strange that they would launch in 2012 since the X360 is still selling so well. 2013 seems more likely.
New Xbox console planned for holiday 2012?
By
Brendan Sinclair, Senior Editor
Windows Weekly tech reporters say "Project Ten" planned for release late next year with better Windows and Windows Mobile integration; CES reveal speculated.
Source: The latest episode of the Windows Weekly podcast, hosted by Leo Laporte and featuring fellow tech reporters Paul Thurrott and Mary Jo Foley.
What we heard: Around the 88-minute mark of the show, Laporte prompts Thurrott to talk about the new Xbox, which he calls "Project Ten." Thurrott then explains that he has been hearing the console is planned for release during the 2012 holiday season, "meaning that they would almost have to announce this at [Consumer Electronics Show], wouldn't they?"
As for details about the system, Thurrott said it would be "all Metro," referring to the unified style of interface that Microsoft is rolling out among its various platforms. He also said it would have Microsoft's Silverlight video plug-in embedded in the hardware, which Foley suggested would help further the Internet TV push that was begun on the Xbox 360.
Perhaps more importantly, Thurrott said the next Xbox would focus on integration with Microsoft's other platforms and products, a historical weak point for the company. (To hammer that home, Thurrott noted that the Xbox 360 will play media on an iPod or iPhone, but not on a Windows Phone.) That means the new system would have a measure of Windows 8 and Windows Phone integration, with Thurrott calling the strategy "going the Apple route." Given Microsoft's existing efforts to unify the look and functionality of its products, it would be odd if the next Xbox were excluded from that push.
While Thurrott speculated that the system would be announced at January's CES show in order to make a holiday release window, history shows that's not necessarily the case. The Xbox 360 launched in November of 2005 and was a notable no-show at that year's CES. In fact, the system's proper unveiling didn't happen until an MTV special that aired May 12, 2005, the week before the kickoff of the Electronic Entertainment Expo.
This is not the first time the 2012 release time frame has come up in rumors about the next Xbox. In May, a report circulated that Microsoft was planning to unveil its next console at E3 2011, with a launch by the end of 2012. Shortly after E3 2011 came and went without a peep about new hardware from Microsoft, rumors of an E3 2012 reveal for the system began circulating. First the news came by way of a high-ranking source at Crytek, then from a source with knowledge of Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices Division operations.
However, not every rumor has pointed in the same direction. Last month, it was reported that chip manufacturers and software middleware firms expect the next Xbox to be announced at E3 2013, with a launch following in time for the holidays.
The official word: "As an innovator, we're always thinking about what is next and how we can push the boundaries of technology like we did with Kinect. We believe the key to extending the life span of a console is not just about the console hardware, but about the games and entertainment experiences being delivered to consumers. Beyond that we don't comment on rumors or speculation."--A Microsoft representative.
Bogus or not bogus: Bogus that anything is set in stone, but a holiday 2012 release would fit with most of the rumors seen of late.
By
Brendan Sinclair, Senior Editor
Brendan Sinclair has been a games journalist since 1999. His tastes are eclectic, though he has a definite affinity for games with arcade roots. He's Canadian, but has also been at home in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, and San Francisco.
274 comments
Meh, I prefer to spend my money on games not hardware. If they aren't 100% backwards compatible, I'll stick to my PC and Steam.
Wish lists: x360 controller is the main gripe i had with that system. It starts feeling uncomfortable compared to the PS3 controller, for titles that use the thumb pad rather than the analog stick a lot after a few hours). I sure hope they improve on that. Wii U: online stunk on wii. It was so hard to find other players, so hard to maintain connections. They really are light years behind in the online area. PS3: online system was not as good as Xbox Live. System was too hard to program for, so there were fewer online titles and downloadable content.
Give me a break, Gamespot. Holiday 2013 release is much more likely and what is being rumored by most reputable websites -- not yours apparently. We'll probably see some type of reveal at E3 this summer.
There's no such thing as hardware-embedded plugins. Silverlight is an application framework... it's software. It's basically Microsoft's version of Flash. I love it when people write articles based on information coming from people that don't know what they're talking about and they don't even bother to check to see if that information is correct, even though it's easily found within a matter of seconds through a quick internet search. Typical quality journalism from Gamespot.
About time if they do, this is the longest console cycle yet and my xbox looks like standard definition compared to my PC games. Though other rumors were not till 2014.
I am so pumped for a new xbox, playstation, and wii. I have truly enjoyed this gen for me and for my family. So for all you naysayers, I say "Bring It." I'll see the true fans at launch.
I hope we get a few rumors about disc format soon. If "Project Ten" comes out 2012, that's fine with me. Unless it's 100% backwards compatible though, I'll probably wait at least another year.
yeh xbox need an update so they can have bbc iplayer to start with even the wii has got bbc iplayer come on xbox and also xbox 360 needs a blu ray player now i dont want to have to keep swaping disc over because a standerd disc hasernt got enough room on it with ps3 i can do what ever i want on the game not have to think to play multiplayer ive got to swap that disc over to disc 2 its hasel loading back up deffo when you have loads of people in your party.
