Microsoft recently revealed a hidden Xbox Series S in the background of a months-old stream featuring Xbox head Phil Spencer. The console is a smaller model than the company's major next-gen system, the Xbox Series X. It has no disk drive and features much less storage space, but it's also selling for a very manageable price of $299.
It's been a long wait for fans who are excited for the next generation of video game consoles. Both Microsoft and Sony have been slow in revealing info about the new consoles, even as their release looms closer and closer. Earlier this week, fans finally learned the prices for the Xbox Series X and its smaller counterpart, the Series S. The information was revealed in a very substantial leak that Microsoft was quick to confirm. The leak also provided fans with the first look at the diminutive Xbox Series S.
Or did it? As revealed earlier today on the Xbox Twitter account, fans actually saw the Xbox Series S for the first time on July 1st. They just didn't know it. During a Gamelab Keynote interview with Seth Schiesel, Phil Spencer appeared to discuss the future of next-gen gaming. He also hid an Xbox Series S on a shelf behind him, tucked between some books. The console was evidently so small and unobtrusive that no one noticed it was there, and since this was months before its actual reveal, no one even knew what to look for. Not even Seth Schiesel noticed the little console was there. Check out the big reveal below.
This is a very fun Easter egg, but it gets even better. Apparently, this wasn't the only time Phil Spencer got away with hiding the Xbox Series S in an interview. In a comment, the executive tagged YouTubers iJustine and Jenna Ezarik, who interviewed him together later that month. Sure enough, the Series S is present in the background of that video as well, and neither of the interviewers was any the wiser for it. One wonders what might have happened if someone had asked him about it.
A little hidden treat for sharp-eyed fans to appreciate and enjoy is always nice. The video game world is full of secrets like these, and everyone has a few favorites that they've stumbled upon over the years. It's less common to find a video game Easter egg outside of a video game, though. Phil Spencer's campaign is very endearing, and it's also a clever way to raise interest in the company. It's a safe bet that more people will be carefully studying future appearances from the executive, looking for more sneaky reveals. Recent rumors point to the existence of a third model for Xbox's next-gen technology, and maybe that console will make a hidden appearance in a future video. Maybe it's already been shown, and fans have no idea. No matter how well it's hidden, fans will have a lot to look forward to when the Xbox Series S and its relatives come out this November.
Source: Xbox/Twitter