Xbox 720 on way – Microsoft discusses next-gen with Blizzard
While we’re all happily enjoying this generation’s home games consoles, the console manufacturers will no doubt be conjuring up plans for the next-gen. While we all know there is likely to be a Wii 2, PS4, and Xbox 720, there’s still the question of when any of them may appear. According to Blizzard, Microsoft is actively discussing its next move.
We gamers are a funny lot – we’re obsessed with what’s coming next all the time. Whether it’s the next big game release, future sequel to an old classic, or new piece of hardware, we’re always looking ahead to what we’ll be playing in time to come rather than concentrating on what we already have.
In terms of consoles, I can actively prove how interested many people are by the fact that the articles I have written on the PS4, Xbox 720, and Wii 2 are some of the most popular on the site. Yes, even more so than the ones which reference Chuck Norris (future console in his honor yet to be announced).
As you’re probably well aware, this week has seen the Game Developers Conference taking place in San Francisco. Mike has been keeping you all abreast with the games news that has emerged from the show, but a tidbit that emerged from the annual Luminaries Lunch passed by without comment. So I thought I’d step in and discuss it.
According to GI.biz, the assembled company bosses and bigwigs discussed Microsoft’s future plans amongst other things. Blizzard’s Rob Pardo let it slip that his company were already “actively in discussions with Microsoft” about their next piece of hardware. Wile refusing to give any more details about these discussions, he seemed convinced that Microsoft is developing the Xbox 720, or whatever the machine ends up being called.
This would imply that Microsoft is not only definitely in the console war for another battle yet to come, but that the next Xbox could once again be the first console to appear ready to fight. It seems that Microsoft and Nintendo are both well on the way to making next-gen consoles, with only Sony eager for this generation to last a lot longer.
The rest of the luminaries were a little concerned that as none of them had been spoken to about the piece of hardware, games didn’t seem to be high on the agenda at Microsoft. Could it be that in this race to produce all-encompassing media hubs capable of doing everything you can dream of, the companies involved have forgotten what’s most important – the games themselves?
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March 28th, 2009
And the cycle starts again, Microsoft rushes a console, we suffer the consequences, Nintendo takes the piss with a gimmicky console and Sony make a half arsed attempt at marketing and spend a biblical amount on R&D.
Although i think that there’s no real reason for Sony to re-develop a new console.
March 28th, 2009
Nice to know you read my articles Dave.
From what I see with microsoft’s current media system I predict lots of media ports and a massive terrabite harddrive. I’m not so sure about the game format though if they’ll still use disks.
March 28th, 2009
You’ve got to wonder what the logic is in developing an even more powerful console in the middle of a depression, especially when devs are moving to the Wii because it’s cheaper.
Although given that Microsoft bribe developers to dev for their system, I can see the logic.
March 28th, 2009
Well with the chuck norris console en route I think we know what position ps4th is going to be in!
March 28th, 2009
@ CON do you realize what M$ charges for a 120 gig hd?? just think how much more it’s gonna cost than the “ps3rd”…for a teribite, they should make it labtop compatible…but my prediction this is a rumor for at least a good 3-4 years or longer due to the economy cause you all know if the elite is $400 for what?? a bigger hd and hdmi?? c-mon MAN give me break!!
March 28th, 2009
my point is if the elite is $400 what r u expecting the next RRodbox to cost with more features,media ports, hd, etc?? i wanna say pc price or higher
March 28th, 2009
poor 360…looks so future proof yet so far away lol
March 28th, 2009
I agree the 120 hd is expensive but monthly sales figures show that demand is still high. And how exactly is the ps3rd future proof?
It’s been last in this current generation for years now and blu ray is steadily being beaten by HD movie downloads. And for those who do want blu ray players there are now ones on the market for less the price and less than half the size of the ps3rd.
Once again what exactly is future proof about this failing console?
March 28th, 2009
ps3 is the turtle in the race pacing itself while 360 is in a sprint and you’ll see the ps3 coast on by and in a year or so psn will be better than live…mark my words
March 28th, 2009
Maybe Microsoft want to beat Sony around the head with price while the recession is on but once it’s over they’ll have a clearly more powerful system on the market.
