If recent reports from VG 24/7 are to be believed, gamers who purchase the next Xbox will be required to have a constant internet connection to play games on their system. In addition to this supposed anti-piracy measure, Microsoft’s next console will include a Blu-ray drive and will be on store shelves by holiday 2013.
In regards to the Blu-ray drive inclusion, this goes directly against the rumors that the next Xbox would be disc-drive free in favor of digital downloads – not to mention lining up with the theme of our column on used game support for the system.
In the realm of technical specs, “tipsters” told the site that the next Xbox will house two GPUs, with one in particular stating that the new console is “like two PCs taped together.” The graphics in the system are said to be from the AMD 7000 series of cards, but “not Crossfire or SLI”, which essentially means two graphics units working in synchronicity.
But the main confusion for myself, and I’m assuming others as well is this: why would this system have two separate GPUs if they’re not working in Crossfire or SLI? The only real explanation would be that the system would be processing and rendering visuals for separate operations, which unlike PCs, use Crossfire and SLI to more efficiently power a game or graphics editing software of sorts.
The site also reports that the console will have between “four and six” processing cores. One is to be used for the Kinect, while one is for the operating system. In addition, it’s being said that the Kinect will be built into the console as a standard feature.
Last week though, MS Nerd estimated that a new Kinect shouldn’t be out until around 2015. So if Microsoft really will have this console out by 2013, and it includes built-in Kinect functionality, it will be with the modern Kinect hardware.
A Microsoft representative did finally issue a statement to GameSpot on the matter, but didn’t succeed in clarifying these rumors any better than a bland PR statement would:
“Xbox 360 has found new ways to extend its lifecycle like introducing the world to controller-free experiences with Kinect and re-inventing the console with a new dashboard and new entertainment content partnerships. We are always thinking about what is next for our platform and how to continue to defy the lifecycle convention. Beyond that we do not comment on rumors or speculation.”
On the other side of the boat, we have rumors that the PlayStation 4, or “Orbis”, will see significant systematic changes as well – particularly changes that supposedly affect the ability to play used games.
Quite an eyeful to read I know – but what do you guys think? Bogus or legitimate?
Just great! First PS3 and now this? If this is true I swear I will never buy it!
Source: http://www.insidegamingdaily.com/2012/0 ... iday-2013/
