Topic: New MS console aimed at 2012? Surprise E3 reveal!?

[BlackNMild2k1]

Nintendo parade postponed due to rain?

Remember that comment I mentioned from some AMD worker about a console he was working on from the current fusion line and how they were ordered to pull in their schedule from end of 2012 to sooner...

March 2011:
-AMD working on CPU/GPU combined chip for console due for release @ end of 2012; Told to bring schedule in for earlier release

Xbox720 on the desk at EA. Aimed at 2012 release
http://www.develop-online.net/news/37618/Develop-source-New-Xbox-console-on-desks-at-EA

New system could steal Wii 2’s thunder with shock E3 reveal

The successor to the Xbox 360 console is on desks at an unnamed Electronic Arts studio, Develop understands.

The new hardware, sent to EA last month, is a very early build with no casing – it is in fact being stored inside a PC shell.

EA developers are getting to grips with the tech to create first-generation software, Develop has been told.

“Quite often when new consoles come around they’re packaged into a PC shell, but actually what’s inside is an entirely new console,” a senior, trusted, well-placed source said.

Microsoft has declined to comment. EA has declined to comment. Develop’s source is not employed at either company.

The source believed, but did not have certain information, that the new Xbox would launch by the end of 2012. The individual expects an announcement will be made, at least in some form, at E3.

SHOW TIME --------------------------------

In March, new data revealed Microsoft was at the early stages in building the successor to the Xbox 360.
The platform owner had advertised new job vacancies such as Graphics Hardware Architect and Performance Engineer for the Xbox Console Architecture Group.

Microsoft’s new hires will be “responsible for defining and delivering next generation console architectures from conception through implementation,” the company said.

The language of the job vacancies suggested a reveal for the console is years away, but Develop’s source says a shock reveal could be weeks away.

“Why let Nintendo steal the thunder in June [At E3]? It doesn’t want to lose momentum. That’s why I think Microsoft is rushing to make an announcement at E3.”

It leads to suspicion that key next-gen projects are underway at Microsoft’s own internal studios. Some project names Develop has seen would suggest a change of guard.

NEXT GENERATION ------------------------------

Specifications for the device are not available, for now. Develop understands that the hardware will feature enhanced support for Kinect with just a couple of alterations.

Over 52 million Xbox consoles have been sold since the system’s launch in May 2005.

Microsoft’s innovative motion controller, Kinect, launched November last year and has buoyed the console’s appeal.

Ten million Kinect units were sold worldwide as of March this year.

“Kinect will keep the 360 going for a couple of years, but Microsoft knows that if it slows down now it will face trouble,” the source added.

We knew this had to be coming. 360 has been around since 2005 and they were not gonna dismiss Nintendo and let them have 2 years on the market to themselves. MS can afford to bleed $$$ for marketshare until they are the only one left standing, so they are definitely here to stay. They can afford to go BIG and go FIRST so I would expect this AMD Trinity(?) Console to be a beast, but I'm skeptical of it launching at the end of 2012 if dev kits just went out.... not unless they are planning for Cafe ports

[Chozo Ghost]

You know, a lot of those rumors that have been swirling around about the Cafe may have really been about this new Microsoft console instead.

ETA: This also is going to add even more pressure on Sony to put out a PS4. They already have plenty of pressure with the PS3 being hopelessly and permanently hacked wide open, but now with both competitors putting out systems which presumably leave the PS3 in the dust (technologically speaking), there is now an even much greater urgency. The thing is though, I don't think Sony will be able to get their next console out quite as fast, but you can bet they are going to move much quicker now than they otherwise would have.

[Stogi]

Poor, poor Sony. Last to get picked.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Since dev kits are just going out, I wouldn't expect to see any software and at best a passing announcement that they are working on a new console aimed to launch at the end of next year. Unfortunately MS's conference is the day before Nintendo's, so it will only have 24hrs before the news is mostly forgotten by being drowned out by cups upon cups of Cafe pics and videos.

[BlackNMild2k1]

You know, a lot of those rumors that have been swirling around about the Cafe may have really been about this new Microsoft console instead.