March 28th, 2009
Are you saying 2010 will be “the year of the PS3″ kevo?
The “more powerful system” has so far seen nominal improvement in actual games m. I agree though, after the next gen has already started, there should be some pretty phenomenal send off’s for all systems.
March 28th, 2009
The 360 and the PS3 have essentially the same graphics power. A new system isn’t going to have slightly better graphics it’s going to look a lot better from day one.
It may make cross platform games a little harder though.
March 28th, 2009
Well Dave if Nintendo and Microsoft are already planning the next gen consoles then that spells the end of the Playstation Brand. We all know Sony dug it self a 60 foot grave with it’s ambitious atemp to screw people. There is no way in hell it can go at this along side Nintendo and Microsoft for the next gen of consoles if this is coming. Sony will have to have 3 systems on the market and two of them will be money loosers with the PS2 as the only one to bring in profit which is pretty much off setting the cost of the PS3 & 4. If any lesson is to be learned this time it’s that your console should not be out of the reach of your fans pockets. And if it is not obvious to you Playstation supporters who flood this site, the developers comment about companies making and all encompassing console to own the living room while forgetting about the games is an obvious snub to Sony because that is exactly what Sony did, forgot about the market who supported the Playstation brand and pushed their bluray down the throats of their supporters and forgot about game development.
March 28th, 2009
Ahh my buddies CAD and CON. The RRoDbox Fanboy Tagteam(tm).
I wish I could live on Steve Balmer’s scrotum too.
March 28th, 2009
“ps3 is the turtle in the race pacing itself”
Oh fuck that is quality! You’re as good as Ivan!!!
Ps3rd is last and always has been! I’m sick of all this bullshit!!! Whatever spin you fanboys want to put on it being the “powerful console” and “best value for money” even though it’s clearly the most expensive console is a load of crap!
It used to be the best value blu ray player but that arguement has long since gone.
When comparing games there are only 2 games that have sold over 4m on the ps3 and they are both multi format. Xbox has 9, 4 of which are exclusives.
As for the so called Halo beater Killzone is already falling down the charts within it’s first month by yet another multiformat game resident evil 5!!!
March 28th, 2009
As for the next generation, windows media centre is already brilliant on xbox. I love the fact that I can stream any HD movie straight from my laptop.
I can’t see microsoft doing much more to the next console except obviously an upgraded graphics chip and large harddrive for windows media centre.
I don’t see them using blu ray either. PC graphics beat both consoles by dvd by simply unzipping their files onto the harddrive.
March 28th, 2009
future proof right here….
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-leaked-uncharted-2-gameplay-shows-urban-gunplay-acrobati/
March 28th, 2009
my bad opps
March 28th, 2009
i do think the next xbox will be cool…see i go 4 the best
March 28th, 2009
Is CON using VGchartz again to prove a point? There goes his credibility. Oh, hang on…
March 29th, 2009
con take a year head start out and it’s a tie dude so 360 is due for a new console cause they’re weak…last week ohhhhhhh…..8 mile all up in this shit
March 29th, 2009
plus all the idiots that buy 5 360′s from red rings drive up hardware sales
March 29th, 2009
Don’t even try logic. It won’t work.
March 29th, 2009
I want to punch all of you in the balls.
March 29th, 2009
To CON and CAD. I read this blog often, and do not comment that much. Much what Kevo says is right. People who get the RROD very ofen, tend to buy a arcade version. And a LOT of people do that. I am not really a fan of any consoles, I just take what give me HD for my TV, and the games I want.
For example how to you explain that some multiplataform game sale almost identical in both consoles? GTA4 STF4, and RE5. There is a lot of people that bought 360s twice. I heard that very often “Just get and arcade and use your old hard drive, because it has the Jasper, Falcon, mobo.”
What about those people who bought a 360 without HDMI, if they want better HD quality in their expensive HDTV they gonna need to get a new 360. That is what happen. Nintendo and PS3 are gonna come out at about the same time. Wii does not need a new console, they sell a bunch of them, and PS3 has a lot of good games to come, including some 360 ex exclusives, Metal Gear 5, GT 5, Uncharted 2, etc.
