The day has finally come. Microsoft has announced that it will reveal the next generation Xbox on May 21. It was speculated that Microsoft would reveal their next generation machine during E3 (June 11 – 13). Microsoft have acted early to go on to announce the reveal date set 20 days before the E3. They needed to really, since Sony has already announced their next generation console two months back, one got the feeling Microsoft was lagging and didn’t react.
The event will have a global stream on Xbox.com, Xbox Live and Spike TV (US and Canada). Microsoft has its reveal page set up at the official Xbox website with the promo hashtag #XboxReveal in big, bold letters. “Join the conversation,” they urge, and so here we are doing just that. “On that day, we’ll share our vision for Xbox, and give you a real taste of the future. Then, 19 days later at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, we’ll continue the conversation and showcase our full lineup of blockbuster games,” said Xbox’s community guru Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb.
Many rumours floating around the next Xbox. IGN reported a tech blooger Thurrot who’s podcast claimed that the Xbox will come in any of these two versions: a $500 normal model, a $300 subscription model. There are also rising concerns about Xbox 720’s supposed “Always Online” scheme, which was reiterated by Thurrot. “The thing that interests me, going back and looking at some of the stuff I got a long time ago, it actually says ‘must be internet-connected to use’ in the notes,” he explained, before adding, “And that’s all I have, but it does say that.”
It is also confirmed now that the next Xbox, like the PS4, will not be backwards compatible. This basically means that you wont be able to play your Xbox and Xbox 360 games on the new Xbox.
Current information is still speculation and it’s outlook still cloudy. We hope to get some clarity on the Xbox reveal event. We will be live tweeting about the event on our Twitter page, so do check in to see what’s up.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming Xbox and the current rumours? Are you into the whole “Always Online” thing, because many people are.
