12 October 2011

On What Is Known And Rumored So Far About “ Xbox Next / Xbox 720”

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There have been many blogs reporting about Gematsu's scoop of a scoop of some LinkedIn resumes of Microsoft employees that mention they have been working on the third version of the Xbox

http://gematsu.com/2011/10/microsoft-resumes-menti​on-next-gen-xbox

And that is pretty much all the news they got. The same goes with most of the Blogosphere echo chamber. But am not going to give you that. Am going to give you a report based on what is known as fact and what has been rumored the past 2 years on this subject.

Fact 1: The Next Xbox is already mid way or further of its development.
Fact 2: The Next Xbox started being conceptualized in 2009.
Fact 3: The Next Xbox started to be developed at one point in 2010.

Now i will give you the most solid of the unconfirmed and the rumored. All coming from more than one source:

Rumor 1: At one point in 2010 it was rumored Microsoft was mulling over using WEC7


Rumor 2: It was also rumored early this year that the next xbox will be using DirectX 11


Rumor 3: At the same time of R2, there was the rumor Microsoft would instead be using -- at the time unknown but for those few that knew or had seen leaked documents, like yours truly -- W8.


Rumor 4: Also this year it was widely reported in the hardcore Xbox spheres that Microsoft was looking at going with AMD. But the truth is that if the next Xbox is going to be out in 2012 fall. By the start of this year Microsoft should had already decided or be deciding what CPU/GPU they were going to use.


Rumor 5: A little later some said that if they were going to go with AMD, they would be using a special 3.2ghz hexacore AMD processor.

Rumor 6: The very newest rumor is on what will use as disc tech. The rumor said it will be using a HD-DVD with new DRM and hardware protection. It is a very interesting rumor. And it would make perfect sense for Microsoft to go with that: HD-DVD tech is cheap, reliable and got just enough space for next gen games. And boy if it would be a big F U to Sony. And not adding Blu-ray would also entice users to use Microsoft or Microsoft partners streaming content.

My Take on this:

Every source i have looked at for over a year has pointed that the next Xbox will be released at Q4 of 2012. So I still do believe that.

Another thing i also still believe to be true is that the next Xbox will not be a 10x jump in computation power as it was from Xbox One to Xbox 360. But just 3 times as powerful. All indicated that given the new regulations and politics in electronics energy consume and cost make it impossible to go beyond that.

Microsoft is also adamant on making the next Xbox as reliable as the Xbox One was. Everything will be about optimization. Finally, Microsoft has never been keen on losing their shirt on the actual hardware. They are ok on losing it on development, software and promotion. But not hardware. They are not Sony.

Beyond that there is really no way to know for sure unless you work at Microsoft, in Seattle or in a department with access to what the Entertainment Division is doing.

But hey, only 4 months for stuff to really start leaking out on that.

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