Microsoft teases next-gen Xbox news at E3 event

Many have suspected that Microsoft would talk about its next Xbox at its E3 event, and that now appears to be virtually guaranteed. Gamers have discovered that Microsoft's E3 countdown videos have included background references to "R255 G36 B0," or the RGB code for scarlet -- you know, the widely reported nickname (minus a T) for the 2020 Xbox hardware. The company even confirmed one user's "eagle eye," sending them a month of Xbox Game Pass as a reward.

Scarlett would technically cover two consoles, an entry-level model (codenamed Lockhart) and an Xbox One X equivalent (Anaconda). Microsoft isn't expected to go into vivid detail about the systems when they're likely over a year away from launch, but it may provide technical details to whet appetites. Sony has already outlined hardware expectations for the PlayStation 5 -- it's easy to see Microsoft offering similar info to reassure Xbox fans.

As it stands, there have been other teasers in the run-up to Microsoft's E3 presentation at 4PM Eastern. It's making Xbox Game Pass Ultimate available to everyone, with a sale offering both Xbox and PC games (there's also a new $5 PC-games-only pass) for $1 for the first month. And did we mention that the redesigned Xbox app for PCs has popped up on the Microsoft Store in a currently inaccessible beta? There's a lot in the pipeline for Microsoft's E3 gathering, and that's before touching on the game streaming service or any title introductions.