Microsoft’s 360 is the only one that needs to upgrade.
Stop the fanaticism. remember in the early and mid 90′s when people played Mario, Sonic, Street Fighter, Zelda, and Contra, ETC… without bashing each other so much, that is the way things need to go.
March 29th, 2009
@Harry
Well, I would normally pay for that kind of thing. But if you are offering for free…
March 29th, 2009
well said dehersa
March 29th, 2009
The Genesis had way more potential than the SNES!
March 29th, 2009
dehersa=kevo. My reasoning – Only an idiot would agree with the crap that kevo comes up with, and that wasn’t Ivan’s typing style. At least you are agreeing with yourself, kevo. I’d hate to see what would happen if you disagreed with yourself.
Anyway, dehersa/kevo, you obviously haven’t used a 360 before. If you did, you’d know that 1080p is possible via the component cables (which come with the 360, no additional purchase necessary).
SW, if you’re going to enjoy it then I am afraid I am going to have to charge a fee.
March 29th, 2009
“plus all the idiots that buy 5 360’s from red rings drive up hardware sales”
kev/dehersa is that your best arguement lol if that was true what does that say about the ps3rd anyway?? The warrenty is for 3 years. The console has barely been out 3 years. 5 consoles? You’re clutching at straws.
No I wasn’t using VG charts by the way you can find this info anywhere but you ps3rd fans are all in denial anyway.
March 29th, 2009
1080i sure but not 1080p and it wasn’t on 360 untill ps3 came out so they made the elite to compete….bigger hd and hdmi…yeah i played 360 but than ran out of batteries…lol
March 29th, 2009
man my facts are just jeopardy good man don’t deny
March 29th, 2009
FACT
PS3 is last this generation and always has been yet fanboys like kevo rip on the 360 as if they were way out in the lead!!!
March 29th, 2009
HAHAHHAHAHAHAH
Im so glad you can get a conversation out OF A FUCKING RUMOR! remember when people said Microsoft was going to come out with a handheld and announce in in CES? or that there would be a GTA 5 in 09?
stop acting like idiots… Dave is profiting way too much from it… never mind.. in these hard times… dave needs as many page views as he can get…
FACT! MICROSOFT and SONY are both gay for eachother… NINTENDO likes to be tied up and “punished” FACT!
let the ball punching begin harry…
March 29th, 2009
“let the ball punching begin harry…”
Lubed up and ready to go here…
March 29th, 2009
It’s nice to see that Microsoft will finally be utilizing Blu-ray.
March 29th, 2009
kevo,
I run on component cables and I run on 1080p. Idiot.
Ok boys, line up.
March 29th, 2009
Carl B where the hell have you been?
March 29th, 2009
okay 360 hdmi is like 1.2 and ps3 is 1.3 so it’s not “true” hi def…so im not an idiot
March 30th, 2009
YAY!!! Carl is back… I was getting worried…
heard the good news… youll be here by next year… WOOT! lemme see… a price drop for PS3 by then… God of war 3… WE CAN PLAY CO OP… OH MY GAWD! this is so awesome…
March 30th, 2009
hahahahaha barnabe jones’ petition… William Gates supports this… HAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAh
March 30th, 2009
bad spelling… some idiot spelled Willaim.. retard…
March 30th, 2009
kevo, you ref’d em’… for a present day conversation… wow. kevo and deherasa… Launch day 360 is running Fallout 3 fine… and 1080p… think I’ll try out anchorage and pitt soon after.
March 30th, 2009
barnabe, I just got back to the states and was in transit… good to be back… do you have a 360 yet?
darkwhitehair… until the price drop and god of war 3… what is your gamertag?
I just got all the achievements for the genesis collection and started on fallout 3… lot of catching up to do…
March 30th, 2009
No kevo/dehersa, you’re still an idiot for thinking that component doesn’t do 1080p.
March 30th, 2009
@CON “and blu ray is steadily being beaten by HD movie downloads.”
If you believe that your a flipin idiot. There is no way Download will outsell DVD or even BR.
Every ISP out there caps the bandwidth. Mine charges me an extra $25 every month for going over.