I find it so depressing that people aren't excited to see the next console, and some of you don't even want another console EVER! :( Do you have any idea what could be coming? How incredible the XBOX 720 and PS4 are going to be? The short story is: almost EVERYTHING that could be pre-rendered from 1999 to 2005 can be done on the next console! I am not joking. Everything in Star Wars: Episode 1 2 & 3 and in Lord of the Rings can be done in real-time. We will even get Photorealistic graphics! Don't believe me? Then look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_fbvW0RNjw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8ENNuZet4Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cuXgRVMvZ0 www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yk-tCj-348 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJAYNNfYCqs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kzNSvSnCFY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJODzWJsXPg And that is only a hand full of tech demos I have, the future is going to be Amazing!
but what are they going to do with new console?3d xbox will be boring..and we have very good gaMes with cool graphics to come out.and now a new console?tat will be bad i think. anyway im not ready for a new console so soon!
I still think 2014 would be the best time for the next Xbox (and PlayStation) to come out. I guess with Nintendo releasing the Wii U next year, it is prompting Microsoft to accelerate plans for their next console as well.
I just hope they quit overcharging for stuff that should be free....like online play!! Why would I pay for something that should be free? Aside from that I am just curious what everyone thinks should be upgraded on the system? They didn't really mention anything in the article that they couldn't just add on to the current console through a software update. I hope they have some better selling points. To be honest I hope they have some sort of trick up their sleeve other than just trying to release the system early so that there is no competition. I look for Sony to do some sort of Playstation/PC joint network where the Playstation games can also be played on a PC and the players from both the Playstaiton and PC can play together in games.
It would be awesome to see the Xbox 3 launch in Dec 2012, Directly alongside the Wii U. Which is debuting in 2012. Microsoft needs to focus on Nintendo for the 8th generation and not Sony. So if the next Xbox is ready for Christmas 2012. I shall buy that. Halo 4 as launch title will ensure that Third version of Xbox is off to a great start. So I'm sure that MS has learned it's lesson from 2005 and can make the third Xbox the charm. (for the console "race" or "war" for the 8th generation) I have Xbox and Xbox 360 so whatever this latest Xbox is called. I will buy one at around launch. I am ready for a new Xbox.
I have owned my 360 since launch. Great console, love it; but it's time for a new one. The 360 has definitely done it's job; countless hours of gaming, and great experiences make me feel like I have got my money's worth out of it, and I love that developers are pushing it to its limits, but once I see a game on PC or a blu-ray on my Hi-def TV and compare it to my 360; the console doesn't seem to be holding its own anymore. The 360 has had a great run (and will for a few more years) but I am excited to see what they have in store for the future! As for the rumor about it coming out...who knows. I think a 2013 date is more likely, and definitely more reasonable; but with manufacturing processes being capable of doing a short launch (especially if they only ship around 500k-1mil units) it's definitely possible. Here's to hoping!
Stop complaining. Buy the consoles at launch and the gen won't feel so short. You wait 4-6 years before buying one and then complain when a next-gen console surfaces a few years later. I bought my 360 on launch day and I'm bored of it. We need the next gen NOW. If you don't want to buy one at launch, you don't have to. Play some of the hundreds of games that were released for the 360 before you bought one.
@Cwagmire21 Microsoft uses a standard USB interface for the 360. You can test this by plugging a controller (or Kinect) into a PC. The controller will work. There is no software that I know of to support Kinect on PC yet; however, the PC will detect it. It is highly doubtful that they would change this. I think they will upgrade to USB 3, then incorporate the Kinect software from the current gen.
Stop complaining that its too soon. If thats the case for you then you can always wait 5 years to buy it like you probably did with current gens systems. This gen is already past half a decade. The first xbox phase out is what is too soon. Hell the Dreamcast phase out is what is really too soon. The 360 is going on 7 years now.
wow people moan and complain and then will buy the new Xbox just like they did after MS killed Xbox with the Xbox 360!!!! Why go through the process of B&M about it if your going to still stand in line. Who knows MS could have paid a lot of developers to make games and be quiet about it!!
I am getting quite worried for ms...we hear first that it is planning on being ''smaller and cheaper'' and has a 2012 late release date (this is hardly enough time to develop a game..much less an entirely new system)...while I don't want it to be true it seems more and more to me like the people at ms heard about the wii-u panicked..and tried to come out with a next gen as soon as possible to ''beat the competition''...what they don't realize is that they hold more of a chance at success if they wait until the hype dies down...then release the 720 ''revolution''.
