New Xbox hardware is on the way, and we finally have a launch date

Gamescom is just around the corner, which means that Geoff Keighley’s Opening Night Live returns with a fresh batch of major industry announcements.

The event is being held on Tuesday 25 August, and we already know that we’re getting a first look at The Witcher 3 expansion Songs of the Past.

As for what else the event promises, well, it looks like Xbox is set to offer an update on a piece of hardware that dedicated fans are going to want to get their hands on.

At this year’s Xbox Showcase held in July, Xbox announced a limited edition Xbox Series X console and controller to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary.

Known as the Xbox Series X25, it features a retro-inspired look with a green transparent shell; after all, transparent hardware was all the rage in the 00s.

The controller features the same green transparent casing. At the time, the collection was simply marketed as “limited edition” and launching in November of this year.

Well, the ever-reliable billbil-kun appears to have got their hands on some fresh intel.

Xbox X25 Controller pricing, release date, and pre-order date

In a report via Dealabs, billbil-kun revealed that the Xbox Wireless Controller Special Edition X25 will have its pre-orders open during Gamescom on August 26.

It’s not yet known whether the announcement will fall during Opening Night Live or whether Xbox will just post it to its socials during Gamescom week.

As for the controller’s actual release date, it’ll launch on October 20, ahead of Xbox’s original promise of November. Perhaps it’s trying to get ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI’s arrival?

Microsoft

The leaker also managed to get their hands on pricing; it’s not a cheap piece of kit.

The Xbox Wireless Controller Special Edition X25 will retail for $79.99 / £74.99 / €79.99 / Canadian $99.99.

As for billbil-kun’s reliability, they’re bang on the money every time, so we really wouldn’t say you need to take any of this with a pinch of salt.

Unfortunately, the leaker doesn’t have any intel on the X25 console itself.

That doesn’t mean that pre-orders won’t open at Gamescom. They may not, but it could just be that the information pertaining to the console wasn’t as readily available to billbil-kun as that of the controller.

"To celebrate 25 years of Xbox built alongside players, we’re introducing the Xbox 25th anniversary collection," Xbox said at the time of the original announcement.

"Inspired by the look and feel of the original Xbox console, both the console and controller feature a translucent OG Green design, with subtle tributes to the journey we’ve been on together. You’ll also discover a few hidden surprises throughout, as a thank you to the community."

READ MORE: Xbox Game Pass gets perfect The Witcher 3 replacement with day one AAA release

There are rumours that Xbox will announce a surprise sequel at Opening Night Live, but we would urge you to take it with a pinch of salt.

As for what we do know is on Xbox’s upcoming release slate, Gears of War: E-Day is on the way on October 6, with Fable arriving on February 23, and Clock Revolution rounding us out sometime in 2027.