Microsoft Comments on Next Xbox - Could Xbox 720 be completely digital?

During a conversation with Shane Kim, the new Corporate Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Microsoft offered very general commentary on the next Xbox console.

When asked if his new role includes looking at how Microsoft is going to transition into the next console, Kim said:

"How [do] you think about next generation? What is that next generation going to encompass? How are you even going to define that? All of that is part of the equation. What kind of geographic expansion do we need to see? Is the world more of an online world than a hardware-oriented world? I think there are some really fascinating opportunities in front of us."

While the statement offers no details, it does suggest that Microsoft is at least exploring the idea of launching a digital system rather than a traditional expensive piece of hardware.

[DaddyDC650]

they create a more reliable system next time around.

I guess the folks that disagree don't like reliable consoles, LoL!

[Shadow Man]

Haha according to the disagrees they want Microsoft to create a unreliable console.

[Panthers]

I think it is because they hope that there is no next time around for M$ lol.

[leeger]

don't ever mention the term realible, unrealible, failure rate, etc. cause it makes fanboys go ballistic. hahahaha

[shazam]

thats a great idea, microsoft would be the first to make it possible to pirate a console!

no longer would you have to sneak into the back of eb games and snatch one up!

/sarcasm

this is the dumbest article ever. and what is this consol going to run on thin air? it still needs hardware to run on.

[drewdrakes]

shazam - If they dont release hardware then why is it called an xbox? From what I see this means no disc format and more MMORPG's. As well it means they arent going to concentrate on the fastest hardware, kind of like the direction the wii went into.

[kewlkat007]

lol

Would be kewl, but if digital is the future, then I'm all for it but how you gonna buy games and such?

Lots of questions but its years away

[madmike]

yes hope sony can get some games out next time too injoy your pooray player

[plenty a tool]

people use their consoles for watching movies whether it's dvd or blu-ray. but not only that, how the hell can you trade a download once it's completed and something new is in the shops??

also, this would kill all the game shops if you had to download everything. they will boycott selling the console and peripherals and everything with it.

imo, the next xbox will have a blu ray player end of story.

[Tomdc]

what kind of retard answers a question by asking about 5 questions himself lol

[Jack Meahoffer]

You seriously think the industry would be better off with just Sony on the bleeding edge and Nintendo going after grandparents?

I disagree. Competion is very important. Whether Sony fans like the 360 or not you'd have to admit the 360's influence has helped the PS3. Otherwise you'd never know what universal in game voice chat was or achievements. Let alone smacking the arrogance out of their mouth making them drop the price sooner rather than later. The 360 lit a fire under the juggernaut from last generation. Having one console would be bad for gamers.

I think its a little short sighted and childish to wish for your favorite console to be the only one standing.

[godofthunder10]

i'll agree that the 360 need to have a more reliable console next time, just like the ps3 is this generation because when 30% to 35% have a problem with the 360 then it needs to be fix.i'm not saying that every one have a problem with the 360,hell i had one since launch and i never had 1 problem with mine yet but i guess i'm lucky so far.what i'm saying is that for every 100 that's sold about 30 to 35 of them will break and that's high.the problem that i have is how ps3 fans act like the ps has always been the most reliable console every made and it wasn't.

the ps had problems because of the defected drive in it.you could buy a new ps and put a new game in it and it would say can't read disc some times but after a month or so it would say can't read disc about 90% to 95% of the times and you will have to keep trying to make the game work by ejecting it over and over till it works.

the other problem i have is that ps fans are always saying that microsoft gave every one a 3 year warrinty because they don't want to pay the money to fix all the 360s right and they act like sony always do the right thing and they don't.

the ps had a high percentage of people haveing problem with the drives like i mention above but sony kept denying that the ps had a bad drive in them.sony had to be sued because they didn't want to pay to fix the pss.it was proofing that the ps did have a bad drive in them and sony knew about it but kept denying it because they didn't want to pay to fix the pss that was sold already.

sony finally fixed all the drives in the new pss but sony didn't do a damn thing for the people that bought the pss that had the bad drive in them,hell people like me that had to buy more them one (i bought 5 in about 1 1/2 years) was just stuck with them.

i'm not saying that microsoft does every thing right because they don't but atleast microsoft gave every one an extra 3 years warrinty on their own and didn't have to be sued to do it like sony did ,as a matter of fact sony didn't do anything about the pss that they sold before the lawsuit but ps3 fans still act like sony does nothing wrong.

