MCV has boldly gone where Microsoft will not: It states with a degree of confidence that Xbox 2 (or Xbox Next, or Xenon -- whatever you want to call it) will be available in the U.S. by CHRISTMAS 2005. Wow!

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Microsoft is on course for a dramatic end-of-year hardware roll-out in the West - with its next generation Xbox successor thought to be on track for launch in both the US and Europe by Christmas.
MCV believes that the Redmond giant is keen to seize the time advantage it currently appears to have over Sony and the PlayStation 3.

Senior US sources have revealed that third-party publishers are working towards a simultaneous launch for the new format in both key Western territories in time for the crucial holiday season.

The move will surely be warmly welcomed by the trade, with most undoubtedly expecting the launch to follow the pattern established by the current model – i.e. the Euro roll-out several months after North America.

However, Xbox 2 - which is codenamed Xenon - is expected to arrive this side of the Atlantic within weeks of the US launch, MCV can exclusively reveal.

A glance at software schedules highlights exclusive titles for the current Xbox format drying up beyond Q1. And, with hardware still in short supply at retail, the signs suggest that both Microsoft and its third-party publishing partners are increasingly channelling resources into preparing for the next-gen unit.

Microsoft is almost certain to remain silent on the matter until its E3 conference in May.
And Xbox, despite hardware shortages, does have strong momentum; the company’s refusal to speak about Xbox 2 at next month’s Game Developer Conference suggests it wants to maximise sales of the current machine while the last raft of blockbuster titles hits retail.

Xbox 2 has been widely predicted for a Q4 2005 release in the US for some time, with Electronic Arts having already announced that ‘Xenon’ skus of its biggest franchises will ship alongside the next current-generation versions.

PlayStation 2 had a huge lead on Xbox, but Microsoft execs have repeatedly stated that the company will not be beaten to market next time around.

With PS3 looking unlikely to launch in Europe before the autumn of 2006 at the earliest, Microsoft is powerfully placed to seize the initiative right across the West and finally offer a serious challenge to Sony’s next system.

Ok all I have is an Xbox and I do not think that it will be out by then! I think it will be delayed till maybe March or April but that's what I think!!

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Originally posted by Brian:
Ok all I have is an Xbox and I do not think that it will be out by then! I think it will be delayed till maybe March or April but that's what I think!!

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Any evidence to back that up, Brian? Is that your hunch? And what does your owning an Xbox have anything to do with it? I'll check back with you after the first day of E3 in May to give you the definitive answer on the release date.

Thanks for all the info RayRay, I can't wait to get my hands on the new console to sweep gaming.

It's going to be intresting though. This time I think Sony is going to make their system almost like the Xbox. I don't think they system specs will be that much of a difference. I'm guessing that the systems will be very simular, I think ps3 will have a better online system and finally four controller ports. It would be careless if sony didn't make the improvements like thoes two past examples and implement them into their own system. By doing that they would take away the aspect that made Xbox a big hit. If the systems just copy each other people will have a hard time deciding which one to buy. I might up actually owning both a PS3 and Xbox Next. Weird.

Ya it's just a hunch but I would be surprised if they do make the launch date of Christmas 2005!! Though I would love to see it happen!!!

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=6766

Check out the above website. They also claim a November 2005 release.

I think MS will definitely try to beat PS3 and Nintendo to the market. They seem dedicated to winning the video game market, and this is an obvious strategy. I think they've learned a lot from Xbox.

Having the most powerful system is not enough, but it's a start. You must also have the proprietary games, and you must hit the market early enough to be competative. A lot of people aren't buying multiple systems.

I own the Xbox because it is the most powerful system, but I won't go out and buy an Xbox II as soon as it comes out for the following reasons...and I think I will represent a lot of gamers:

1. All of the next gen systems will be powerful and awesome and EXPENSIVE. I expect they'll start at $400. For that kind of money, I will wait to see what Sony and Nintendo offer, as I will no longer be willing to buy more than one system. I think being first to market won't be that big of an advantage as long as the competition isn't too far behind. Now if Xbox II comes out 8 months before the competition, and there's awesome games and everyone is playing on xbox live...they could crush the competition.

2. I won't buy a next gen console until a next gen game is published that I just have to have. I think the next gens will have to hit the market early and with an awesome bar setting game to win market share. If they can do this, I might invest the $400, and now they own my soul because won't spend another $400+.

