Microsoft has successfully extended the life of the Xbox 360 thanks to the introduction of their hands-free motion control device, Kinect, and growth in support for exclusive titles for the device. It allowed them to be the only company of the “big three” at E3 2011 to not have new hardware to showcase. Sony brought the PlayStation Vita handheld and Nintendo teased the Wii U, so what’s next for Microsoft and what we’re curious about, when?
Do we expect them to come to E3 2012 with just games and system updates again, or after 7 years, will it be time to finally show their next console?
We think they’re going with the latter and will unveil the Xbox 360 successor – which we’ll refer to as the Xbox 720 until it’s officially named – next year. Recent rumors also point towards that being the case, ever since it seemed that Microsft was hiring people to work on the next console back in March.
In May, video games industry analysts Bill Pidgeon shared his thoughts on the matter, explaining that if sales for the Xbox 360 drop off towards the end of this year, Microsoft will surely unveil its successor at E3 2012. We know they’re working on the console and there were rumors around the same time that some major publishers already had in their possession, dev kits of the Xbox 720. More recently, rumors also pointed towards Crytek developing TimeSplitters 4 for the next Xbox but in all cases, the rumors were of course, denied.
Fan-made Xbox 720 Concept Art
Some insiders claim that both Sony and Microsoft won’t launch their new consoles until 2014 but with the Wii U debuting next year, that may be a tad bit off, especially for Microsoft, whose console wasn’t initially expected to last as long. 2014 seems like a long way away but it falls in line with what Xbox MEA Vice President Chris Lewis said last week about the console only being “halfway” through its life cycle. However, if a new Xbox debuted in 2013 let’s say, that doesn’t mean the Xbox 360′s life would end right then and there.
It’s very plausible that the Xbox 720 will be unveiled at E3 2012 with a planned release the following year. The latest rumor from BGR and their “source with knowledge of Microsoft’s plans” claims that the plan is in fact, for the next console to be presented at the big expo in 2012 so we’ll be there unsurprised if it happens. I actually expect it to be made official next year.
Such a console should be entirely backwards compatible with the Xbox 360 games line-up, hopefully supporting the same controllers, Kinect and Xbox Live accounts, thus allowing for a smooth transition and less complications for casual gamers. Will the Xbox 720 attempt to introduce a new controller/tablet design like the Wii U, perhaps something else that’s entirely unique, or will it focus on system power, social functions and graphics?
What do you want from the Xbox 720?
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Follow me on Twitter @rob_keyes.
Source: BGR
Xbox 720 concept art by djeric, Xbox power button art by nemethigabor.
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Of all concept art they choose that ugly one. Look up Xbox Dream. And while sony and nintendo launch new bleeding edge tech in 2015, xbox fans can still learn to dance like michael jackson lol
Is the Wii U “bleeding edge tech”?
In 2015 no telling wat nintendo come out with. I said NINTENDO not wii u. Either way it was a joke. U obviously didn’t sii it did u?
Not tryna be a dick btw, txt are so hard read without gestures.
there’s not way for a new microsoft’s console soon..according to a magazine..(xbox magazine) it won’t be a new “xbox” soon..and even if they make a console it won’t be name “xbox720″ they said that “that’d be so predictable”,
We know it won’t be the Xbox 720 and we said as much
That’s just a placeholder name.
We’re not saying the next console is coming next year, we’re saying they’re going to tell us about it next year.
I fully expect MS to pull a D-Bag maneuver and Unveil @ E3 2012, then promptly announce that all the Fall 2012 titles they are rumoring will be launch titles. I expect MS to pull the sneak attack on the upgrade once again.
uhhh… didn’t you JUST run this story the other day?!?!
http://gamerant.com/microsoft-xbox-360-lifecycle-johnj-93317/
Nope, read both.
I want the next gen to allow me to stab myself in the back of the neck with a 6 inch long sharp plug, and it better come with a game where I learn kung fu to save humanity from a violent race of machines.
