The Xbox Series X release date was November 26, then Microsoft took it back

(Image credit: Microsoft)

The Xbox Series X release date is tentatively set for Thursday, November 26, 2020... or it was for a minute before a number of product pages reverted back to its previously announced Holiday 2020 release window.

For Americans, that day is better known as Thanksgiving 2020 - and one day before the biggest shopping day of the year, Black Friday.

The release date appeared on a number of product pages for the Xbox Series X around the world, and was quickly circulated on Twitter before pages switched back to Holiday 2020.

A Microsoft spokesperson responded to TechRadar to clarify, saying "An Xbox product page in some regions inaccurately listed the launch date for Xbox Series X as Thanksgiving 2020. We are committed to launching Holiday 2020.”

Something to be thankful for?

Why would Microsoft pick Turkey Day to release a console? Well, probably to drum up business during Black Friday, a day known for breaking sales records. Last year, Americans spent $7.4 billion shopping online that day, which means retailers and manufacturers alike stand a lot to gain by releasing products around then.

Industry analysts have predicted a November release date for some time which would line up nicely with the American holiday - but for now Microsoft wants to stick to the open window of time, probably to allow for delays.

The non-news followed the detailed specs breakdown that Microsoft released earlier this week, highlighting the console's expandable storage, 16GB of 14Gbps GDDR6 memory and 8-core, 16-thread processor with a maximum clock of 3.8 GHz.

Sony then fired back with a specs reveal of its own by PlayStation's chief architect Mark Cerny in which the designer talked up the PS5's fast load times and 3D audio technology that would've taken place at GDC, but instead aired on the PlayStation blog.

We'll be watching both consoles closely as we march ever closer to their holiday release windows, anxiously awaiting the final release date and any - and we mean any - confirmed games.

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Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.