I have low expectations of insiders as well, but where are the legit gaming journalists doing the actual sleuthing work on next gen? Are they complicit in trying to prevent leaks for Sony?
Realistically, at this point any company working on a game that's going to launch on XSX and PS5 has to be fully into development, not just a small tech team experimenting. There have got to be 1000's of people involved with next-gen games already, not one legit leak? (at least on the PS5 side)? We're going to get gameplay at E3 and that's about 3 months out.
Granted MS has stayed ahead of leaks nicely by releasing information in a timely fashion. But the windowscentral guys have been able to gather information from their sources even before that. What's weird is that there's nothing on the Sony side.
I am 99% sure WindowsCentral guys (+ Tom Warren and Brad Sams), have been fed with tidbits straight from MS, as they are their
official journalists. Along with legit data, they have been given false one as well, but there is 0 insiders with MS info as good as theirs.
Take Lockhart for example.
Who leaked it? Windows Central, back in 18'. Who jumped on rumor? Everyone else.
Who said it was cancelled? Brad Sams. Who jumped on rumor? Everyone else, including some top rated insiders.
Who said it was on again? Brad Sams. Who jumped on rumor? Everyone else, including some top rated insiders.
Realistically, knowing chip design and, I know I repeat myself - Github leak, Lockhart chip was not even in testing when it was "cancelled", and neither was Arden. So, I am 99% that was false rumor spread by MS journalists without knowing it was false. It was never cancelled and Matt (from Era) saying specs for Anaconda are likely lower then what they would have been with Lockhart now make 0 sense.
Take TF for example.
Who leaked it? Windows Central, a week before TGA (and before it, on Era, Tom Warren with 4/12 post in November). Who jumped on rumor? Everyone else
Who said MS is late and not communicating to developers at all compared to Sony? Jason. Who said MS is coming hot and late, like last time, but its all gonna be good in the end? Matt.
Who said there is a reason for that and MS wants to surprise Sony? Tom Warren. Does 12TF RDNA2 come as surprise? Sure as shit it does, to me. I expect Sony to be a bit surprised as well.
So I am putting little belief in insiders for these very reasons. Only ones correct on MS, and more importantly - the ones that broke all the stories, are MS connected journalists.
Everyone else has been wrong.