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Next gen Xbox reveal expected 21st May, launches in November

by Mark Tyson on 8 April 2013, 15:30

Tags: Xbox 360

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Reports indicate that Microsoft will unveil the next generation Xbox at a special event on 21st May. Shortly after this event, at the E3 entertainment show in June, we will see much more of the next gen console and associated games and accessories. Further reports say the latest and greatest Xbox will be priced pretty high at around $500, or $300 with some kind of contractual subscription agreement. Also a couple of cut-price Xbox 360 versions were planned but only one will now be introduced.

The Xbox

The May 21st reveal date comes from an interview with Paul Thurrott, a well respected Microsoft focused tech journalist. He says the new console will simply be called the “Xbox”. The Verge says that the event was originally planned for April but has been moved for reasons unknown. The initial event is expected to be a small venue affair to whet gamers’ appetites, with many more details coming out at the big E3 show in early June. Furthermore developers will be able to get clued up about the new console in June as Microsoft has scheduled some Xbox time into the Build conference schedule.

Always on: turns people off

Turning to the “always-on, always-connected” issue that caused a bit of a diplomatic incident last week, Microsoft has apologised for comments made by developer Adam Orth via Twitter. However the apology treads a careful path and doesn’t deny the truthfulness of any of Orth’s statements. The Thurrott interview confirms that plans recently seen to be in place are that the new console “must be internet-connected to use”.

Stingray and Yumo

A final titbit about Microsoft’s upcoming plans concerns a new version of the Xbox 360 that is being designed. This console, codenamed “Stingray”, will be made available at the magic $99 price point. Some people have seen this as a hint that Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox isn’t going to be backwards compatible. A further product code-named “Yumo” and intended purely for Xbox entertainment consumption has been canned to prevent market confusion.



HEXUS Forums :: 14 Comments

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“Must be internet connected” + “$300 with some kind of contractual subscription agreement” => “Cheap XBox Next with two years broadband internet”, aka the same sales model as mobile phones.

And we all *love* mobile phone contracts. But at least a mobile phone needs the mobile connection to work for its primary reason for existing. We all know that a computer can play games without an internet connection, and that any such restriction is aimed at controlling and restricting us. Heaven forbid my internet provider mess up (it's Virgin Media, so it will) and I can't even play a game in single-player mode.
It's looking less and less likely that ill be getting a new console. Not really interested in the PS4 and I don't like being forced to be online which I think is most people's problem as well. Pretty much everyone is online all the time anyway it just people don't like being told that they have to do something. To be honest Forza is about the only Xbox game I'm interested that I can't already get on PC. But at the end off the day, a new console means games can finally push ahead with new technologies etc so can't complain too much.
I have never really been a XBOX fan in the first place and i still don't see myself getting the new XBOX even now
Devastater6194
Pretty much everyone is online all the time anyway it just people don't like being told that they have to do something.

From speaking to friends, it seems more like people realising that their internet connections are not guaranteed to be up/working…..and as you say, it's obviously not required to make a single-player game function.

If it was done like steam/origin and allowed the key to be locked to the device and then used offline, I would think less people would have an issue…..and maybe it will, I guess we don't know yet.
So the new xbox is called “xbox” Their console naming structure is a little wierd…
Xbox > Xbox 360 > Xbox? Is it safe for me to assume the console after this will be another Xbox 360?
They can blow the new console out their ass if you have to have to be online to play a game.