@cheamo I got a PS3 and a PC with an i5 760 processor, GTX 460 2gb, 4gb DDR 3 1600mhz ram, a £110 sound card and good speakers etc. And to be honest I think your speaking crap. You have to be a graphics whore and ignore proper and good game mechanics to really have any mad urge to rush into a next gen as the current consoles although dating are still perfectly capable machines. Crysis 2, Metro 2033 and Battlefield 3 were all the big hitters on PC for graphics recently and they are on consoles looking fine too even if not as good (that is to be expected of course). You know what, I have this PC I spent over £1,000 not even including the games (star craft 2, Shogun 2, Crysis 2, Battlefield 3, Skyrim, Diablo 2, Heroes of might and magic VI, Oblivion etc.) and I spend most of my time on league of legends. Graphics are not everything bud.
They're gonna piss off a lot of Kinect owners if you can't use that version of Kinect on the new system. :roll:
Sounds like another "new" Xbox 360 to pull in some last bucks before the new one comes out the next year...
Calm down peeps.. Its a slimmer 360, Thats all.. But wouldn't it be awesome if it was a new console
@ warhawk-geeby : well, it's not really being scared of the sales or something but rather for a more strategic point of view. See, when they released GTA4 on 360 and ps3, at that time, the number of people owning a ps2 is probably greater than ps3 + 360 combined. sure they can sell well on ps2, but if they did that they probably won't have a game for newer gen console for 2~3 years. Second problem is the hardware limit of older generation console compare to next gen console. if they release a game on older console while the next gen comes out, a competitor can easily make a game on next gen console and gain a lot more popularity.
I dont know what some of the other comments mean, I would love a new system. I bet they announce this before the WiiU to make it look like its out of date which we all know that it will compared to a new PS4 or X720.
Anyone who thinks the 360's hardware is just fine clearly hasn't touched a decent computer in the last few years. I think it's getting about time that all 3 companies come out with something new. Here's hoping they don't cheap out on the specs like Nintendo with the Wii.
As long as it's 100% b/c, I'm all for it. Microsoft needs to drop their price on their current XBox 360 to clear out the inventory for the next system.
Personally im more than happy with my current 360 and dont really feel the need to 'Upgrade' as the current platform continues to impress (when developers put in the effort), I just dont feel as though the hardware specs will be a big enough leap from the current specs as the only current issue i can think of is simply the physical storage capacity. I only hope im wrong, and that this is'nt simply a 'GUI' update in a nice new shiny box. Lets just wait and see.
"Is it almost time to move on?" God I hope so. Games look terrible on console now. Trying to shoehorn them in with very little memory and poor graphics chips.
No thanks.....personally I feel that we are still enjoying the heck out of our current gen, that a newer next gen will be a slight whimper of an introduction. I might be wrong, but I think that many people are still not ready for newer hardware (excluding the niche central core of gaming population). My 2 cents anyway.....
Ill probably sell my old xbox and put it towards this one. seems like a lot of new stuff gettin gput into it
I'm kind of ready for a new lot of hardware. We're still getting some great looking games on the current hardware but if you want 60hz you get up scaled sub-HD resolutions. A lot at 720p are locked to 30 FPS and even then tear. I don't imagine that initially graphics will be much beyond the current consoles because some developers have done amazing things with them and games development is so heavily geared to what they can do. Even with 1080p and 60hz I think new consoles a hard proposition to get people enthused about if the stills don't look vastly better. Where as every previous wave of new hardware has offered a very tangible benefit, I think why that's why the 360 and PS3 have lasted as long as they have.
It seems obvious that it will be out in the next two years. So rumors at this point seem moot. I just hope they stay away from controller gimmicks. Red rings over gimmicks anyday.
Meh, that's over a year away, a lot of stuff can change by then. Cross that bridge when we get to it.
wait...now they are releasing new dashboard with many good things..and its going to be 2012.whats the point in releasing next xbox in 2012?will they make any profit?
I'm not surprised. All the latest games are coming out on 2+ more disks, not that I care but maybe they wan't to change that, with GTA and other games coming out soon
This sounds likely and quite obvious. Although I've enjoyed the Halo and Gears of War games immensely, they are running out exclusives. They will finish off with their juggernaut Halo 4, which I am crazy-excited about, and then next-gen Xbox here we come. Highly probable.
I hope microsoft dont rush the next xbox like they did with 360, i mean the original xbox was a fantastic console, so they can do it. Also i hope more first party exclusives are up and coming for the new console as the 360 relies too heavily on 3rd party support imo. Maybe make xbox live slightly cheaper as it sticks in my throat paying for online play when its free on PS3 and PC. Other than that bring it on!!!!!
Means no more xbox360 games so all new games will be on next xbox. Means since ps4 comes out ps3 games still carry on for a while. If i was control i put halo4 on next xbox cosle and make at launch date. But im not geeting next xbox at all but it will be realse next year
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