the truth is that the ps3 is the most reliable console that was every sold and 360 fans should admit it because it's the truth,hell the people that had problems with them is to few to even mention.i don't think that a company could have made a more reliable product then the ps3.

fans of the ps3 need to admit the truth to instead of acting like sony is better then microsoft when it comes to their customers and how reliable sony other consoles are.ps3 fans should remember the first 2 ps before this one and all the problems that people had with them and how sony refused to fix the defected drives in them and treated their customers like sh*t back then because not only did they had to be sued to admit that the ps had a defected drive in it but they still didn't do a damn thing for their customers that bought the ones with the defected drives in them.

the truth and fact is that in reality sony did less for their customers with the ps then microsost is doing fo their customers with the 360.the fact is that sony knew about the defected drives but kept denying it because they didn't want to pay to fix them.they had to be sued to admit it and they still didn't do a damn thing for their customers because they didn't fix the ones they sold already and we were just stuck with the broken and defected ones.microsoft on the other hand atleast gave their customers a 3 year warrinty on their own and they didn't even have to get sued to do it.

every company learn and make mistakes as they go.sony did it and they learned their lessons on the first 2 pss and now they have the most reliable game console that was ever made and 360 fand shouldn't deny it because it's the truth and ps3 fans should admit that sony had a lot of problems with the ps and treated their customers wrong(the facts prove it).they should also admit microsoft treated their customers better with the 360 then sony did with the ps.when microsoft release their new console in about 3 years it will be a lot more reliable then it is now because just like sony,microsoft will learn from their mistake and will not make the same ones and they will make a better system.

i know that some 360 fans will disagree with me when i said that the ps3 is the most reliable console every made even when it's true.some ps3 fans will disagree with me when i said that sony had to be sued to admit that the ps had a defected drive in it and they knew it but didn't want to pay to fix the ones sold already and that microsoft treated their customers better with the 360 then sony treated their customers with the ps even when the first part is a fact and the second part is easy to see because sony didn't do anything for their customers that bought the ps with the defected drives in them,we were just stuck with them and we had to buy another one when it broke down and atleast microsoft gave their customers an extra 3 year warrinty with the 360.if both sides admit the truth with out being bias they all would agree but i know they want.

[NeoBasch]

@ godofthunder10

I won't disagree, but I won't agree either. You have some parts right and some parts wrong. Its hard for anyone to remember events that happened eight years ago. But, yes, the two PlayStations did have problems. Not so much the original PlayStation (overheating problems) as that was quickly dealt with. The PS2 was the one that had the problem. On top of that, they did provide a nice manner of addressing the issue just like Microsoft had.

Of course, it was after the lawsuit, but how long did it take Microsoft to set up their additional three year warranty service? Both were running around with their heads cut off until the problem became to big not to address. I'm sure they had a fair share of problems just coming up with a service to fix the darn things. Sony agreed to offer anybody with faulty consoles with free repairs or replacements for a significant amount of time. They fixed the problem back in July of 2003, but continued to offer support up through February of 2005. They even addressed yet another problem with the laser and offered a similar service. I don't think its fair to say they did nothing for those that bought the defective systems when, in fact, they did cater to those very people.

Also, the failure rate of the PS2 wasn't nearly as high as the 360. I believe the best answer we got as to the failure rate of the PS2 was 5%. This was probably just an estimate, and was actually more than that. But this never even came close to the reported 30%, likely more, failure rate of the 360. I feel Microsoft made a genuine mistake. I don't hold it against them. Hell, I'm happy their trying to fix the problem even though it seems like a giant of a task to accomplish. They're doing their best I'm sure. Or at least I hope so. I'm actually looking to pick up a new 360 soon. Mine died not because of the RROD, but a different problem (System Error 71... yeah, it's a mean one. After an auto update, the system experiences hardware failure and shuts down, can never be booted back up. Unless repaired. But I'm not taking my chances when Jasper sounds like it may address the previous models problems).

I wish all systems were made to be as reliable as the PS3. That thing is a work of art. Not one problem with it. And the ones that are reported are probably turning up to be less than 1% of the consensus. Small minuscule problems in the manufacturing more than likely. Here's hoping Microsoft becomes as good as Sony in creating great hardware. Wouldn't that be awesome, if all the discussion was focused solely on the games. I pray for that day to come.