I want it to be able to make me a sandwich
Uh oh, I have a suspicion this will delay halo 4. If this system comes out in 2013, there is no reason for halo not to be launch title. That is of course unless they want to get a bump in 360 sales.
Not really sure, but I do hope that the “720″ offers enough of a leap in graphics, memory etc to make it worth the purchase.
Agreed there. I want to see an incredible leap forward in graphics and animation.
As for Halo 4, we expect it to take the big fall release slot for Microsoft Game Studios next year so it’s hard to gauge whether they’d delay that – they need something to fill that slot.
I know that they’ve been working on something for well over a year already, and a new console makes the most sense. It’ll most definitely work with Kinect though.
I think all these articles about PS4 and Xbox “720″ unveilings next year or the year after need to step back and see that doesn’t make sense. Kinect and Move have both been selling very well and are yet to be fully utilized as a control scheme and an appeal to casual gamers, especially compared to the Wii. If they want to continue to capitalize on their new accessories without dropping prices significantly (something these two companies are glad to finally not have to do anymore), announcing their new console would be moronic. People tend not to buy things or by cheap alternatives when they know a better replacement is on the way. Plus, if they want to capture the “casual crowd” who don’t like to pay as much as the “hardcore crowd,” the last thing they want to do is make all their recent buyers feel their tech is already dated and that they can’t keep up with a changing industry.
I don’t think Microsoft nor Sony will announce their new consoles until a year (or maybe two) before they’re actually ready to release. For Sony, there is no reason to believe that won’t still be 2016. For Microsoft that could be around 2014 or later. Neither Microsoft nor Sony seem dumb enough to announce their years-to-be-completed consoles just to compete with Nintendo for attention. Plus, I don’t think either company needs to compete with Nintendo on the Wii U. We still don’t know how well the Wii U will do or everything that the Wii U is; and by all appearances, it looks only to equal or modestly surpass current consoles. There is far more to lose and still too much to gain for either Microsoft or Sony to even announce their next console any time soon.
Move isn’t selling well.
PS3 will last longer, that was it’s intention all along. What you’re forgetting is that if Microsoft announces their next console next year, it still will be at least another year before it releases.
Do you really think we’ll be playing Xbox 360 for 3+ more years without a new system? Nope. And more to the point, with new hardware from Sony and Nintendo, do we think Microsoft is going to come to E3 with just Halo 4 and more Kinect games (again) next year? Nope.
And who says the Move and Kinect won’t work for the PS4 and Xbox 720, respectively? Of course they’ll be supported so that’s not an issue.
Free online would be legendary, and hopefully Microsoft will invents something like Blue-ray but better. more memory for better graphics
^Like a double quadruple layer data disk that has full encryption and loss of video through the decryption process? Yeah. No. What I would be looking for would be for them to come back to the table with more games not unlike this year (seeing as they already re-re-revamped the 360 through the Slim models/Kinect) and play it close to the vest till 2013 when they actually have something that would be a viable launch for the next year which would be just enough time for the 360 to die properly and enough time to coincidentally put up some actual fact based buzz on the new console. At this point it’s speculation so anyones opinion could ring true in the next few months to years so I’m expecting big things but not terribly soon!
SERIOUSLY GAMERANT THEIR NOT MAKING THE 720 OR PS3 ANY TIME SOON BECAUSE THEY CONFIRMED IT, AND CONFIRMED A 10 YEAR LIFE SPAN ON BOTH!
@gamefan46 – You are so thick it beggers belief. 10 year life span does not mean no new console will come out in 10 years, it just means the current consoles will be supported for 10 years. Switch your damn brain on
I want the new console to revolutionize life as we know it. I want to plug into it and never wake up again. Live in this virtual world, breathe this virtual world…”wait, don’t cut off my electrici—…..”
the 720 will be coming out no idea wen but the next gen consoles are goin to be sweet