Big Xbox 360 Announcement Rumored at CES

[Andy Chalk]

Big Xbox 360 Announcement Rumored at CES

As Bill Gates' final CES keynote address approaches, rumors persist that he will use the occasion to announce something big about the future of the Xbox 360 [http://www.xbox.com].

According to a previous rumors [http://www.joystiq.com/2008/01/01/speculation-microsoft-may-integrate-hd-dvd-into-xbox-360/] that the company was already at work on a new and more advanced Xbox system.

Microsoft may also announce that it will simply be adding the HD-DVD drives to future Xbox 360 systems on their own, in order to shrink the technological gap between it and PlayStation 3 [http://www.sony.com]console, which includes a Blu-ray drive.

The 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show will take place frum January 7-10, 2008, at the CES website [http://www.lvcva.com/].


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[Kaisharga]

Microsoft's stance of upgrading their hardware several times over the course of its lifespan is kind of worrisome. First it was the red ring, and Microsoft said here, have a new chipset, and it was good. Now they're putting in a new drive, and I guess that's good too. But for all it's goodness, it smacks to me of saying, "Whoops, we forgot this thing. Let's put it in there. Oops, and this thing too!"

Really, there are so many 360s out there that, unless they make it feasible for existing X360 owners to get the new things for their own existing boxen, it is kind of a slap on the wrist for people who have already paid money for the thing.

Improving your stuff out on the market is good. Fixing problems is good. But if they don't uniformalize (or at least provide a reasonable ability to do so), then calling a different product by the same name is rather misleading.

Still. Woo, improvements!

 

[the_carrot]

I think it's funny that Sony is competition for microsoft.

 

[Seldon21]

If you knew how the xbox team worked you wouldn't be surprised.

 

[the_carrot]

If you knew how the xbox team worked you wouldn't be surprised.

An effort at pure tyranny?

 

[moytai]

Wi Fi upgrades, HD Drive included? All the stuff they once said the consumer didnt need and now theyre putting it in their consoles? Maybe they realize that the term next gen means next gen technology

 

[Northern]

"Toshiba is tied closely to the speculation due to previous rumors that the company was already at work on a new and more advanced Xbox system."

So, a new Xbox altogether it seems, rather than just another small upgrade (although that is a more likely outcome). I too think that all these "upgrades" are getting a bit worrying, and Microsoft need to just research, make, provide an Xbox. Then move on to the next big project. I would love an in-built HD Drive and Wi-Fi built in and any other little extras Microsoft thinks it has forgot. But money doesn't come easy. But I think, if I'm enjoying games this much, think how great a HD-DVD will make them!les that would also integrate other technologies, such as DVR capabilities and an HD-DVD drive.

"If true, outside manufacturers such as Toshiba could build Xbox 360-based gaming consoles that would also integrate other technologies, such as DVR capabilities and an HD-DVD drive."

If true, then I think there will be way too many home consoles out ... I'd much rather stick to Microsoft and Sony battle for power, while Nintendo stick to innovation. (Even if that's not really the case). I for one would probably not buy an adaption to the continually upgrading Xbox 360. Also, this just means more work for developers, does it not? Having to port their games to the new console (unless a regular 360 version worked).

 

[Andy Chalk]

I could see it as a move toward Microsoft domination of the console industry. It dovetails with the remarks by Gerhard Florin and Denis Dyack that a unified console is both good for the industry and inevitable: If you accept the truth of that, then it only makes sense to be the one pushing the unified architecture. If Microsoft is able to convince enough companies to develop Xbox-based hardware, it will give them a big leg up on Sony and Nintendo. Opening your architecture to other companies who either were, are or may very well become competitors is a very risky move, but the potential payoffs are tremendous.

At the very least, Microsoft needs to get the HD-DVD drives into the thing, and make relatively cheap upgrades available to existing owners, unless they're already planning on throwing in the towel against Blu-ray. It should've been an option right out of the gate, and why it wasn't is completely beyond me.