Also HDD’s are to unstable to store movies on. They die and you’re screwed. I know. I have lost a few but thankfully I had DVD/BR copies.
Also Download movies don’t give you anywhere near the content you get on DVD/BR. Yes I like the deleted scenes ect…
And yes when someone has the Red ring they are forced to buy a new 360 because they don’t want to repurchase the games they own. I know lots of people who have done so.
360 sales are less than 50% credible.
March 30th, 2009
DWH – I’m going to actually send that to Aaron Greenberg. I’ll be sure to post his response when I do.
Carl B – Glad to hear it. Btw… I finished all of the main quests and all but one of the side quests for FallOut 3. Great game. That should keep you bust for a while. Also RE5 is awesome! I’m working on the mercenaries’ game at the moment. Eventually I’ll play through again on Professional.
March 30th, 2009
I will buy it… Hopefully they can hack too. I know PLAYSTATION 4 will be the last gaming console outer the 3. Nintendo might step up and build something worth buying, which i still won’t ever get because Nintendo just for lil bitches aka kids and I’m 22. I have many high hopes for a new Xbox and PlayStation. Sony is always gonna be my number #1 buddy
March 30th, 2009
‘Also HDD’s are to unstable to store movies on’
I dunno about that. In the last 10 years I’ve had one HDD fail. And, it was an old piece of crap I scavenged from an compy.
March 30th, 2009
I’ve only had one HDD fail in the past 10 years… unfortunately it was a 500gb slave holding all of my movies, TV shows, and Music.
The sound of 370+ gb of data being flushed is eerily similar to my sobbing like a little bitch. Strange.
March 30th, 2009
I just had a 500 Gig fail as well I have had many fail in the past.
March 30th, 2009
WOOT CARL IS HERE!
ummm I havent bought a 360 yet… hit me up on twitter… we can exchange msn hotmail whatever IDs…
March 30th, 2009
You people must buy crap hard drives.
Don’t you know you have to squeeze one (like hulk does with melons) to find a good one?
March 30th, 2009
go to newegg.com and make sure it’s(HDD) ps3 compatible like the one in ur system
March 30th, 2009
@ncaissie
“There is no way Download will outsell DVD or even BR.”
Where is your evidence for this? Now that the internet is faster and more established downloads will be here for the foreseeable future.
“Every ISP out there caps the bandwidth. Mine charges me an extra $25 every month for going over.”
Not true!!! Every ISP does not! And anyway you don’t have to stream them you can just save them.
“Also HDD’s are to unstable to store movies on. They die and you’re screwed. I know. I have lost a few but thankfully I had DVD/BR copies.”
If you looked after your HDD properly that shouldn’t happen, either way you should back it up anyway if it’s something important.
“Also Download movies don’t give you anywhere near the content you get on DVD/BR. Yes I like the deleted scenes ect…”
Not true. Your just being ignorant now.
“And yes when someone has the Red ring they are forced to buy a new 360 because they don’t want to repurchase the games they own. I know lots of people who have done so.”
From ignorance to down right lies! The RROD is in internal problem in the console itself not the HDD you fucking clown!!! When sending the xbox off you only send the console. You keep the HDD (with your saved games) and all other cables and anyway how the fuck does buying a new 360 mean you don’t have to purchase new games anymore??? You don’t even make sense!
“360 sales are less than 50% credible.”
If that’s what makes you sleep better at night.
March 30th, 2009
““Also Download movies don’t give you anywhere near the content you get on DVD/BR. Yes I like the deleted scenes ect…â€
Not true. Your just being ignorant now.”
What the F are talking about.
Your saying you can download a movie with multiple audio streams like blueray and DVD?
Isn’t happening. You the one that’s ignorant.
I will never pay to download a movie. I want the disk in hand so I can play it on any TV or take it to someone else’s place without hassle.
People downloading Free movies is a different story.
And where did I say the RROD is an HDD problem? You’re the F’n clown.
I was talking about the DVD games jackass. If someone has 8 games and their 360 dies they are not going to get a PS3 and buy the games over again. Learn to read idiot. Not all 360 that RROD are still in warranty. I know people that repurchased their 360s because it died.
