New Report Claims Next Xbox Won't Use Discs

[Mike Kayatta]

New Report Claims Next Xbox Won't Use Discs

One of Microsoft's development partners has allegedly leaked information on the new console's hardware and release window.

According to a new report, Microsoft's next console (codename: Durango) will not use a disc drive. That means no DVDs, and no Blu-ray. Instead, the machine will employ "interchangeable solid-state card storage," though whether these will be a standard format like SD or CF instead of some new proprietary card is still unknown. But that's not all this anonymous little squealer squealed, according to the leak, a 2013 release is 100% confirmed.

The account supposedly heads our way from one of Microsoft's development partners, which they supposedly got straight from the company itself, packaged with "the strictest nondisclosure agreement" the source has ever encountered (though apparently not strict enough to keep him or her from blabber-mouthing).

Microsoft released an official response to the claims, though, as you can probably imagine, it wasn't very informative. Still, there are a few derivative ways to read into it if you dig on that sort of thing.

Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend its lifecycle like introducing the world to controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention. Beyond that we do not comment on rumors or speculation.

While we're still in Rumor-land-istan for now, this newest report could be seen by some as fitting nicely alongside some other accounts of Microsoft's new system. First came the report that Microsoft would be releasing two very different versions of their next console: one, a cheap Kinect, app, and download-driven set-top box, and the other, a more robust "core gamer" machine. Then, there was the claim of the new Xbox using Blu-ray [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/115490-Rumor-Next-Xbox-Will-Feature-Blu-ray-Anti-Used-Games-System]. Putting those two ideas together could mean that the "core Xbox" will run Blu-ray physical media, while the "casual Xbox" could be for streaming and downloads only. Then again, any one of these reports (or all of them) could be flat out wrong. The only way to find out will be when Microsoft finally shows us the darn thing.

Source: MCV [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/exclusive-no-disc-drive-for-next-xbox/092534]


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[subtlefuge]

I really hope that this turns out to be completely fake. It makes no sense to make such a popular multimedia device gimped like this.

 

[Terminate421]

I call bullshit on this one. Honestly, we will NOT know what happens until Microsoft reveal it themselves, rumors are usually not accurate anyway.

It would NOT make sense, we are so intuned to CD's and backwards ports that the idea of removing CD's altogether for the next console is ridiculous.

 

[Findlebob]

How come every rumour about this new xbox makes it seem like a horrendous product.

 

[loa]

After MS went to such lengths to make the 360 a "multimedia center" (which is pretty retarded but that is besides the point)?
Doesn't sound very likely that they would drop, you know, the ability to play movies from disks.

 

[Kenjitsuka]

Come on, a console that can't play Blurays is... useless as a "full media delivery system", or whatever marketing wants to call that...
I'd call it: Bullcrap and useless.

Dumb guy: "Let's make expensive cartidges to stop piracy!".
Smart colleague: "SLAP! Nothing can stop piracy, douche!".

 

[Rad Party God]

Are we returning to cartridges then?


As much as I'd love the idea of "solid state based media" (fancy name for cartridge), I think it's just like the PS3, where you can now use SD memory sticks and such, along with USB thumbdrives to store those precious saves and a couple of XBLA games, or if it's big enough, install a whole game in there, wich is the closest we can get to play the thing in a "solid state media" (it worked wonderfully for Oblivion).

 

[Louzerman102]

I'm trying very hard to wrap my head around Microsoft's goal of "media Center" with a console that can't run CD, DVD, or Blu-ray. (you know media)

 

[VonKlaw]

I'm trying very hard to wrap my head around Microsoft's goal of "media Center" with a console that can't run CD, DVD, or Blu-ray. (you know media)

Agreed, the 360 is already gimped as a media centre by not being able to play blu-rays, without them murdering the next console by removing even more types of media.

Captcha: less is more. Unless it's types of media your "media centre plays" >

 

[Space Jawa]

The headline made me think "new report gives me little reason to ever consider purchasing the next Xbox", but after reading the article, it sounds like an interesting idea.

If nothing else, using some kind of cartridge system, be it an SD analogy or some kind of specialized flash drive could save on physical storage space and probably be more durable than disks (And you'd never have to worry about anyone accidentally using them as coasters).

 

[AngryBritishAce]

Well not being able to play DVDs/ Blu-ray/ CDs I already own on it is a bummer (if this is true), but apart from that I'm not too bugged about it.

I mean Steam has us Download games and the XBox 360 has shown to us we can download movies and music on it anyway, aside from the lack of a physical case (I rather like having a case/ manual for my games, as well as anything extra I get in Collector's Edition) I don't see much of a problem.

Though I do see Microsoft having us pay $40/ $60 for each game still, even though it SHOULD be cheaper through digital download, in which case I heartly disaprove of this.

 

[BrotherRool]

This could work in that it wouldn't have the 'what if I don't have internet' problem of the PSP Go, but no DVD's, CD's would be a bit of a downer. But streaming is getting more and more popular, if they had some sensible deals and even allowed you to access your Itunes account and so on that could resolve a lot of the problems

 

[Viper1265]

To the people worried about the console not playing DVD/Blu-ray, you forget that this is Microsoft we're talking about. Clearly they plan to release the disk player as an add-on for only $150.

 

[Snow Fire]

I demand cartridges, the days of load times are numbered, the true advantage of cartridges was having zero load times as the entire game is loaded instantaneously. I miss those days, the days of Nintendo's and Sega's consoles and handhelds. Man, those were the days.

 

[antipunt]

Cartridges ? SOLID STATE CARTRIDGES?

I'm imaging close to no loading times. Helloooo console gaming, you have leveled-up!

 

[weirdee]

You guys still store your movies on discs?

 

[Furism]

Of course there will be a version with an optical drive. The reason is simple: didn't they announce that X360 games would be playable on the next one?

 

[Jabberwock King]

That doesn't sound right. There's too much of an infrastructure supporting CD/DVD/BLU-RAY that it should seem like an enormous risk not to use it.

 

[Xanthious]

One of these days, just for kicks, I think I'm going to start sending in anonymous tips of the most over the top impossible bull shit I can think of to various gaming news sites and see how many of them I can actually get them to report on. I bet I'm going to be very disappointed by just exactly how poorly most of these stories from super secret top level so and so's get vetted and how many just get slapped up and labeled as "rumor" just for the sake of posting something that may or may not be news. . . or even grounded in reality