Xbox Series X and S: Microsoft reveals new accessories as pre-orders open for new console

(Microsoft)

Microsoft has revealed a host of new accessories for its upcoming Xbox Series X and S.

The new controllers and battery were revealed just as pre-orders for the new consoles opened, ahead of the 10 November release date.

They can be bought alongside the new console – for anyone who actually gets the chance to pre-order it. But they will also be sold separately.

Microsoft has been keen to stress throughout the roll out of the new Xboxes that they will be very backwards-compatible, and as such players who already have the Xbox One might not need to buy any new accessories at all.

But it said that the new options were made “to ensure the most optical next-gen gaming experience” and that they nonetheless included a host of changes that would make them better to use with the new consoles.

And it has rolled out a new “shock blue” colour that also brings a new design. 

That joins the “carbon black” colour that arrived with the Xbox Series X, and the “robot white” that was rolled out for the unveiling of the Xbox Series S. Those colours match the colours of the console themselves.

The new controllers look, from a distance, almost exactly the same as the existing Xbox One controller. Microsoft noted in its announcement that it had made only minor changes to the accessory, in contrast with PlayStation’s much more radical re-design.

But it has added a new textured grip to the bumpers, triggers and the back of the case, as well as a new D-pad. It has also added a share button that will allow players to immediately capture video or photos within a game.

At the same time, it said it would temporarily take the “Xbox Design Lab” offline. That tool was first added in 2016, and allows players to design their own controllers by choosing from a range of colours and other decorations – but will be made unavailable until 2021 so that “some updates" can be added, Microsoft said.