Next Xbox rumors: specs, developers, GPU, and more
Microsoft has gotten over six years of faithful service out of the Xbox 360, but the time is approaching for the next generation of home consoles to arrive. Follow along here as we detail all the latest news, rumors, and innuendo relating to the development and specifications of the next Xbox.
Every Xbox One comes with a next-generation Kinect
Every new Xbox One will come with a new Kinect, Microsoft has just announced. The peripheral has received an incredible overhaul: the Xbox One uses it to turn on your entire entertainment system and switch between games, movies, web browsing and live television at a moment's notice. Just say "Xbox On" to turn on the console, even when it's off, and the Kinect will recognize you, automatically sign you in, and give you hands-free control over your entertainment experience. Say "Go to TV" or...
Watch our Microsoft Xbox event post-show now!
The next Xbox is nigh, and you've just discovered the very best place on the internet to watch the next generation of video games come to life. Today, May 21st, starting at 9:30AM PT, The Verge and Polygon will team up to bring you Microsoft's Xbox reveal live. Join our editor-in-chief Joshua Topolsky and Polygon's Justin McElroy as we host live shows before and after the event, bringing you informative, insightful, and probably some rather irreverent discussion of whether the next Xbox lives...
Microsoft planning Xbox dashboard UI and tile changes in preparation for next-gen console
Microsoft is preparing to update its Xbox 360 with another dashboard update. Sources familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans have revealed to The Verge that the dashboard update will enter into a public beta in late June or early July, with changes and updates in preparation for the next-generation Xbox. We're told that the user interface will be refreshed alongside smaller Live Tiles, similar to what Microsoft is preparing for Windows 8.1. Microsoft is also said to be tweaking the look of the...
Microsoft killing off Xbox Points in favor of currency and gift cards system
Microsoft is killing off its Points system that's primarily used for its Xbox console. The death of Microsoft Points has been a long time coming, and follows Microsoft's move away from the virtual currency towards cash in Windows 8. Sources familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans have revealed to The Verge that the software maker plans to replace Points with a new gift card system.
The new gift cards will be offered in a similar way to Apple's iTunes vouchers, allowing Xbox owners to purchase...
Leaked Microsoft 'memo' says next-gen Xbox won't require constant internet connection
The long-running, controversial rumor that Microsoft's Xbox 360 successor would demand an internet connection for all aspects of its functionality has finally been put to rest. Ars Technica is today reporting that an internal Microsoft memo — which it claims was sent to all employees working on the next-gen console — has dismissed the 'always-on' mandate. Referring to the hardware by its codename Durango, Microsoft reportedly wrote, "There are a number of scenarios that our users expect...
'Call of Duty: Ghosts' set for November release, will be available on next-generation consoles
Activision is continuing its tradition of releasing a new title in its marquee first-person shooter franchise every year: the company has just officially announced Call of Duty: Ghosts will be available on November 5th. The game is being trumpeted as a new Call of Duty for the next generation of game consoles — the new Xbox and the PlayStation 4 — and it will be fully unveiled at Microsoft's May 21st next Xbox event. (The game will also be available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.)...
Microsoft IllumiRoom is a coffee table projector designed for the next-generation Xbox
When Microsoft first unveiled its IllumiRoom technology at CES, it did so in an unusual way. The software giant traditionally reveals its research projects in short, scrappy videos accompanied by research papers and a lot of technical jargon. IllumiRoom was different. The chief technology strategy officer at Microsoft, Eric Rudder, joined the Samsung keynote to showcase a video of an augmented reality projection unit designed to extend gaming onto nearby walls. The demo showed off a concept...
Next Xbox rumored to emphasize sharing, let publishers mandate 'always-on' connection
A new report from Polygon reveals that, much like Sony, Microsoft aims to make sharing a major element of its next-generation console. The Xbox 360's successor is said to include a "share" button on its controller that will upload your gaming highlights to YouTube and Ustream. Users will also be able to post these clips to Facebook and other social sites, according to the report. Microsoft's rumored approach essentially mirrors that of Sony, which outlined its plans during February's...
The new Xbox: what do we know about Microsoft's next console?
