Microsoft next-gen Xbox details leak
Redmond rapidly requests removal
An allegedly leaked Microsoft presentation which details next-gen Xbox plans, has been removed at the request of the software company's lawyers, adding weight its authenticity.
The 56-page document claims the next Xbox will feature a Blu-ray Disc optical drive, support for augmented reality glasses and the second-generation of Kinect, all for a retail price of $300 (£191).
If the plans are true, the 'Xbox 720' will roll out in 2013.
AR coming to Xbox?
The paper also says the console will feature graphic capability 4-6x better than the current hardware and goes on to detail tech such as Smart Glass, which was announced by Microsoft at E3, long after this particular document first surfaced.
In fact, the presentation dates back to August 2010, so we'd assume the company has packed much more up its next-gen sleeve by now.
While the Redmond firm has had the documents removed at the request of its law team - Covington & Burling - the full 56-page next-gen Xbox document can still be snagged over at Game Informer. ®
COMMENTS
all for a retail price of $300 (£191).
I have a nasty suspicion it'll be:
all for a retail price of $300 (£300).
Partially Legit
I think this probably is a legit document from MS, but going by its age, and some of the content, I can't help but wonder if this was more of a blue sky document.
I mean, there's so many things in the leak I just can't get behind. Firstly is the 2013 release, I mean, they announced all their major franchise games being launched in 2013 for the 360. There's no way they'd launch all those games when teh new console is just on the horizon. It'd be stupid.
Then of course is teh price. $300 for a launch console is pretty cheap, especially when you consider current hardware + current kinect isn't far off that price as is it just doesn't seem legit. If the new console adds blu-ray, brand spanking new hardware and an updated kinect with its own processing unit, I'd expect it to be running at maybe $300 for the console on its own, $400 with added kinect.
Final bit I'm not sold on the augmented reality glasses, the concept just seems off I mean... why would you even need them?
Then of course there's other clearly rediculous things in the document, scalable hardware making use of 6-8 cores, with additional PPC cores for backwards compatibility. Having scaling hardware defeats the purpose of a console in the first place. And 6-8 general purpose cores wouldn't get used, most games barely make use of quad core at the moment.
Overall I'm saying this was a bluesky paper made during an idea gathering concept phase, and I highly doubt most of it will be a reality.
Hang on...
A 10 year life cycle with no need to upgrade hardware ever again?
In the words of Victor Meldrew, "I don't belieeeeeeve it!"
Re: Blu-Ray drive?
Not having Blu-Ray slashed the cost of the 360 and allowed Microsoft to beat Sony to market. The beancounters were very happy with that decision.
Re: Blu-Ray drive?
Really? The PS3 is lovely bit of kit, but I imagine Sony would have preferred the income that the XBOX has brought MS.
Sony aren't the only people to make a Blu-ray drive, and I doubt that the licence income will repair their balance sheet.