In summary, I think Nintendo, Sony, and MS should really build brilliant systems and make sure they have fantastic games in place ahead of trying for an early release date. Besides the reasons above, we all know that prices will drop when the competition hits the market. A lot of us will wait to compare the competition. This means the best in terms of game strength and console power will win the race, not the first one to hit the market.

The good news: The competition has never been fiercer and the prize is a multibillion dollar industry. In such circumstances, the consumer always wins

I would actually love it if Nintendo would just stop developing the Revolution and stick to the GBA, the DS, and focus on being a developer of 3rd party software for the PS3 and Xbox Next. And yes, as hoikensnogin mentioned, I will no doubt wait until the first seriously killer app from one of the new systems before I go out and buy one. If Xbox puts out Halo 3 at launch, that may be enough for me, however. I must confess that I just went out and pre-ordered the PSP. I do a lot of commuting for work, and it's too temping for this WipEout freak to pass up.

Here's another juicy article for those of you who want to know a little more about what might be called the Xbox 360:

Not everyone has to wait around to hear details of Microsoft’s sexy new Xbox 360—and now, thanks to Kotaku, neither do you. An exclusive Kotaku source has revealed a bevy of facts about the next-generation console set to rock the Xbox world.

The original Xbox was a manly chunk of square black-and-green plastic meant to win over a generation of hardcore male gamers. The Xbox 360° will be about winning over gamers of all persuasions, with a customizable look and a kindler, gentler Circle of Light marketing campaign.

Our inside source says that the console is a sleek silver device worthy of countertop display, and features an inhaled design that turns the harsh angles of the original Xbox into sweeps and curves. The device will also be able to stand upright or on it’s side, much like the Playstation 2. The side of the 360° is dominated by an oversized, back-lit power button called the ring of light, and the rest of the case can be customized with colorful designer face plates that pop on and off. The 360°s dashboard will also be customizable, making each console a thing totally unique to its owner.

Some of the inner workings of the 360° have also been confirmed. The device will feature high definition audio and video and wireless controllers, and will come in two flavors—one with a hard drive and one without. The biggest shock is that while Microsoft wants to make their 360° backwards compatible, they haven’t yet been able to pull it off.

“They’re working on it,” said our source.

I wasn’t able to get any pictures of the 360°, but Gizmodo’s Joel was kind enough to do a mock-up of it’s face plate for us.
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Truth or B.S.? Who knows... but I've seen this article cited by several reliable sources, so it's probaby as reliable an authority as any.

There is a lot of good stuff in the Kataku article. Customizable? With or W/O hardrive? Standard Wireless Controllers? Just wow...This really isn't helping me be patient in waiting for it to come out.

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Originally posted by Mike:
This really isn't helping me be patient in waiting for it to come out.

Me either...

WIRELESS CONTROLLERS by default says GamesIndustryBiz:


Microsoft's next-generation home console has been designed to use wireless controllers by default, according to online reports which have been confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz this morning by developers working on titles for the system.

British technology news site The Inquirer reported yesterday that the new console will sport controllers very similar to the current Controller S design, but using wireless rather than wired connections to the console.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz this morning, developers working with prototype Xbox 2 hardware confirmed that while they have not seen final designs for the controller, Microsoft representatives have indicated that the pads will indeed be wireless.

A number of questions are raised by the decision to use wireless peripherals - most obvious being whether the pads will continue to support battery-draining rumble functions, and if they will be rechargeable or simply rely on replaceable AA batteries.

Microsoft will be the first console manufacturer to ship wireless pads as standard with its hardware, but not the first to ship an official wireless controller; Nintendo has already enjoyed significant success with the WaveBird, its wireless pad for the GameCube.

I hope that they are rechargeable, although I admit it would be diffiult to do successfully. Either way it would be really cool.

Lol for my original xbox I still only have the huge controllers that came with the xbox in 2002 I think!

And does anyone know any launch titles for xbox 2????

That goes for me too. However, I've really grown acustomed those them and wouldn't kile using anything else nowadays. I hope they don't change the button layout too much.
Are there any pictures of the new console available that are more than just speculations??
I hope they're gonna ditch the 1985 VCR design in favour of something a bit more futureristic