Microsoft's next-generation console has been the subject of intense rumor and speculation for what feels like years now. Gamers have been poring over leaks, rumors, accidental Twitter updates, and a whole lot more. From the "Xbox 720" name, to a "Durango" codename, Microsoft has kept fairly quiet on its official plans for an Xbox 360 successor. That all changed this week after the software maker invited the world's media to its Xbox campus in Redmond to witness "a new generation revealed."...
The next Xbox will be revealed on May 21st
Microsoft's next-generation Xbox will be revealed on May 21st, 2013, an invitation from the company has revealed. The announcement from Don Mattrick and the Xbox team, titled "a new generation revealed," will take place at the company's Xbox campus in Redmond, Washington.
Microsoft says that the event will "mark the beginning of a new generation of games, TV, and entertainment," and will stream the event to the public on Xbox.com, Xbox Live, and on Spike TV. "We are thrilled to pull back the...
Next-generation Xbox launch titles include 'Ryse' and a new 'Forza'
Microsoft is working on a number of launch titles for its new Xbox console. One of the first games to launch on the next Xbox will be Ryse, according to multiple sources familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans. Microsoft originally unveiled Ryse at E3 2011, promising an exclusive Xbox 360 release with Kinect functionality. A release has never materialized for Xbox 360 and the company has remained fairly silent about the title's progress, noting that it was still in development in mid-2012 and...
Adam Orth leaves Microsoft following 'always-on' console controversy
Adam Orth, the Microsoft Studios creative director who came under fire for controversial comments on "always-on" consoles, has left the company. The news was first reported by Game Informer, and Polygon has independently confirmed his departure with two sources. It's unclear, however, whether Orth was fired or left his position voluntarily. Microsoft declined to comment to Polygon, saying "We do not comment on private personnel matters."
Exclusive: Microsoft's next Xbox will take over your TV, interact with your cable box
Microsoft is investing in TV in a big way with its next Xbox console as part of a fight for the living room. Multiple sources familiar with the company's Xbox plans have revealed to The Verge that Microsoft will introduce a feature that lets its next-generation console take over a TV and set-top box in a similar way to Google TV. We understand that the next Xbox will require an online connection to use the entertainment services, allowing them to be always-on for streaming and access to TV...
Microsoft planning Xbox event for May
Microsoft had originally been planning to unveil its next-generation Xbox details at an event in April, but The Verge has learned that the company has pushed this back to May. Windows watcher Paul Thurrott revealed recently that Microsoft is planning an Xbox event for May 21st, and we understand this date is accurate. This is the tentative date for a next-generation Xbox announcement, but Microsoft had originally planned an April 24th event.
Always-on drama
Sources familiar with Microsoft's...
Microsoft issues statement apologizing for employee's Twitter comments on next-generation Xbox
Microsoft has released an official response following a number of tweets from Microsoft Studios creative director Adam Orth yesterday commenting on rumors that the next-generation Xbox will require an always-on internet connection. The employee — who very likely is familiar with the console codenamed "Durango" — said "Sorry, I don't get the drama over having an "always on" console," stating that we live in a world where every device is 'always-on.'
It's unusual that Microsoft has seen...
Microsoft creative director: 'I don't get the drama' over 'always-on' Xbox rumors
The rumors that Microsoft's next Xbox will require an "always-on" internet connection are gathering steam. The Verge has heard that Microsoft is indeed planning the connection requirement for its upcoming console, but this was based on information from last year; however, Kotaku's sources now say that the plan was still in place as recently as two weeks ago.
The next Xbox, codenamed Durango, reportedly won't be able to start software in offline mode, and will suspend a game or app after...
Xbox 'Durango' leak claims console is 'always connected,' games must be installed to hard disk
Last month we heard rumors of an anti-used game system for Microsoft's next-generation 'Durango' Xbox console, but an additional leak this week appears to reinforce those claims. Vgleaks, previously responsible for revealing accurate specifications for Durango, has provided screenshots of an Xbox Development Kit (XDK) for Microsoft's next-generation console. We've seen screenshots leak before, but these appear to confirm a number of previous rumors.
