[360] Xbox 720

[Golden Taters]

Looks like the console has entered production. 16 core processor is incredible, too.

The next-generation Xbox 720 games console has entered the manufacturing stages, according to reports on Monday.

IGN has received information that the Austin, Texas-based Flextronics company, which currently assembles the Xbox 360 and manufactured the original console, has begun production of its successor; the much vaunted Xbox 720 or 'Durango' as it has been coined recently.

Microsoft has confirmed that it has no plans to launch a new console in this calendar year, so IGN speculates the consoles may be development kits to enable games studios to begin creating content for the as-yet-unconfirmed device.

IGN points out: "Prior to reaching the manufacturing stage, Flextronics created a new testing group separate from the rest of the company. This team was solely dedicated to comprehensive marketing, software, and hardware tests of the next Xbox. With that activity concluded, Flextronics started building the hardware -- but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll see the Durango soon."

Reports that games studios like Crytek and EA already had working prototypes of the next-gen console were shot down last year, and speculation has died down recently with Microsoft's confirmation that it will not be launched at E3 or at any other time in 2012.

The planned Xbox 720 is rumoured to be six times more powerful than the 360 thank to a 16-core processor with the latest estimates for launch coming at the end of 2013.

Microsoft provided the following statement on the matter: "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."

Via: IGN

http://www.t3.com/news/microsofy-xbox-720-console-enters-production-says-report

 

[JeremyHight]

I just hope that they see what happened to the Wii after its boom to know that controller free is a niche market that dies quickly and shouldn't focus on it too much.

 

[Golden Taters]

I just hope that they see what happened to the Wii after its boom to know that controller free is a niche market that dies quickly and shouldn't focus on it too much.

I don't think this will be the case, though. Part of the reason the new system is supposedly having 16 cores is so at least 4 of them are solely dedicated to a new type of Kinect system.

In related news Microsoft did file a patent for a pressure sensitive controller.

http://easternmorningherald.com/xbo...files-patent-for-biometric-controller/125575/

 

[Golden Taters]

Lionhead Studios is working on a new game for the Xbox 720, as is Rare, possibly hinting a new Perfect Dark game. Seems like more and more developers are announcing development on future console games, lately.

The current rumored specs for the system: "the next Xbox will feature a blu-ray player and pack an extra processing punch powered by two GPUs, "like two PCs taped together." The graphics card is reported to be equivalent to AMD's 7000 series. CVG (Britain's Xbox magazine) reports that the devkits sent to developers last month purportedly pack a 16-core IBM Power PC CPU.

 

[Swarley]

I will drive to Microsoft myself and punch Bill Gates right in the mouth if this thing ends up being called the Xbox 720.

 

[Golden Taters]

The next consoles from both Sony and Microsoft will include disc drives according to a new report.

Published on May 30, 2012
PlayStation 4 and Xbox 720 will both feature an optical disc drive, despite both Sony and Microsoft considering digital-only devices according to the WSJ.

The report cites sources which claim the PS4 specifically was almost a download-only platform until Sony decided that inconsistent broadband speeds around the world would make the prospect of downloading games problematic in some countries.

The next Xbox will have a disc drive for the same reasons, the report concludes.

The next console generation is widely expected to hit its stride with the reveal and probable introduction of new Xbox and PlayStation platforms next year.

Wii U will be fully revealed at E3 next week ahead of a launch later in 2012.
​

http://www.nowgamer.com/news/1403852/ps4_xbox_720_to_include_optical_drives_drives_report.html


Another thing to note is Skype is powering the in-game voice and video.

 

[BigBucs]

They should never go to download only consoles until people are getting 100 mbps speeds consistently.

 

[red33]

with technology are we close to console being able to hang with high end PCs for a few years at least?

Can a CPU guy say by next year consumers will be using 16 core PCs with GPU equilvalents?

 

[St. Francisco]

Makes sense. The consoles need one more generation before pushing a digital-only box, but I would imagine that game downloads will factor heavily into the next-gen plans regardless.

 

[jms493]

im ready to download everything.

 

[DannyD]

Well obviously their were going to be disc drive.

 

[leaffan]

with technology are we close to console being able to hang with high end PCs for a few years at least?

Can a CPU guy say by next year consumers will be using 16 core PCs with GPU equilvalents?

If its anything like the last set of consoles the PC took about 2 or 3 months to fully catch up in terms of regular consumers being able to purchase things that were equivilant or better than what consoles had. I remember the PS3 coming out in the fall and ATI had a video card coming out that was better then what the PS3 could produce by Jan.

We're already sitting on being able to use 8 cores right now and thats with cpu's that cost maybe $350-400 so seeing a 16 core in the next few years really isn't out of the question.

 

[spiker]

I'm kinda sick of all the rumors. I wish they would just come out and confirm the projected specs at E3, if they aren't ready for tech demos yet. This is ridiculous.

 

[jms493]

I'm kinda sick of all the rumors. I wish they would just come out and confirm the projected specs at E3, if they aren't ready for tech demos yet. This is ridiculous.

I am pretty sure the dev units are not even done............

 

[spiker]

I'm pretty sure they know what's going in them already.....

 

[DannyD]

It will come out Late 2013, don't worry guys.

 

[spiker]

Who's worried?

 

[DannyD]

Who's worried?

You guys seem to be bitching about it's specs and if it's going to come to E3 2012 or not. I'm just saying, CHILL.

 

[spiker]

We're all curious and there's a shit load of contradicting rumors spreading disinformation everywhere right now. It'd be nice just to hear it from the horse's mouth already so we didn't have to sit through 6-12 more months of rumors and half-truths.

As long as this thread doesn't keep getting bumped, I'll forget about it by this afternoon. I'm certainly not losing sleep over it.

 

[DannyD]

We're all curious and there's a shit load of contradicting rumors spreading disinformation everywhere right now. It'd be nice just to hear it from the horse's mouth already so we didn't have to sit through 6-12 more months of rumors and half-truths.

As long as this thread doesn't keep getting bumped, I'll forget about it by this afternoon. I'm certainly not losing sleep over it.

Are you calling me a horse? Fuck you man.