I do have one funny story though. It was about my original Xbox. That thing was a beaut too. I rarely had a problem with it whatsoever. But just a year or two before I picked up my 360, my friends and I were playing Fuzion Frenzy in our basement. We were having a good time. Kicking back; relaxing, occasionally relishing in the competitive nature of the game. We were in one of the latter moments when something weird started happening. Little did we know the substance collecting at our feet. After a while, we bothered our noses and sniffed for anything strange. I believe it was my friend who piped up and asked, "Is something on fire?" It was then that we looked down and saw a pool of smoke rising to meet us. It was all over. Enveloped everything within distance of the console. :O Luckily, we shut it off in time but there might have been a few sparks here and there. Scary, but funny. I couldn't stop laughing at how oblivious we were to what was going one. I think the problem had to do with an exposed wire (only a tiny bit) on the AV cord. But I think we got a new Xbox just in case. :D

[Veryangryxbot]

There is not going to be a next xbox for the next 6 years at least. It is clear that Shane was just trying to avoid the question by giving a super vague answer.

But the author had to make something out of his arse. Shane never even mentioned anything online. The author made that up by himself.

And wtf is a digital console. Is the author retarded or what. Even flash based games require some form of hardware to run the damn thing.

Massive idiot.

[etownone]

"There is not going to be a next xbox for the next 6 years at least."

i hope you wrote that wrong, cause then you'd be saying we won't be seeing another xbox till what, 2014?

[Veryangryxbot]

Look kid or should I say bot. Games nowadays take 3-4 years to develop and cost millions rivaling even blockbuster movies. MGS4 alone cost 100 million to make.

Thats not counting any INVESTMENTS made by the companies themselves. These are merely production costs. You honestly think these companies are joying when MS comes with another console next year when the very fact is that current consoles are not even maxed out yet, especially the PS3.

That alone is reason enough why a new console will not be supported by the third party developers. Also, online will help prolong the life of the new consoles and Blu Ray, Cell and HDD were created to help prolong as well.

Oh woops, 360 doesnt have any of these! haha so I guess dead in the water is a correct term here.

Doesnt mean a new system is coming kiddo. No company, hell customer will support it. People dont buy a console so they can update it again in 2 years time. Consoles are 5-7 year investments at the very least. People buy consoles and expect not to have to update again for the foreseeable future. Releasing a new console in 2 years time destroys this image. And you will have one pissed off media.

In light of this, you made the wrong choice going for the 360 as it is non futureproof and prematurely blew all its cards. Now it has no choice but to sit through the rest of the war and do nothing. Its like COD4 search and destroy. You get taken out early and all you can do is just watch other folk play.

OWNED.

[tehReaper]

VeryAngryDumba$$-You're a moron.

2 years time? This is the THIRD year the 360 has been out. 2010-12 would be the time for a new Xbox. I'm sorry but your logic is flawed and like I said, you're a moron. You talk out your a$$ and you use nothing but bias to back it up.

Want to know why you are here talking crap? It's because you feel threatened. The ONLY reason why the 360 isn't selling as fast as it was, is because of RROD. And that my friend, has you scared.

No company, not even Microsoft, will ever make that big of a mistake twice. New Xbox=Better features, newer technology, RELIABLE hardware, NO RROD.

Don't act like a new console would be a bad thing, because Microsoft screwed up this generation with hardware design. Next time is a whole new ballgame.

Crawl out of your little Sony hole and get some sun. You're talking nonsense.

OWNED

[Jack Meahoffer]

You hit the nail on the head.

This tween doesn't know what hes talking about and has the nerve to call the author a retard. DUUUR whats a digital console? DUUR

These idiots would love having one console so their master couple rape them even harder. Only a child would wish for no competition.

[Pain]

M$ cant afford to keep XBOX 2 past 09.

Why ?
1) most games made on RROD 2 share the "Games for windows" and in 09 i REALLY doubt anything made on PC/PS3 CAN be down graded to XBOX 2 with out serious downgrading.

2) If M$ wants to keep up...They going to need more then that Tooster aka Cheap Crap PC parts to compet with whats going to come out on PlayStation later.

its called History kids.
-timspillters 1 compared to God of War 2...yea... history..same will happen on PS3. buckle Up.

3) if M$ want s to try and Push it Mass Dream of DLC then it needs new XBOX since XBOX 2 dont Cut it.