As part of a Durango hardware overview,...
Behind the next-gen Xbox leaks and police raid of hacker SuperDaE
Earlier this week, Australian police raided the home of SuperDaE, a hacker and gaming enthusiast who notoriously tried to sell an Xbox Durango development kit on eBay last year. Speaking to Kotaku, SuperDaE (or Dylan, last name unknown) lists many other achievements: gaining access to Epic and Blizzard's systems, discovering plans for sequels to games like Homefront and Sleeping Dogs, and selling another Durango for $5,000 outside of eBay. But how much of his story stacks up? For every piece...
Microsoft likely to reveal Xbox 360 successor at April event
Sony may have gotten the jump on Microsoft in announcing its next-generation console, but odds are the public will be introduced to the Xbox 360's successor well ahead of this year's E3. Computer and Video Games is today reporting that the folks in Redmond are planning to hold a press event sometime in the month of April, two months ahead of the annual industry games show. The Verge is able to corroborate this timeframe, as we've heard similar rumblings from reliable sources.
Adding further...
Australian police raid next-generation Xbox leaker who tried to sell Durango dev kit
Australian police officers appear to have raided the home of an infamous leaker of next-generation Xbox information. Known as SuperDaE, Dan Henry supplied over 20 next-generation Durango Xbox documents to gaming site Kotaku recently, detailing new controllers, a mandatory Kinect option, and the ability for Durango to run more than one game or application at one time. SuperDaE tweeted earlier this week revealing that police had raided his premises, allegedly alongside an FBI officer and local...
Microsoft's new Xbox will include improved Siri-like speech recognition
Microsoft will greatly improve its speech recognition technology inside the next Xbox, The Verge has learned. Sources familiar with Microsoft's Xbox plans have revealed that Durango, the codename for the next Xbox, will support wake on voice, natural language controls, and speech-to-text. The improved capabilities mean that Xbox users will be able to walk into a room and simply say "Xbox on" to wake up the new Xbox.
Natural speech recognition just like Siri
We understand that Microsoft is...
New Xbox requires an always-on connection to block used games, says report
With just two weeks to go until we "see the future" of PlayStation, we're starting to hear more details on the future of Xbox. Edge magazine reports that Microsoft's new console will require an internet connection with activation codes for games on 50GB-capacity Blu-ray discs. Citing sources with "first-hand experience" of the new Xbox console, Edge says it's likely that purchased games will not be able to be resold.
We've heard rumors about Microsoft's Blu-ray plans and an anti-used-game...
Microsoft just teased the next Xbox at CES
Microsoft didn't have a booth or even an official press event at the Consumer Electronics Show this year, but that didn't stop the company from jumping on stage twice. CEO Steve Ballmer joined Qualcomm for its bizarre opening keynote, and more importantly Microsoft’s Chief Technology Strategy Officer, Eric Rudder, joined the Samsung keynote to showcase the IllumiRoom technology. Based on a combination of a Kinect for Windows camera and a projector, IllumiRoom combines the virtual and...
Microsoft's multi-platform Xbox strategy faces risks, rewards
It has been an interesting couple of years for the Xbox, ones in which we've witnessed a shift from a hardcore gaming focus to a world of casual gaming with Kinect, avatars, and cross-platform Xbox games and services. Microsoft's Kinect sensor introduced the concept of controller-less gaming to the masses and Microsoft has started to push its Xbox Live services to devices outside of the console with Windows Phone and SmartGlass for iOS and Android.
"We're no longer just competing with the...
Microsoft 'Xbox TV' device due in 2013 with casual gaming and streaming
Microsoft is building an Xbox set-top box. Multiple sources familiar with Redmond's plans have confirmed to The Verge that the company plans to introduce a low-cost alternative to its Xbox console, designed to provide access to core entertainment services. The move will allow Microsoft to further increase its presence in the living room, providing consumers with a choice between a set-top box or a full next-generation Xbox console.
We're told that the set-top box is part of a two-SKU...
