Microsoft Working on Next Console.

[ThaGenecyst]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

isn't this common practice?

[Skyboxer]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

Good points..

And my Xbox 360 is very reliable...knock on silicon.

Mine also. Knock Knock

Anyways can you imagine how great a console we could have if all the experts posting here would get together and start a company!

[mvb34]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

isn't this common practice?

I think so!! Just like MS operating systems.

[LIGHTNING]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

No surprise that they are working on it but let's hope the 360/PS3 generation lasts for 8-10 years instead of 5 years or even the 4 year cycle MS went with for the original XBox. These new systems are so powerful, just adding horsepower to another system is NOT the answer and won't entice people to buy the next-next-gen system down the road. With graphics close to being life-like, they will no longer be a selling feature and that is traditionally what has sold new hardware.

We need to have longer cycles with hardware so that game companies stop building just one engine for sports games and tweak it for the next 5 years. If they know a system will be profitable for 10 years, there would be more incentive to re-do main components of a game on the same system.

The XBOX 360 and PS3 are inferior to high end 2005 PC and by 2010 the average PC will likely be far more powerful and efficient. The consoles are competing against the PC and they cannot fall to far behind and in 10 years the average PC will be multiple times more powerful. The limitations are due to under powered hardware that forces the developers to work harder. The game quality cannot improve significantly without better and more efficient hardware.

[greenegt]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

No worries. I don't think the 360 is going anywhere for quite a while. The 360 was designed to eventually turn a profit, and that won't happen if they cut bait too soon and incur the costs of another console launch. MS needs the 360 to be viable for years to come in order to cash in on it.

[Brandwin]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

shouldn't they focus more on finding ways to make the 360 more reliable, cheaper to manufacture, more compact, etc?

How do you know not? I'm sure different people work on different things. It's really no surprise for me. Im sure they have been working on it.

[mgoblue]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

am I the only one who thought the PS2 has been somewhat dated the past few years? I'm glad the 360 came out when it did, I enjoy the improved graphics and peripherals. Do I want it to be a every 3 or 4 year cycle? No, not at all, but I don't think a 10 year cycle truly serves us as well either. Think of your PC, you can't play top end games like 1 year max after you buy a PC. I understand the "Tap the current gen to 100%" idea, but why not cut the cycle down to say 6 years and then just release a new console that makes things easier. With electronics how they are, to have 1 system every 10 years would be drastically cutting out innovation and invention in the hardware arena.

[Skyboxer]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

The XBOX 360 and PS3 are inferior to high end 2005 PC and by 2010 the average PC will likely be far more powerful and efficient. The consoles are competing against the PC and they cannot fall to far behind and in 10 years the average PC will be multiple times more powerful. The limitations are due to under powered hardware that forces the developers to work harder. The game quality cannot improve significantly without better and more efficient hardware.

I could be wrong but while I believe in years past this might be true but I really don't believe consoles are competing against PC's anymore. I would be curious to know what the PC vs Console games sales are.

[Money99]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

The XBOX 360 and PS3 are inferior to high end 2005 PC and by 2010 the average PC will likely be far more powerful and efficient. The consoles are competing against the PC and they cannot fall to far behind and in 10 years the average PC will be multiple times more powerful. The limitations are due to under powered hardware that forces the developers to work harder. The game quality cannot improve significantly without better and more efficient hardware.

I disagree. I think there are more people that are console gamers more than PC gamers. Or I should say, there are more exclusive console gamers.
I myself prefer consoles because I don't want the hassle of upgrading my system every 6 months. I also like to play on large screen TV's. I know that's possible with PC's but it's more of a hassle.

I've been told that Gears of War didn't even come close to tapping the power of the 360. I'd like to see the 360 last long enough to the point that every game that comes out utilises it's power to the utmost. But chances are, developers will probably get to about 60% before the next consoles arrive.

[Pujols91]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

This worries me a little. I have just gotten my hands on my 360, and needless to say I don't wanna have to dish out another like $300-400 for a new console any time soon.

I hope this new gen lasts atleast 5-6 years.

[Skyboxer]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

This worries me a little. I have just gotten my hands on my 360, and needless to say I don't wanna have to dish out another like $300-400 for a new console any time soon.

I hope this new gen lasts atleast 5-6 years.

You won't. Development always begins right away.

[Altimus]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

I think the earliest we will see a new console is fall 2011. Anything earlier really wouldn't make sense, especially financially.

[bkfount]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

am I the only one who thought the PS2 has been somewhat dated the past few years?

the ps2 still has much life to it. The lazy developers like EA and Rockstar are using 3-4 year old engines though. But there's still top notch games coming out that include stuff where loading times are almost non existant. You'll also see production costs drop and more people can make games for it. The quality is probably peaking now.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

the ps2 still has much life to it. The lazy developers like EA and Rockstar are using 3-4 year old engines though. But there's still top notch games coming out that include stuff where loading times are almost non existant. You'll also see production costs drop and more people can make games for it. The quality is probably peaking now.

Yes, and Bully from all the net reviews + reader reviews is a good indication of a game that has taken the PS2 to it's limits. The PS2 still has life left in it. Sh*t, the xbox could have had life still left in it for another year or two at the most, but MS had no choice but to release the 360.

[Misfit]

Re: Microsoft Working on Next Console.

Yes, and Bully from all the net reviews + reader reviews is a good indication of a game that has taken the PS2 to it's limits. The PS2 still has life left in it. Sh*t, the xbox could have had life still left in it for another year or two at the most, but MS had no choice but to release the 360.

Don't forget the recently released Okami. I actually don't mind so-called inferior hardware since it forces developers to get creative as opposed to just maximizing visual quality. Recently, the game I've been spending the most time with is Baldur's Gate 2, hardly recent or pretty by today's standards but still an A+ game. Do I like my games to look as best as can be? Of course, but it's not a necessity nor something I really concern myself with. I just want something that's fun to play. And above all, I want a console to last 5+ years before I have to abandon it for something newer. With that said, I'm not concerned about Microsoft developing a new machine already (though I should mention I don't own a 360) as they probably aren't doing much at the time. They're likely looking at what their competitor's machines do that the 360 does not do (e.g. motion sensing) and looking for ways to improve upon that and either incorporate it into a new machine or add it to the 360 at a later date.