 

[Virgil]

I think licensing the platform would be a brilliant move. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/issues/issue_26/164-The-Cost-of-Gaming]

There's no reason why multiple different devices can't include console hardware, or why mutiple different versions of a console are a bad thing, as long as they all meet a standard set of requirements for the platform. Sony released a PS2/DVR/DVD Recorder in Japan [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSX_(DVR)] - a Toshiba Xbox360/DVR/HD-DVD player is not much different. Why do game consoles need to be different than other home electronics? DVD is a standard, hundreds of different companies make devices that play DVDs - hundreds of devices that can play Xbox games would just give us, as consumers, more choice in how we'd prefer to play.

None of this means that games would be released on HD-DVD. The capabilities of the drive are entirely irrelevant to the media that the games are released on. It's very unlikely that Microsoft would allow a developer to release a game on HD-DVD media, even if a version of the console could do it. It's possible to divide the platform - Nintendo did it with the N64 and expanded memory pack, Sega did it with both the SegaCD and 32X - but it's very unlikely.

I'm still perfectly happy with my Premium launch system - an integrated HD-DVD wouldn't sway me, nor would wireless (wires are always better, if you can run them properly). An Xbox360/DVR+CableCard capabilities would definitely get my interest though.

 

[ChaosStep]

and hardcore fans are thinking "YAS now we have to REBUY the console A-FUCKING-GAIN!....."

 

[PurpleRain]

I like it how the 360 didn't come with built in this and that. Why should i pay extra for things I'm not going to use, I looking at you Mr Blu Ray on the PS3.

 

[GloatingSwine]

I thought the console was still being sold at a loss to Microsoft, with the money being made on the games.

If that's the case, could anybody tell me why on earth another company would want to take on manufacturing the console if they get no revenue from the game development?

The Arcade SKU is sold at a loss, the Pro and Elite are making profit now.

Also, a third party manufacturer like Toshiba could sell the device as a HD-DVD player, or IPTV/PVR, say, with the Xbox as a secondary function.

(I'm calling this announcement as IPTV though, the Xbox apparently can already do it, but has been waiting for provider support, and it fits in with the digital distribution model that Live and Zune are pushing.)

 

[rainey]

I wish Microsoft would spend some time and effort on the cooling system for the 360. The damn thing makes more hiss than a box of angry snakes!

 

[Arbre]

I don't think that anything like an unified and unique console for all will ever see the light.
If anything, there will always be, at least, two competitors.
If this is not the case, better just dig your grave right now.
Microsoft's move just looks like Nvidia having different manufacturers plant the chipset on different graphic cards.

 

[SilentHunter7]

I just got a brand new Elite for christmas, so if I find out that they already have something new a month after my folks blew almost $500, I'll be pretty pissed.

 

[PsychoJosh]

Maybe it's an Xbox handheld. Now THAT would be pretty nifty (read: pointless).

 

[KurtNiisan]

I like it how the 360 didn't come with built in this and that. Why should i pay extra for things I'm not going to use, I looking at you Mr Blu Ray on the PS3.

- Then there's something wrong with you. Unless you don't have an HDTV, the BluRay is very much worth using for the movies
If not for the movies, then for the actual disc format and how much better it is over standard DVD and HDDVD.

 

[Arbre]

I like it how the 360 didn't come with built in this and that. Why should i pay extra for things I'm not going to use, I looking at you Mr Blu Ray on the PS3.

- Then there's something wrong with you. Unless you don't have an HDTV, the BluRay is very much worth using for the movies
If not for the movies, then for the actual disc format and how much better it is over standard DVD and HDDVD.

Do you really notice the difference between HDDVD and Bluray?
I was under the (possibly flawed) impression that the difference only mattered if you had bionic senses?

 

[PettingZOOPONY]

Interesting article I found on the real world comparisons of the two different formats:


http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/hd-dvd-and-bluray-compared-using-identical-source-material-192100.php

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