Cliffy B has never been one to hide his opinions on the gaming industry. Having helped pave the way for some of the more dynamic technical advances in Epic Game’s latest release, Gears of War 3, Bleszinski can safely say he knows his way around an Xbox 360. With the console’s six year anniversary only a few weeks away, Bleszinski believes that the 360 may still have some untapped potential; it’s just up to developers to find it.

Bleszinski breaks it down like this: having the opportunity to work with the hardware’s architecture and learn it’s intricate secrets enables developers to create their own workarounds and exploits. Already there have been advancements in Xbox 360's graphic capabilities, and with more time on the clock even more doors could open.

"It's just a matter of code magic, time and effort. I don't know how much longer the 360 will be around, but I'm sure that if we have a product coming out before the end of [its] lifecycle we'll continue to try and squeeze more water from that stone."

Bleszinski went on to say that his team at Epic Games did just that with Gears of War 3.

"We're now at the point where it's not learning how to use the hardware, it's learning to trick the hardware into doing what you want it to do. The first thing I was ecstatic about was the new lighting…we're at the point where an artist can just let the lighting breathe, a nice brick wall can just be a nice brick wall.”

Even with building rumors of the upcoming Xbox 720, developers may still have time to work with the current console, as Microsoft is still adamant that a 10-year plan is “a sure-thing.” Yet with all of that untapped potential, is it really necessary to for the next console? It’s the question on everyone’s lips, yet with developers like Cliffy B chiming in, saying that there is more here…

What do you readers think? Regardless of what’s left under the hood, is it time to start thinking towards the future, or is this more of a marketing/money scheme? And how about Sony and the PS4? Give us your opinions and let us know what you’re thinking.

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Source: Next-Gen

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