ETA: This also is going to add even more pressure on Sony to put out a PS4. They already have plenty of pressure with the PS3 being hopelessly and permanently hacked wide open, but now with both competitors putting out systems which presumably leave the PS3 in the dust (technologically speaking), there is now an even much greater urgency. The thing is though, I don't think Sony will be able to get their next console out quite as fast, but you can bet they are going to move much quicker now than they otherwise would have.

There was a rumor going around about PS3.5 and then there was another rumor that whatever Sony had planned for next-gen was scrapped middle of last year and they were starting from scratch. I don't know how much either of those are true, but we have an idea of what MS will be working with since it appears that AMD comment was infact not referring to the Nintendo console, but a MS one instead.

So any PS3.5  is gonna need to match Cafe at the very least (could be why they scrapped the PS3.5?), but we all know Sony doesn't like to go last and be the weak-link, so they will aim to outdo whatever it is MS is doing. PS4 late 2013 will probably be the target now.

[Ceric]

I honestly can't say I'm surprised by this at all.  What I can say, looking back, that MS has been watching Nintendo.  Nintendo weakness: Online Solution stunk.  MS: XBox Live.  Nintendo: Does not make mature games.  MS: Make Mature games.  They have tried to branch into Nintendo territory later, Viva Pinata but, haven't broken in so wanting to start giving the market that Nintendo wants back something to hold off for when Nintendo announces their bid for them is a brilliant piece of strategy unless they really botch the presentation.

[Chozo Ghost]

Sony was most successful in the generations where they were the weaker console. The PS1 and PS2 were weaker than its competitor(s), yet those were Sony's golden days. This generation is the only time when they've had the most powerful console, but this is also the only generation where they were in 3rd place instead of the market leader.

With the PS3 they over reached and in doing so they created a $600 console which bombed and only recently gained momentum after its price was cut in half. So when you say Sony scrapped their previous console plans and started over from scratch, that may be the other way around. Maybe their original plans were to create another expensive behemoth? After more careful consideration they may have decided it would be better to take a more moderate approach and go for something affordable that gives them a better chance of moving up to 2nd or even back to 1st place again. So instead of scrapping their original console plans becasue they weren't powerful enough, its possible they were scrapped because they were TOO powerful (and therefore expensive).

[Ceric]

Sony was most successful in the generations where they were the weaker console. The PS1 and PS2 were weaker than its competitor(s), yet those were Sony's golden days. This generation is the only time when they've had the most powerful console, but this is also the only generation where they were in 3rd place instead of the market leader.

With the PS3 they over reached and in doing so they created a $600 console which bombed and only recently gained momentum after its price was cut in half. So when you say Sony scrapped their previous console plans and started over from scratch, that may be the other way around. Maybe they decided their original plans were to create another expensive behemoth? After more careful consideration they may have decided it would be better to take a more moderate approach and go for something affordable that gives them a better chance of moving up to 2nd or even back to 1st place again.

Sony pulled a Sega this time and kept shooting themselves in the foot.  MS didn't as much and well Nintendo painting themselves in corner with Money blocking their way out.  Sony didn't shoot themselves in the foot the most in the PS1/PS2 time frames.  Nintendo and Sega was having a hay day trying to hit their toes.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Sony was most successful in the generations where they were the weaker console. The PS1 and PS2 were weaker than its competitor(s), yet those were Sony's golden days. This generation is the only time when they've had the most powerful console, but this is also the only generation where they were in 3rd place instead of the market leader.

PS1 & PS2 launched before their competition (lol DC wasn't competition.... )

Sony was first in both those generations, so it's not unexpected of them to be weaker than the consoles that came out a year later.

With the PS3 they over reached and in doing so they created a $600 console which bombed and only recently gained momentum after its price was cut in half. So when you say Sony scrapped their previous console plans and started over from scratch, that may be the other way around. Maybe their original plans were to create another expensive behemoth? After more careful consideration they may have decided it would be better to take a more moderate approach and go for something affordable that gives them a better chance of moving up to 2nd or even back to 1st place again. So instead of scrapping their original console plans becasue they weren't powerful enough, its possible they were scrapped because they were TOO powerful (and therefore expensive).