360 Blows and you know it you just won’t admit it.
March 30th, 2009
Multiple audio streams?? This is all down to the program that runs it, is this your arguement?
“I will never pay to download a movie. I want the disk in hand so I can play it on any TV or take it to someone else’s place without hassle.”
How is this different from using a pen drive with the movie on it?
Your words were “repurchase the games they own”
If 360 blows what does that say about ps3rd which has been in last position for years?
March 30th, 2009
“360 Blows and you know it you just won’t admit it.”
Actually if it did that well enough, there may not be an RRoD issue.
March 30th, 2009
Oh Snap Burn Roflcopter Lollerskates
srsly
March 30th, 2009
I just like to poke the CON bear (CAD is more fun I think)
Falcon chipset ftw
March 30th, 2009
I just like to poke the CON bear (CAD is more fun I think)…
Falcon chipset ftw!
*awaits double post due to smiley moderation…*
March 31st, 2009
I still want to punch all of you in the balls.
March 31st, 2009
has anyone heard of crytek 3 engine and that it’s comin to 360/ps3 in 2012
March 31st, 2009
2012? By that time the 360 would be out for 7 years, and the PS3 for 6. They would probably be looking at the next generation of consoles.
I want to punch you squaaare in the nuts, kevo.
March 31st, 2009
@CON “and blu ray is steadily being beaten by HD movie downloads.â€
Link?
Wheres the proof?
March 31st, 2009
“How is this different from using a pen drive with the movie on it?”
I’m not buying new equipment so I can download inferior movies to play on my 4 TV’s.
And yeah ever heard of director commentary? I like to listen to that stuff on the DVDs and BR that I purchase.
You don’t get that in a downloaded movie.
March 31st, 2009
Talk about a non-story.
Once Microsoft decided the 360 was not it’s final console then an Xbox 720 (or whatever) has been ‘on the way’ ever since.
Of course they have been in discussion with devs and other interested parties ever since.
We all know that a new one is likely to be coming in 2010/11.
Just like a new PS will be due around then too.
So what?
Personally I look forward to a new console pushing the boundaries with decent & quick quad-core CPU, 500gb+ of built in HDD, something akin to the Nvidia GT260/ATi 4870 and at least 2gbs of DDR3 RAM.
If I hear Microsoft are launching something like that next year that is ‘a very good thing’ as far as I’m concerned and I would be loking to be 1st in the line to buy one.
‘Future proof’ is just a BS sales term for people suckered into buying the same short-lived CE products everyone else buys, they just get all arrogant about it cos they like to bady that term about as if it really means much at all.
If I choose to I’ll have zero problem flogging off all my 360 stuff when the new one comes so all ways round I don’t see a single negative thing in a new Xbox console, only positives.
It’s getting time for a new big step forward.
March 31st, 2009
ROFL @ Happy!
“…pushing the boundaries with decent & quick quad-core CPU, 500gb+ of built in HDD, something akin to the Nvidia GT260/ATi 4870 and at least 2gbs of DDR3 RAM.”
By your own admission, the PS3 is not as powerful as a set up like that, and if Sony are still struggling to break even on this underpowered PS3, how the hell is any company going to sell a system with expensive hardware like that?
Hilarious.
March 31st, 2009
lock_down
WTF do you mean “by your own admission”?
It hardly takes my “admission” to correctly point out the truth that the PS3 is currently far behind that level of tech
(and yes, so too is the Xbox 360).
But the PS3 is not really relevant here and is of no use as a reference to anything but itself.
In fact PS3 is in a blind alley all of it’s own making as it has pursued tech most are not and never will bother with.
Cell may well work (and work well) in certain domestic CE applications (Toshiba seem to like it in their HD TVs) but Cell is not in the process of rushing to become the new standard in anyone’s PCs.
Blu-ray is clearly well entrenched in a (largely) PS3 niche too (and by some way).
A new Quad core Xbox (using something nice and reliable and inexpensive like the 65nm Q6600 or a 45nm Q8200) is an entirely different matter.
Ditto using a 500gb (or larger) SATA HDD.
Ditto using a GPU based on the (assuming Nvidia and Microsoft are still smarting after the row with Xbox mk1′s GPU) ATi 4870.
