Xbox 720 to require Internet connection?

Additional alleged Xbox 720 details have come to light today. Sources speaking to Edge said that the platform will require an Internet connection to function and that a new version of Xbox Live will be an "integral" component of Microsoft's new platform. Though Microsoft is reportedly "absolutely committed" to online functionality for its new machine, games will still be offered in physical form, the sources said.

In addition, the sources said games for the new system will ship with activation codes and "have no value beyond the initial user." This falls in line with a report from last year, which said the Xbox 720 could block used games in some way. Analysts do not believe this is likely.

These games will reportedly be manufactured on 50GB Blu-ray discs, an upgrade from the DVD drive the Xbox 360 currently sports. Sony's PlayStation 3 supports Blu-ray, and it has since it was first launched in 2006. Blu-ray disc capacity is significantly greater than that of DVD.

In addition, the sources said Microsoft will ship a new version of Kinect alongside the Xbox 720. No further information was made available, though a previous report said "Kinect V2" could support four-player full-body tracking and allow gamers to sit down while playing. In addition, this technology is believed to adapt to players' living rooms, meaning they will not need to move furniture for an optimal experience.

Lastly, Edge's sources said the previously rumored Xbox 720's specifications will include an AMD eight-core x64 1.6GHz CPU, a D3D11.x 800 MHz graphics solution, and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. At present, the platform's hard drive capacity is still reportedly up in the air.

An Xbox 360 successor is, of course, still unannounced. A Microsoft representative told GameSpot, “We do not comment on rumors or speculation. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform, but we don’t have anything further to share at this time.”

It may not be long before that changes, as the platform holder is rumored to announce the Xbox 720 during an Apple-style media presentation in late March, perhaps in conjunction with the 2013 Game Developers Conference.

Sony is holding a "PlayStation Meeting" February 20 in New York City where the company is rumored to announce the PlayStation 4. GameSpot will be in attendance.