That is very possible too. Both rumors are from sometime around middle of last year.... so who knows.

[Chozo Ghost]

The Wii was actually the last console to launch this generation. It came out a few days after the PS3 and over a year after the 360.

[Stogi]

Conventional wisdom should be tossed out the window at this point.

Successful use to mean something different before this generation.

No matter what every company releases, no one knows who will attract more 3rd parties. Especially since every company has their own proprietary controller. Weak.

[Ian Sane]

  Poor, poor Sony. Last to get picked.

Well in this case Sony can observe the competition and get a feel for what will match or top them.  Right now my concern is Nintendo is going to be super conservative and get leapfrogged by the Xbox 720 befor the Cafe is even released.  If they ever knew what they were doing they should have been planning for the 720 and PS4 to be released at some point in Cafe's life and should have designed the hardware to have legs.  But it wouldn't surprise me if they decided to go with 360 level hardware and a screen on the controller, putting them behind a gen yet again.
 
Going first Nintendo has had to speculate.  Going last will allow Sony to not have to and be able to observe and then react accordingly.
 
E3 went from being exciting as a Nintendo fan to scary.  I am not in the mood to see MS make Cafe look like an out-of-date joke before it even makes it to stores.  I hope Nintendo has something that would never have allowed for that to happen.

[Stogi]

If Nintendo is truly Nintendo, they won't even care if they are leap frogged because they aren't trying to compete against them. If Nintendo is truly Nintendo, they will keep trying their best to make a game system everybody wants to play and everybody wants to play every day.

It is rumored Nintendo is trying to recapture the hardcore market, but that could mean anything from a super powerful console to simply supporting HD. Or it could mean more mature titles. Who knows...

I believe Nintendo is trying to reinvent the social stigma of what videogames are and who they are for. The Wii kinda did that, and I think they are going to take what they've learned to the next level.

Will it be a console hub? Or will be something entirely different? Again, who knows...

[Chozo Ghost]

The Cafe doesn't need to be more powerful than the PS4 or Xbox420 in order to be viable. It does, however, need to be more powerful than any system currently on the market.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Eurogamer says: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-05-06-new-xbox-reveal-at-e3-unlikely-source

Eurogamer understands that an E3 2011 reveal for Microsoft's next Xbox is highly unlikely.

Our respected source poured water on Develop's report that some kind of announcement will happen next month at E3.

I agree, as kits just went out and there is no way they will reveal the system or any games. They might announce that it exist and who is working on it and then show some target renders (aka bullshit), but they won't be "revealing" anything.

[Chozo Ghost]

But we know the kits were sent out for it, so the rumor of a late 2012 release still seems likely. It may not be unveiled at E3 2011 but it is almost guaranteed to be at E3 2012. Even though its not going to be shown everyone is now aware of its existence so this should still have some impact on Nintendo and especially Sony. It would be foolish to ignore it or dismiss it.

[BlackNMild2k1]

@jimreilly
Jim Reilly
EA on new Xbox rumor: "This story is a total fabrication – 100 percent not true."

https://twitter.com/#!/jimreilly/statuses/66594798252998656

That definitely sounds more definite than a "no comment" or "we don't comment on rumors and speculation".

360 is doing great right now and Kinect hasn't even got it's second round of games yet, so it would be kinda bad to cut off both products at the knees(not that the crowd buying Kinect would even hear of this announcement or care) when they could easily announce a new Xbox early next year after 1 more Xmas for both.


But E3 is only a month away.
So for now everyone: continues waiting......

[Ian Sane]

I agree with Black in that if EA just outright says "this is bullshit" then it is.  Okay, good, I can look forward to E3 again.

[Stogi]

I agree with Black

Is that racist?

[NWR_insanolord]

I think racism is okay on this site, as long as you don't bring politics, religion or sexual orientation into it.





THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS NOT TRUE. DO NOT SAY RACIST THINGS ON THESE FORUMS. AND STAY IN SCHOOL, KIDS.

[ThePerm]

its clear Sony has gone dinosaur as of late.....

Nintendo really disrupted their ****. MS, it more tenacious and knows how to roll with the punches.