News & Rumors: Xbox One (codename Durango)

[Rangers]

Well it's all over the web, MS says no new Xbox at E3 or "anytime soon".

http://kotaku.com/5893685/microsoft-the-new-xbox-wont-be-shown-at-this-years-e3

While we appreciate all the interest in our long-range plans for the future, we can confirm that there will be no talk of new Xbox hardware at E3 or anytime soon.

This makes 2014 that much more likely imo

Things in video games always take forever, so honestly late 14 would probably be the smart bet. Still hoping for 13.

 

[Acert93]

"anytime soon" doesn't negate 2013 -- for MS an announcement in 2013 for a fall 2013 launch (just like the 360) is a long ways off in terms of product cycles. As for as "soon" they have all their summer line up and following that all their Fall released followed by their Holiday Push and Deals. Then comes the Winter "shifting of gears" etc. That, in terms of product talk, is a long ways off.

That said... boy, considering the technology just out on the horizon (FINFETS, 20nm, stacked memory, DDR4, etc) I would prefer a 2014 launch as I think it puts more "future-proof" technology in place to address some of the core issues manufacturing is facing.

 

[babybumb]

Well it's all over the web, MS says no new Xbox at E3 or "anytime soon".

http://kotaku.com/5893685/microsoft-the-new-xbox-wont-be-shown-at-this-years-e3



This makes 2014 that much more likely imo

Things in video games always take forever, so honestly late 14 would probably be the smart bet. Still hoping for 13.

Blame Wii U. Yes, Nintendo will actually prolong this generation by introducing new hardware after seven years..

The point is MS/Sony are actually happy about Wii U. Even if you consider Wii U a next-gen system they will have no next-gen publisher support. Ubisoft will do some exclusive stuff just like with the Wii but thats about it. No BIG teams are working on it like with 360 in 2005. AAA teams are starting work on next-gen MS/Sony systems right about now. At best they will get the same games as on current consoles if deemed feasible for less than 10 million userbase. And even then they will get closer to 50% than 100% of games in 2013..

 

[MarkoIt]

Well it's all over the web, MS says no new Xbox at E3 or "anytime soon".

http://kotaku.com/5893685/microsoft-the-new-xbox-wont-be-shown-at-this-years-e3



This makes 2014 that much more likely imo

Things in video games always take forever, so honestly late 14 would probably be the smart bet. Still hoping for 13.

Btw, he said that "2012 is all about Xbox360". No mention of 2013

 

[McHuj]

Btw, he said that "2012 is all about Xbox360". No mention of 2013

Now, I'm thinking a January/February reveal. It wouldn't surprise me to see some major teasing at this years VGA's as they have become the "reveal of new stuff" show.

Also, I guess I don't buy the theory that announcing it would kill sales of the current xbox. Sales of the PS2 didn't die when the PS3 was announced (or even when it came out). I don't think the WiiU announcement killed Wii sales as much as the lack of quality games and market saturation.I think if you asked an average consumer what the WiiU is, they wouldn't know, only devoted gamers pay attention to this stuff.

Of the core gamers that follow this stuff, I think 99% of the already own their console(s). That's for whom this announcement would be.

 

[AlphaWolf]

An announcement will shift developer focus which will most certainly hurt sales. The PS2 was selling for closer to $99 than $300.

 

[Acert93]

Yes, a console running $199-$299 depending on the SKU is a much tougher sale when you announce the successor, especially since the 360 launched a cheap SKU at $299. As a consumer why spend $199 on a console that is going to be made obsolete withing 12-16 months by a new model at a potential $299 price point? If MS is launching in 2013 I would not expect anything (beyond leaks and maybe a late 2012 teaser) until Spring 2013. If they are launching 2014 they may make a little noise late 2013 for positioning reasons, especially if they are able to push the price point down on the 360. I am sure MS/Sony wish there was no talk of next gen at all right now as it begins to get into consumers' heads there is something better coming "soon."

 

[Acert93]

3/16/2012
Tomshardware: No Xbox 720 at E3, 2012, or anytime soon
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/Microsoft-Xbox-Xbox-720-E3-2012-PS4-New-Console,15043.html

 

[Acert93]

3/14/2012
Kotaku: Obsidian cans dev team making Xbox 720 exclusive
http://kotaku.com/5893427/rumor-obs...-was-for-the-next-xbox-published-by-microsoft

 

[liolio]

I've been saying set top box for awhile (WRT the 28nm SoC rumours & Oban). At least this article doesn't say "Xbox Next", rather... the next xbox. *ahem* I mean, FWIW, 360S will have been around for 3 years by mid-2013. It's about time they jumped onto the next major node for cost reduction.