Xbox Surface: Microsoft's 7-inch gaming tablet
Microsoft is building its own 7-inch gaming tablet. Multiple sources familiar with plans within Redmond have confirmed to The Verge that initial hardware planning for an Xbox Surface is underway. Specifications for an Xbox Surface 7-inch tablet computing device leaked back in June ahead of Microsoft's Surface RT and Surface Pro announcement. We're told that the initial specs were accurate and that the final implementation is being worked on.
The Xbox Surface will likely include a custom ARM...
Microsoft 'Cloud TV' platform revealed in job postings
Microsoft is known for revealing additional product details in job postings, but a new round of listings has unveiled a brand new TV service. Described as a "Cloud-based TV platform," Microsoft is looking to hire engineers to build client applications for the service. LiveSide spotted several job postings related to Cloud TV recently that tempt job candidates to "get in on the ground floor of an ambitious new project."
Some of the preferred qualifications include experience with mobile and...
Another Xbox Durango development kit appears on eBay
A second eBay listing claiming to sell a Microsoft Xbox Durango development kit was posted today from the same seller of an identical kit that appeared on eBay yesterday.
The listing claims to be for a development kit for the next-gen Xbox and features the same non-descript image of a computer tower with no further description. The item comes with powercables and a wired controller.
eBay seller Superdae sold what he claimed to be a Microsoft Xbox Durango development kit yesterday for...
Kinect 2 image leaked, shows increased detail and depth data
Microsoft's next-generation "Xbox 720" console has seen a variety of leaks recently, including speculation over its planned launch date, but we've yet to see solid details on Kinect 2. That may have changed this week after a Twitter user posted what is claimed to be a sample from Kinect 2 running on a Durango (new Xbox codename) development kit. The image shows two users interacting with Kinect and what appears to be an increased amount of depth and movement data.
It's hard to tell whether...
Microsoft hints at new Xbox launch within the next 18 months
At this point in time, it's a pretty sure bet that Microsoft won't be introducing any new Xbox hardware this year. After unveiling some software improvements at E3, the company is widely expected to launch a new dashboard update in October. However, Microsoft's next Xbox may arrive within the next 18 months, according to a recent job posting. "Over the next eighteen months Microsoft will release new versions of all of our most significant products including Windows (Client, Server, Phone and...
'New Xbox' comment from Microsoft manager referred to dashboard update, not new console
Microsoft's Brian Hall joined us on The Vergecast last week to discuss the company's new Outlook.com launch. His appearance generated a storm of internet speculation around a next-generation Xbox console after Hall appeared to suggest that a "new Xbox" was part of a new wave of product updates arriving soon that include Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8.
"The comments to The Verge were not understood in their intended context," says a Microsoft spokesperson. "When Brian mentioned a ‘new wave of...
Microsoft
Microsoft sends takedown notice to sites hosting Xbox 720 doc, including Dropbox
A massive 56-page document on Microsoft's "Xbox 720" plans surfaced on the internet over the weekend, revealing some potential ideas around Kinect Glasses and more. The document itself was hosted on Scribd and removed at the request of Covington & Burling LLP, an international law firm that lists Microsoft as one of its clients.
Microsoft's team of internet investigators has also started to send takedown notices to other sites hosting the leaked document. Ihned.cz, a technology site based in...
Xbox 720 document leak reveals $299 console with Kinect 2 for 2013, Kinect Glasses project
While it's clear Microsoft isn't planning to introduce its next-generation Xbox console this year, all signs indicate that a 2013 launch is on the cards. A newly leaked 56-page document sheds some light on the company's plans, for what it calls the "Xbox 720." The presentation appears to be from August 2010, and references future improvements like SmartGlass, a Metro dashboard, and Xbox TV apps. Alongside its incremental Xbox 360 updates, Microsoft has a clear vision for its next-generation...
Microsoft
Skype hints at in-game integration for Microsoft's next generation Xbox
It has been just over six months since Microsoft completed its acquisition of Skype to form a new division at the company. We've seen the release of Skype for Windows Phone recently, but Xbox gamers are eager to hear when the voice and video chat app will make its way to the Xbox 360. Despite already having video chat via Kinect or the Live Vision camera, Skype integration is a highly anticipated feature across the Xbox and all of Microsoft's products.