All are well established components and are available at prices (or versions of them are) which are already cheap and which could only get much cheaper than they are.
…..and all of which would show up the PS3 for the outdated and over-priced console it really is.
Yes, that would be pretty hilarious.
What are you going to say then, hmmmmm?
Longevity is your new God, eh?
10yrs of a long outdated video player which can also play games to look forward to.
Coooo.
Impressive.
Not.
March 31st, 2009
If you think anyone is going to build a console that fundamentally “pushes the boundaries” then that is simply not going to happen.
Developers are moving more resources to the Wii, so the actual logic of investing in such a high end capable system does not make any sense.
March 31st, 2009
And anyway, your buddies at Microsoft have said themselves that this generation will be the longest.
So mock “longevity” all you want, but with devs moving resources to a cheaper console, CE spending in the tank, the logic of your boundary pushing console has no logic.
At all.
March 31st, 2009
Oh, my bad, Microsoft have a different meaning of longevity from Sony don’t they?
Longevity at Microsoft means “drop it dead”.
A bit like what they’re going to do with Vista I expect.
March 31st, 2009
@ HARRY aka dumb an dumber
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4DOtCxSJvg
i don’t know when it will be released but i heard 2012 and juss because xbox lasted 3+ years doesn’t mean 360 is goin to have a new console just yet moron and go ahead punch me in the balls, id just cough them up on u and then sell them to science lol
March 31st, 2009
Still clinging to your fantasy version of what happened with Xbox mk1 huh?
I suspect Xbox 360 will end up like PS2, very long-lived and sustaining a very large pool of users for some time to come.
The numbers even as they stand now indicate this is very likely (and the very cheap to produce SKU coming at the end of this year or early next – the valhalla with ‘everything on a single very cool & energy efficient 45nm chip’ just weigh even more heavily towards this happening).
That will act just like the PS2 has for Sony and the PS3.
It’ll mean that Microsoft can launch a more advanced console.
This time hopefully one with genuine mass appeal and a spec that actually works for everyone properly – as opposed to being a difficult and obvious trojan horse for a completely different tech.
We’ll see, but I’d bet a console with the sort of spec I’ve suggested would be possible at the old launch prices of Xbox/PS3 (especially once the economies of scale reduce those already inexpensive component prices further).
BTW, if you imagine slamming Vista means a thing to me you are kidding no-one but yourself.
I’m a happy SP3 XP user.
I even use Opera as a browser.
I did have a long time with a Vista SP1 laptop last week and couldn’t see what all the fuss was about……either way.
Vista is getting an SP2 soon.
Then next year Windows 7 comes out.
And. So. What.
Microsoft have a decent record of supporting their old OS.
Maybe you should try a different tack I might be slightly interested in (assuming you’re really that ar$e about trying to flame me with this sort of laughably tedious sh!te)?
March 31st, 2009
lock_down:
“Developers are moving more resources to the Wii, so the actual logic of investing in such a high end capable system does not make any sense”.
That’s only true up to a point.
A system like I imagine would see the high end PC and console stuff moving very closely together (and hopefully allowing devs to save much more money by effectively developing something genuinely much closer to single games for both PC & console).
There will always be a high end.
The casual stuff will grow (Wii’s success is far to big for anyone to ignore) but there will remain a market for those who push the envelope of what is possible.
Even if it is confined to the ear & eye-candy.
We’re already due a major move forward, PC gaming has been employing enormously powerful graphics cards for a couple of years now with little to seriously exploit them being produced.
That will not and cannot continue.
March 31st, 2009
….oh and consoles will get an unintended boost.
HD TVs will not be gaining better res anytime soon (ie at least 5 – 10yrs……Toshiba’s planned upscaling HD TV tech to a true 2160p excepted).
So no-one needs to use big horse-power chasing higher and higher res.
April 1st, 2009
You got a publisher for the book you’re writing here?
Anywhoos, Blizzard shot this down the other day or something. You’ll have to make your mind up if thier covering up something or not…
April 3rd, 2009
yeah i meant to say 360 isint losing money on the cosole so they would try to ride it longer as ps3 will be but u never know they prolly want to get a headstart asap when the economy heals