcoming Xbox Series X games we know about so far. 

Heather Wald
Heather Wald
Senior staff writer

I started out writing for the games section of a student-run website as an undergrad, and continued to write about games in my free time during retail and temp jobs for a number of years. Eventually, I earned an MA in magazine journalism at Cardiff University, and soon after got my first official role in the industry as a content editor for Stuff magazine. After writing about all things tech and games-related, I then did a brief stint as a freelancer before I landed my role as a staff writer here at GamesRadar+. Now I get to write features, previews, and reviews, and when I'm not doing that, you can usually find me lost in any one of the Dragon Age or Mass Effect games, tucking into another delightful indie, or drinking far too much tea for my own good.