One particular job posting at Microsoft...
Next Xbox to lose the disc drive, says MCV
British video game trade magazine MCV is reporting that the next Xbox will ditch the optical drive in favor of downloads and solid state memory. It's not known if games will actually be offered on physical media at retail or if the console will exclusively rely on digital distribution. If true, the move would make sense to us — optical media is fast becoming an anachronism in modern hardware and games consoles are often ahead of the curve. The PS Vita dropped its predecessor's optical drive...
Xbox One
Next-gen Xbox 'Durango' codename accidentally confirmed by Crytek?
Last June, Videogamer reported that Microsoft's next home console would be revealed during E3 2012, and that Crytek was already using the hardware to develop TimeSplitters 4 as one of its launch titles; a rumor Crytek quickly denied. Earlier this month, Kotaku reported that the operating code name for the new console is Durango. Today, a now-pulled Tweet from Crytek senior technical artist Sean Tracy seemingly connects these two reports, saying, "Enjoying the Durango developers summit in...
Microsoft
Next-gen Xbox not arriving this year, confirms Microsoft France
Rumors about Microsoft's successor to the Xbox 360 have been flying lately, but that doesn't mean a release is imminent. In an interview with Le Point, Microsoft France marketing director Cedrick Delmas stated that it was "certain" there will be no new Xbox released this year. This lines up with recent reports that the as-of-yet unnamed new console would be launching late in 2013, with a GPU based on AMD's 40nm Radeon 6000 architecture and perhaps even a Blu-ray drive. "The proof is that we...
Next Xbox bringing Blu-ray drive, Kinect 2, and 'anti-used-game' system?
Kotaku's anonymous sources are reporting what could be a video game industry coup: according to the rumor, the next Xbox will finally adopt a Blu-ray disc drive, years after the company's HD-DVD plans fizzled out. Apparently, though, there's more to the new drive than simple playback of 50GB optical discs, because one of the sources also claims that the supposed "Xbox 720" will also "incorporate some sort of anti-used game system." Anything you hear about how that system might work is pure...
Microsoft
Next Xbox coming late 2013 with Radeon 6000 GPU?
IGN is reporting that the next Xbox will ship in autumn 2013, with a GPU based on AMD's 40nm Radeon 6000 architecture and allegedly offering performance akin to the Radeon HD 6670 from last year. "Sources close to the project" are offering a ballpark figure of a six times performance increase over the Xbox 360, or 20 percent more power than the Wii U, though this doesn't really tell us anything in real terms. All this should obviously be taken as rumor and speculation, but it's worth noting...
Gaming
Microsoft's 'father of Windows NT' now working on future Xbox projects
Dave Cutler, who once led the development of Windows NT, is now working on Microsoft's Xbox team. Cutler joined Microsoft in 1988 and has helped build Windows NT, 64-bit versions of Windows and Microsoft's Windows Azure cloud platform, amongst others. His work earned him the special designation of "Technical Fellow" at Microsoft, a small group of 22 employees, including sysinternals creator Mark Russinovich, who are recognized as technical leaders.
Cutler's previous experience and technical...
Gaming
Microsoft's Don Coyner will not lead new Xbox design team, says CNET
Andy Lees apparently isn’t the only guy switching jobs at Microsoft this week. CNET is reporting that Don Coyner, Microsoft’s General Manager of Design and Planning, will be leaving his position as head of the Xbox design and experience group. Instead, that job will go to Emma Williams, the General Manager of Xbox Experiences, whose most recent project was last week's Xbox Live revamp. The group she will be heading is a combined hardware / user experience team charged with providing a...
Gaming
Next gen Xbox 720 console ad in upcoming Hugh Jackman film?
The much-rumored next generation Xbox console, often referred to as the 720, has never had an official nod from Microsoft, which has consistently maintained that the current 360 still has a long life ahead of it. Be that as it may, it looks like the upcoming Hugh Jackman film, which takes place in the year 2020, might know a bit more about it than we do.
The above screenshot is from the film Real Steel, which is about a man training a robot to box. The film is based on Richard Matheson's 1956...
