Xbox 720 on way? - Microsoft keen to beat PS4, Wii 2 to next-gen
By Dave Parrack
While we all sit here heatedly debating the merits of this generation’s consoles, the Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3, the companies behind the machines we are currently playing are probably planning their next move in the video games hardware department. And it seems that Microsoft is keen to continue the setting the trend with the Xbox 360 and be first out of the gate next time, too.
The Xbox 360 was released notoriously early after its predecessor the Xbox, with the original only allowed a four year lifespan, not anywhere near enough to outdo or outshine the PS2. Sony did at least wait six years before replacing the Playstation 2, although even then it was considered quite early amongst a whole generation of fans who were still happy with their existing Sony console.
The big problem with the Xbox 360 being released so quickly, and dare I say it was a definite rush-job, was the dreaded Red Ring of Death. This hardware issue, which has so far cost Microsoft in excess of $1 billion was caused by the company trying to get the console out on the streets, and as cheaply as possible before the Playstation 3 came along and muscled it out of the battle.
While I and many others see this haste as a mistake, Microsoft does not, and Robbie Bach, president of the Entertainment & Devices Group at the company told Venture Beat why:
If you take the question of whether it was the right thing to try to be first, the answer to that is definitely yes. It has given us a leg up in a number of places that are super important. It has given us a leg up with game developers. It has given us a leg up from an economics perspective. It helped us expand Xbox Live quickly. At a strategy level, if you asked if we wanted to be first again, I would say yes.
Did I just read him right when he said he would do it all again? That is interesting from the point of view of the next-generation of consoles, which is likely to comprise of the PS4, Xbox 720 (God, I hope Microsoft doesn’t call it that) and the Wii 2, unless one of the big three decide the business is no longer profitably viable after this generation.
Sony has already come out and said that it sees the Playstation 3 as having a 10-year lifespan, so we shouldn’t be expecting them to show their hand any time before 2014, although I can foresee that date being dragged forward substantially. 2011 is being suggested as a possible release date for the next Xbox, with some thinking that would be too early, and others thinking it would be spot on.
The Xbox 360 would be six years old by then and I definitely think Microsoft will be eyeing that year up, not only as a good time to replace the ‘dwindling in popularity’ current console with a new and improved model, but to once again beat Sony to the punch.
Nintendo meanwhile has a hard decision to make. Although the Wii is underpowered and has some serious issues which are only going to get worse as time goes on, it is selling phenomenally well, so why would they even consider replacing it?
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June 19th, 2008
I read ages ago that Sony were already designing the PS4 also. It makes sense to begin designing the next machine well in advance. This article is just a piece of flame bait bum fluff by DAVE PARRACK the troll.
June 19th, 2008
I wouldn’t be surprised, the 360 sucked so much that M$ is keen on improving it. Unfortunately I stopped using any 360 altogether after my 4th RROD, so sorry Microsoft…
June 19th, 2008
@ Chris…….dont say sorry to M$ ever again, unless they make a reliable product for once…….they let YOU down……they should be kissing your ass for giving them three chances.
June 20th, 2008
Do you two ladies want to get a room?
June 20th, 2008
it seems to strike me that microsofts only strategy of beating the other rivals is to release consoles miles before anyone else. Like we’ve seen on the 360 it had major problems which i wont re-iterate because 360 fans will explode. However as we’ve seen it only has limited effect. Now that developers are realising the potential of the other consoles, they’re slowly turning their attention to them (the ps3 my main point) and the 360 is being left in the dust. I think that microsofts strategy is just to flood the market with new hardware in an attempt to w00 the m$ fans which has only short term effects, meaning a new console release is imminent to maintain the consoles/companies reputation and fans.
June 20th, 2008
also, Chris, why do you even buy a 4th console/replace it?!!! thats insane!! i wouldnt put up with one console breaking and if my ps3 failed (fingers crossed it wont, and hasn’t let me down so far) i’d consider switching ship!
June 20th, 2008
I’m sure he didn’t buy 4 but had it replaced from MS 3 times.
June 20th, 2008
BOURNE - you couldn’t be more wrong. the xbox’s main strategy is designing a developer friendly environment. not first to market, as proven with the original xbox. the fact they may be first to market next gen is just icing on the cake.
Davep- it’s a good thing you don’t work for MS given your idea that they made a mistake coming to market first. by doing so, they effectively unseated the undisputed “king of consoles” (kuturagi’s words, not mine). mistake? hardly…fanboy…
June 20th, 2008
Norm - which is why i said “buy a 4th console/replace it?!” note the replace it part
kev - I guess when m$ aimed for a developer friendly environment they skimped on the reliability issue, as well as value (having to pay for everything once you’ve bought the console)
June 20th, 2008
bourne - this is the FIRST tri core gaming console ever designed and produced. yes, they had a reliability problem as sony did last gen. the value is perceived by the consumer, not you. the value of bluray is useless if the buyer doesn’t have a 1080p tv. it’s funny, the 360 has everything included i need to game. a controller with rumble (the ps3 didn’t have), a voicecom (which the ps3 doesn’t have) and hidef cable w optical audio (which the ps3 doesn’t have). everything in parenthesis requires additional costs on top of the $600 launch price of the ps3. you, sir, are completely clueless.
go ahead and brag about movie playback with bluray. movie playback is NOT a feature of gaming. sorry.
