[News] Rumors: Successore X360 in mano agli sviluppatori?

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Develop source: New Xbox console on desks at EA
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Develop source: New Xbox console on desks at EA

New system could steal Wii 2’s thunder with shock E3 reveal

The successor to the Xbox 360 console is on desks at an unnamed Electronic Arts studio, Develop understands.

The new hardware, sent to EA last month, is a very early build with no casing – it is in fact being stored inside a PC shell.

EA developers are getting to grips with the tech to create first-generation software, Develop has been told.

“Quite often when new consoles come around they’re packaged into a PC shell, but actually what’s inside is an entirely new console,” a senior, trusted, well-placed source said.

Microsoft has declined to comment. EA has declined to comment. Develop’s source is not employed at either company.
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The source believed, but did not have certain information, that the new Xbox would launch by the end of 2012. The individual expects an announcement will be made, at least in some form, at E3.
SHOW TIME

In March, new data revealed Microsoft was at the early stages in building the successor to the Xbox 360.

The platform owner had advertised new job vacancies such as Graphics Hardware Architect and Performance Engineer for the Xbox Console Architecture Group.

Microsoft’s new hires will be “responsible for defining and delivering next generation console architectures from conception through implementation,” the company said.

The language of the job vacancies suggested a reveal for the console is years away, but Develop’s source says a shock reveal could be weeks away.

“Why let Nintendo steal the thunder in June [At E3]? It doesn’t want to lose momentum. That’s why I think Microsoft is rushing to make an announcement at E3.”

It leads to suspicion that key next-gen projects are underway at Microsoft’s own internal studios. Some project names Develop has seen would suggest a change of guard.
NEXT GENERATION

Specifications for the device are not available, for now. Develop understands that the hardware will feature enhanced support for Kinect with just a couple of alterations.

Over 52 million Xbox consoles have been sold since the system’s launch in May 2005.

Microsoft’s innovative motion controller, Kinect, launched November last year and has buoyed the console’s appeal.

Ten million Kinect units were sold worldwide as of March this year.

“Kinect will keep the 360 going for a couple of years, but Microsoft knows that if it slows down now it will face trouble,” the source added.

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Rumor – Source claims EA developer has new Xbox console tech in hand

A source close to Develop is claiming that a new Xbox console from Microsoft is currently in the hand of developers for EA.

According to the source, the next Xbox is being played around with by an unnamed Electronic Arts studio, which was sent to the firm last month. It is supposedly a very early build, meaning it doesn’t have an official case as of yet, so it is currently stored in a PC shell. Still, there is enough there to get acquainted with the tech, according to the source.

“Quite often when new consoles come around they’re packaged into a PC shell, but actually what’s inside is an entirely new console,” said the person Develop called a “senior, trusted, well-placed,” source.

Develop said that so far Microsoft and EA have both declined comment on the matter, and the source is not employed by either company. However, the person in question is under the assumption the cosole will be in stores by the end of 2012, and that an announcement of sorts will be mentioned at E3.

So, take all of this for what it is worth at the moment – a massive rumor.

Microsoft has said in the past not to expect a new console from the firm until the current lifespan of Xbox 360 reached the 10-year mark, meaning it won’t even be released by those estimates until 2014 at the earliest.

However, past sources have claimed the firm could be “pressured” into a 2013 should another new console burst out of the gate first – such as Project Cafe.

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Una fonte attendibile del portale Develop sostiene che la nuova Xbox sia attualmente nelle mani degli sviluppatori di Electronic Arts. Secondo la fonte la nuova console sarà rilasciato entro il 2012 e verrà svelata a sorpresa alla conferenza stampa che si terrà a Los Angeles il giorno 6 giugno. Electronic Arts e Microsoft non hanno commentato la notizia ma sappiamo che la fonte non è un dipendente delle due società. Microsoft ha dichiarato in passato che la vita dell'attuale Xbox 360 è ancora lunga ma il recente annuncio da parte di Nintendo, avrebbe messo sotto pressione il colosso di Redmond. Attendiamo ulteriori informazioni. Vi terremo informati.

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Eurogamer understands that an E3 2011 reveal for Microsoft's next Xbox is highly unlikely.

Our respected source poured water on Develop's report that some kind of announcement will happen next month at E3.

Develop's report also mentions that EA already has development kits for the new console. To a untrained eye, these apparently look like PCs. But inside are apparently the components of Microsoft's next Xbox.

Prototype dev kits typically are PCs inside a PC box: the first Xbox 360 developer tools were based on dual core G5 PowerPC Macs with an ATI X800 GPU while the initial PS3 dev kits were based around a PC with two GeForce 6800 Ultras running in SLI.

The Develop source believes the new Xbox could launch as soon as the end of 2012.

No technical specifications for the new console were given.

EA and Microsoft both declined comment.

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