While Aesop's Fable may tell us that slow and steady always wins, this isn't true when it comes to gaming announcements.
With Xbox lagging behind PlayStation in the current console gaming landscape, the timing of announcements is crucial for if the company wants to put pressure on PlayStation.
Unfortunately for fans of Xbox, their radio silence on the Xbox Series S is quickly becoming detrimental to the console's launch. Here's why.
Xbox Series S vs PS5 Digital Edition
It's a crude comparison given that the Series S is rumoured to have worse specs than the other next-gen consoles, but in the minds of consumers, these two consoles are the 'budget' versions.
With the PlayStation 5's pre-orders rumoured to open pretty soon, those not wanting to buy a full-priced next-gen may be tempted to reserve their copy of the Digital Edition as soon as they go live, especially amid rumours of console stock shortages.
Without any official information on the Xbox Series S to compare the Digital Edition to, nervous consumers may be unwilling to commit to a budget Xbox based on patents, leaks and rumours alone.
Unless Xbox announces their Series S before the PS5's pre-orders open, they might have lost the 'budget console war' before it even begins.
A bad look for Xbox
Have you ever ordered something, only for it to go on sale a week later?
As the Xbox Series X is now listed on Amazon, there is a real chance Xbox are also planning to launch their pre-orders pretty soon, too.
If this happens prior to the Series S announcement, many hardcore Xbox fans who would have bought the cheaper console, especially those outside the richest countries, may have already pre-ordered the more expensive Xbox Series X, again out of fear that Covid-19 could lead to stock shortages.
While many storefronts allow you to cancel a pre-order for free, as consoles are particularly expensive items, some require a non-refundable deposit upon pre-order, locking consumers into a more expensive purchase just because Xbox announced the Xbox Series S later than they should have.
Intentional or not, this would be a cheap, predatory trick from the company.
When will Xbox announce the Xbox Series S?
Of course, this argument relies on the premise that Xbox are not planning on announcing the Series S anytime.
The company has given very little away regarding their marketing strategy for the Xbox Series S, but with new events scheduled every month as part of Xbox 20/20, there are plenty of opportunities for Xbox to reveal the budget version of their next-gen console.
Here's hoping that they do it soon.
READ MORE: Why the Xbox One camp LOST OUT in the current-gen console war versus PS4