Well I remember your opinion on the matter it definitely makes sense: SoC, 32 nm + edram that sounds like a "360 on chips".

Speaking of which MS seems willing to wait as much as possible before they release their next system. Trying to extend the 360 lifecycle is the leit motiv of a lot of their PR, how low/high would.you place the odds for them to push something new along a hypothetic 360s V2?

I believe in the wuumote potential, I wondered if Msft could try to introduce something akin. Pretty fast I saw technical concerns obscur my pov on the subject. If Ms were to copy N they would have to push all those extra calculations (for the 2nd screen) on an already outdated system. I can't see them either upgrade their system and so piss at their 50 million users face or to use a self powered controller as price could prove prohibitive. So I think that it's not an option for them.

So what could they do to extend their product life cycle (putting aside a lower price and a sexier form factor)? I wonder if they could introduce a new sku? May be a sku without optical drive could a way for them to initiate a move to digital distribution? /testing water.

Another brain fart of mine were to consider a system with more ram. The ram would be untouchex by games but grant a lot of benefits if they were to release a meaty OS upgrade and actually release something closer to a fullblown OS.

 

[Tap In]

Xbox UK has timeline from Day 1 of Xbox 1 release to date

pretty cool :smile:

...note... needs Euro date format

 

[AlNom]

Ah... so 66M 360 units, 18M kinects.

 

[joker454]

Speaking of which MS seems willing to wait as much as possible before they release their next system.

Why not? Think about it, the type of gamer bored with the 360 is probably the hardcore type looking for something more cutting edge. Where else can they get that? PS3? Nope no tech improvement there. Tablets/phones? Nope, still fairly primitive. Mac? Nope, most games don't run on mac. They have only one place to go, and that's Windows. In other words the hardcore gamer that's grown tired of the 360's old tech will likely go right back into Microsoft's hands, namely a Windows pc. Sure they don't have a good ecosystem on Windows to extract more money from them...yet, but that's coming end of the year. So why bother hurrying with a new console launch, the customers they lose on 360 will be right back on Windows.

 

[Tap In]

Ah... so 66M 360 units, 18M kinects.

ahh ... good call :smile:

 

[liolio]

Why not? Think about it, the type of gamer bored with the 360 is probably the hardcore type looking for something more cutting edge. Where else can they get that? PS3? Nope no tech improvement there. Tablets/phones? Nope, still fairly primitive. Mac? Nope, most games don't run on mac. They have only one place to go, and that's Windows. In other words the hardcore gamer that's grown tired of the 360's old tech will likely go right back into Microsoft's hands, namely a Windows pc. Sure they don't have a good ecosystem on Windows to extract more money from them...yet, but that's coming end of the year. So why bother hurrying with a new console launch, the customers they lose on 360 will be right back on Windows.

... I can only agree and at the same time I despise this reality... Corporations and competition are close to be antinomic. People used to think that subziding serve their interest in fact it kills competition and innovation they may discover the truth soon enough about the state of our so calledfree market: it has fallen (on religious way, like angels fall... ).
Welcome united soviet of corporations...

As a consumer I'm peaced off manufacturers go away with 7 years old hardware without competition. I've no gaming system for now, I don't want to put pc together till next.gen specs.are known (say within a sane degree of uncertainty) and I see how Windows8 is doing. The mobile market still lack a proper business model. The sad truth is that anybody that come to put the consumers out of this.dead end would be bleed to death... Valve comes to mind in that regard.

 

[kagemaru]

Why not? Think about it, the type of gamer bored with the 360 is probably the hardcore type looking for something more cutting edge. Where else can they get that? PS3? Nope no tech improvement there. Tablets/phones? Nope, still fairly primitive. Mac? Nope, most games don't run on mac. They have only one place to go, and that's Windows. In other words the hardcore gamer that's grown tired of the 360's old tech will likely go right back into Microsoft's hands, namely a Windows pc. Sure they don't have a good ecosystem on Windows to extract more money from them...yet, but that's coming end of the year. So why bother hurrying with a new console launch, the customers they lose on 360 will be right back on Windows.

I think MS dragging out this generation has more to do with the money they are now making off the 360 and less to do with Windows being the only other real option for hardcore gamers.

 

[joker454]

I think MS dragging out this generation has more to do with the money they are now making off the 360 and less to do with Windows being the only other real option for hardcore gamers.

Yeah for sure, but I'm just adding to that where there is also no real reason for Microsoft to hurry since the hardcore they lose go back to them anyways. They are in a win-win situation right now basically, they make a pile of cash on the 360 and those that defect go to Windows anyways. And with the Windows App store coming years end they will be able to monetize those that are on Windows far better. So Microsoft makes money one way or another. Contrast this with Sony where those tired of the PS3's limits go and upgrade to a pc means Sony won't see a dime from them. They can't wait as long because those that defect from the PS3 represent a total financial loss to Sony.