June 20th, 2008
there you’re wrong Kevin!!! i would’ve agreed with you when you said Blu-ray only concerned movies and their image, however it doesnt. The reason Blu-ray is such an asset is because of the storage space!! Gta4 was originally going to be a large scale, but because they couldnt fit it onto a DVD they had to downsize it. Blu ray wouldve allowed much more detail and play area, also in MGS4 it allows for the lengthy cut scenes, fantastic graphic detailing and the general size of the game. Game develpers now have the ability to cram far more detail as they ever could before into a Blu ray disk, so its not just about the movies.
June 20th, 2008
kevin, it is not developer friendly at all. Xbox Live is extremely restrictive, particularly with the store.
Where as the PSN is very open.
Here is the bit where you go YEH IT GETS HACKED BLAH BLAH.
But no, it does not.
June 20th, 2008
KEV……YOU DON’T NEED 1080P TV TO USE BLUE-RAY
FFS YOU ARE THE MOST DENSE PERSON ON THE INTERNET…….
You want to talk value for money…how bout not having to send my console of 1,2,3 or 4 times to be repaired. How about I can plug in almost any 3rd party device into my PS3 and costs a fraction of any “Microsoft Only” device that you have to use for your 360. I could keep going if you like, because my non-sony keyboard I use on my PS3 can go for as long as you want buddy.
WAKE UP FANBOY. Both systems are great. Accept it.
June 22nd, 2008
MS could release the console tommorow and I would buy it.I think this gen’s graphics are showing their age.Next generation you WILL see near photorealism.Think of Crysis X2 and that should give you some idea.I actually think graphics at that point will become a non-point and game selection WILL be the deciding factor,unlike those who still buy their system because of it “power”.I think the biggest let down the PS3 has is the insane visuals they promised(with the cell being able to do ray tracing blah blah blah).Look at MGS4(awsome,awsome game)and its low environment textures.The character models are A+ but even Kojima said the PS3 let him down.So now it comes down to services and games,which microsoft has already established, to make the real tangible difference…Sony is now playing catch up.Combine that with a relatively low amount(but very good)sony exclusives versus 360 and it seems only sony faithful will stay with the machine in contrast to people who really love a selection of good amount of games.Though blu-ray is seller I believe.So in the end?I don’t think either will crush the other.The real competition is with the Wii.
June 23rd, 2008
Some more fuel for the flames:
PS3=Mercedes (best)
Xbox 360=Lexus (better)
Wii=Honda (good)
very loose analogy, you can interpret it any which way you like.
June 23rd, 2008
PS3=Viper
Xbox 360=Yugo
Wii=Kia
June 25th, 2008
Wow… I already want the Wii 2… Although I still refer to the next Xbox being named “Xbox 420″…
June 27th, 2008
spidey- you really have no clue. THE selling point of bluray, according to sony, is the ability to see “true hi def”, 1080p. They even went so far as to say 1080p is the ONLY “true hidef” when in actually 720p is “true hidef”. So, in order to follow sony’s lead you need a 1080p tv… do you read ANYTHING about this industry?
July 6th, 2008
Kev: “True Hi Def” is nothing more than a marketing ploy to get people to think what they have is inferior. Let’s just through out high def as a word. 720p looks good, 1080i looks good, 1080p looks better. None of them are true HD they are just the current cap on affordable technology for consumers. 2160p is on the horizon maybe 10 years and 4320p is probably 15 to 20 years out (both are in testing and have been displayed). acctually a 1420p is already here just not in an affordable sense. So no Blu-ray is not true HD, nothing is.
Anyways….
I really hope the next nintendo console atleast compares to the next xbox and playstation for graphics.
July 6th, 2008
throw not through
Oh and the next Xbox will be named the SEXbox
July 19th, 2008
xbox 360- lamborghini
wii- viper
ps3- dune buggy
July 19th, 2008
i have to say the the xbox 360 is probally one of the most amazing systems but the wii also is an amazing evoloution of systems now the ps3 in even worse than the nes. The ps2 seems to be getting more attention what does that say and $600 for an 80 gigabyte hardrive is worthless you can get a xbox 360 elite is has 120 gigabyte hardrive and its only $450 andhas more games so take my advice get a 360 not a ps3
July 22nd, 2008
games - i agree. but it didn’t stop sony from lying about it to convince people to buy a ps3. add it to the list of sony’s lies… it keeps growing..
July 22nd, 2008
mike- thanks for the great info. You really made a good post there. I think I will take your advice and run out and buy a 360 elite right now! Oh wait, I’m sorry, the 80 gig PS3 doesn’t cost $600? Maybe you should keep your advice to yourself next time!
July 22nd, 2008
Kev- Sony really didn’t lie about True Hidef. They did play on the terminology, but at this time 1080p is the highest HD. I think true hidef sounds better than best or highest HD. “games” is right, its just marketing. What would you rather have, a 720p or a 1080p tv?
September 2nd, 2008
People need to relax, I have all three and I play each one equally. Bluray movies are overrated in my opinion and the graphics are actually similar in the 360 and PS3, I’ve only sent my 360 in once, I prefer Xboxlive over playstation network, so people you all need to take a chill pill and get a life, stop arguing, they are only video games.