Microsoft cues next-gen Xbox for Crimbo 2013
Sales drop, plans arise
Microsoft will release the next-generation Xbox console in time for Christmas next year, sources claim.
While World+Dog could come up with a 2013 'Xbox 720' prediction, this latest claim comes by way of "people familiar with the company's plans", according to Bloomberg at least.
The firm has apparently yet to decide whether it will unveil the machine at an industry show such as the E3 Expo in June, or an event dedicated entirely to the fresh console. Either way, it'll be out in just under a year's time.
Long in the tooth?
Statistics from NPD Group shows US retail sales of videogame software, hardware and accessories dropped 25 per cent year on year in October 2012, a sign the market is long overdue some reinvigoration.
Yet console sales as a whole have been pretty healthy in the build up to Christmas. Sony has now revealed it sold 525,000 PS3s and 160,000 Vitas over the US Black Friday week.
Combine that with Microsoft's haul of 750,000 Xbox 360s and Nintendo's 400,000 and 300,000 Wii U and Wii consoles, respectively - for a grant total just shy of two million units - and it's clear that there'll be a whole bunch of kids - appreciative, we hope - glued to a new games box on Crimbo morning. ®
COMMENTS
Surely if you turn 720, you end up facing the same way as you start and thus walk towards it?
In other news
Analysts are predicting that it is extremely likely that the sun will rise again tomorrow. Citing "people familiar with the matter", Bloomberg analysts have said that "looking at historical trends, and the waning interest the world currently has in being nighttime, we're predicting that very soon the sun will indeed rise again."
While World+Dog could come up with a "what will the sun do tomorrow" prediction, Bloomberg goes so far as to predict the direction in which it will rise. "In the East. Probably. However we can't rule out the possibility that the reveal will happen in the West." There was also some rather far-fetched speculation that the reveal would be a joint evet in conjunction with the moon, but that has been dismissed."It'll definately be a standalone event".
The sunrise hasn't been without some drama however, with early reports of low yields threatening to delay the rise.
"Our sources say that although there were rumours of some early production problems with sunlight, these will almost certainly be ironed out by around 7am, and things will get very bright very quickly from that point on."
Re: Interesting
If Sony (and most likely Microsoft) think they can stand still for 10 years while technology races forward at an ever increasing pace, then they are choosing voluntary obsolescence. And irrelevance. Fresh competition is coming to the console arena, and it doesn't pay to stand still.
Chris, thats totally uncalled for! Stop using year 3 maths against him. He was all proud he thought of that without any help or anything!
Re: Not called the 720
Wasn't the reason it was called the 360, because marketing bod's were worried people would compare "Playstation 3" and "Xbox 2" and automagically assume the PS3 is better?