In other words, Microsoft is in a really good position right now. Casuals are still happy with the 360 and will stay there, guys looking for good graphics moved back to pc and are generally happy there. But guys like liolio are stuck in the middle. It looks like he's grown tired of the 360 but doesn't want to move to pc, so there is no real solution for him aside from waiting another 2 or 3 years.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I think MS dragging out this generation has more to do with the money they are now making off the 360 and less to do with Windows being the only other real option for hardcore gamers.

It's not just MS dragging out the generation. Sony is as well. Except this is something Sony has wanted to do starting with the PS2.

Only thing is, MS forced them to abandon the 10 year plan for PS2 and rush out the PS3.

This time around, there is noone forcing anyone to upgrade. And with the state of the world economy, I can't blame either corp. for that. MS can finally recoup the money invested into the original Xbox while Sony has time to recoup money invested into the PS3.

Basically MS and Sony are in a staring match to see who blinks first. Sony was the first with an announcement of no new console anytime soon. MS breathed a sigh of relief and followed with their own announcement of no new console anytime soon.

And both Sony and MS breathed a sigh of relief when they realized that Nintendo wasn't going to one up them with their new console.

Regards,
SB

 

[SedentaryJourney]

In other words, Microsoft is in a really good position right now. Casuals are still happy with the 360 and will stay there, guys looking for good graphics moved back to pc and are generally happy there. But guys like liolio are stuck in the middle. It looks like he's grown tired of the 360 but doesn't want to move to pc, so there is no real solution for him aside from waiting another 2 or 3 years.

I have to sympathize with liolio. Moving to PC gaming at this point in time isn't worth it for me. I'm in the Mactop+console camp and can't see myself investing in a high end desktop for what essentially boils down to current gen console games with higher image quality. Nor does the desktop upgrade cycle appeal to me vs. the traditional console cycle.

To be honest, there isn't a better argument for the failure of the PC model than the current prolonged console generation. Epic have demonstrated that on today's high end PC you can get a generational difference in graphics. With that as the goal, there are no games that justify purchasing a high end PC. Most PC centric developers have moved to consoles, and the ones that remain target a minimum spec that's comfortably exceeded by my late 2008 MBP. Without the content to push high end PC gaming, the console cycle dictates the pace of graphical innovation. If you're jonesing for next gen content, there isn't anything for it til next gen consoles show up.

 

[joker454]

I have to sympathize with liolio. Moving to PC gaming at this point in time isn't worth it for me. I'm in the Mactop+console camp and can't see myself investing in a high end desktop for what essentially boils down to current gen console games with higher image quality. Nor does the desktop upgrade cycle appeal to me vs. the traditional console cycle.

To be honest, there isn't a better argument for the failure of the PC model than the current prolonged console generation. Epic have demonstrated that on today's high end PC you can get a generational difference in graphics. With that as the goal, there are no games that justify purchasing a high end PC. Most PC centric developers have moved to consoles, and the ones that remain target a minimum spec that's comfortably exceeded by my late 2008 MBP. Without the content to push high end PC gaming, the console cycle dictates the pace of graphical innovation. If you're jonesing for next gen content, there isn't anything for it til next gen consoles show up.

Well I would have agreed a year or two ago, but not anymore. You now have games like Crysis 2, Battlefield 3, Batman Arkham City, etc that aren't just console ports, they all look and perform significantly better than their console counterparts because they are customized to pc parts. Part of the reason is that the current console gen has lingered on so long and it's hardware grown so old that the engine makers now have no choice but to start focusing more on pc specific graphics. If they don't they will get left behind the tech curve and someone else will overtake them. There is only so much you can do on 7 year old hardware and if you just linger there you will get left behind and it will cost you business wise bigtime.

So I'd argue that this is an amazing time to get into pc gaming because good advances are being made their now, and all the latest tech (Frostbite, Unreal, Cryengine, etc) are being built with pc/nextgen in mind. In fact personally I want the next console gen to be delayed as much as possible because of this. Once new consoles come out then bam they become the focus and the pc will get stuck in time again until another 6 or 7 years pass and the developers exhaust that console hardware and have to shift focus back to pc to innovate. As a side bonus to all this, pc gaming is dirt cheap. I saved $280 just in 2011 by buying my games on pc instead of console, and got a significantly better experience in the process. I can understand liolio's frustration but to me heck I'm thrill that the next consoles are being delayed a until 2013/14 because gaming on the pc is awesome when the pc actually gets targeted for gaming tech