4) its M$....u just watch,think they Care about u kids? Or just Getting your Money... they did it befor they will do it again. 4 year console life.

[Hububla]

So your saying all those fans who jumped on the x-box bandwagon and got screwed over on the RROD issue are gunna rush out to by a new more expencive console made by the same company!? Customers dont forget that easy! Maybe its just me (wich i highly doubt) but when my 300-500$ console crashes and microsoft tells me to re-buy all the games and other crap i bought on the system then im done with that company!

[tehReaper]

Yeah, it's true I favor the 360 over the PS3. But I try NOT to be biased. I'm not a fanboy, I own a PS3 and Wii as well. That doesn't mean what I said isn't the truth.

Microsoft made a huge mistake, and they had to pay for it, along with millions of their fans. They won't be so naive next time. If you really think Microsoft will ignore that mistake, you're just stupid. Why would they damage their reputation once again, when they are out to make money?

Yeah, many people feel like they got screwed, but in reality they didn't. Microsoft is replacing the consoles that have the RROD. And it IS true that many people abandoned the 360, just like you said. But see, all the 720 needs is a year to prove itself. Once people know it won't break, more people will accept it. Die hard Sony fans probably won't because the PS3 will be well into it's life, but hey, it's their choice.

If the technology and reliability is there, consumers will buy it.

[Panthers]

Im tellin ya, it is not smart to release consoles every 5 years anymore because games take too long to make. The current consoles will still be going strong for years to come (except wii) and making a new console will just kill off the potential of the current one. I get excited just like anyone else each time a new console is released, but let this gen run its course first.

Also, I believe the next consoles will probably be all digital, unless this Time Warner thing becomes popular. I personally like my discs.

[mikeslemonade]

Good point right there. All the quality AAA games take on average 4 years to make. Only Ubisoft, Activision, and EA would benefit from a 4-5 year console life. So have fun playing rehash titles like Madden 11, Rainbow Six Vegas 4, COD7, and Splinter Cell 8.

[n to the b]

in case microsoft didn't make it obvious this time around, companies like sony/microsoft release their new console when it makes financial sense for them to do so - in other words, when they believe it will lead to the most $$$, ideally.

there could be other circumstances. maybe there wouldn't even be PS3 yet if 360 hadn't launched. but even that is still related to the $ and cents of it.

[SixZeroFour]

my game design instructor was talking about this last semester, and he said the with fully digital downloadable game it would be less stressful for game developers to make a game because then they can release part of the game and constantly produce expansions for the game later on

maybe i have no idea what im talking about, but i think thats what he said...if anyone knows what im talking about and has some knowledge about it...id love to hear it

[Panthers]

Well, the PS3 was a special case because of Blu-Ray. They wanted to get a cheap player on the market that would sneak into everyones home and they only had a little time to do it before HDDVD took hold. Unless they are trying to push another technology next time around then I think Sony will let the PS3 live out its life. They will release another console while they still support the PS3, but I hope that is later down the road.

[Panthers]

I hope that never happens, unless they charge a lot less for the first part of the game.

[DeadlyFire]

I still say its to early for it all to be digital. Digital could play a bigger role in the next generation, but it will not go all digital just yet. Its way to early. Maybe by 2030 or so it will be okay to do something this drastic, but not right now. Discs will live at least another 4-10+ years. Perhaps Flash drives might take the place of discs after or during that time as well when they start going down in prices and higher in storage space. They are too expensive though for anything during the next generation, but the generation after that maybe. Either way I believe their will always be something on store shelves for consumers to buy for the games they want or something like that.

As far as pushing a new Tech. I doubt Sony would push another one with Blu-Ray now working on 1 TB disc space. Microsoft or Nintendo on the other hand might look at another one. The other new disc formats are all looking at 1 TB disc size as well so Blu-Ray might be preparing for another battle in the coming years.

PS3's life will extend little further than the PS2's lifespan with more games and support and this trend will continue with each generation of playstation I believe. PS1 lasted about 5-6 years with new releases and PS2 has lasted about 6 or 7 years so far with some new releases. Microsoft would be wise to let the X360 live past 2009-2011 whenever the next generation comes about.

[NightVyper]

well with MS DRM policy there is no way i would get there digital system... because they are tracking that stuff some how and right now official policy is if your system fails buy it again, only this time you would be rebuying games major releases. too risky IMHO.

also what about trade ins?? i don't do it but 80% of my friends do... that will hurt them i dont think as many of our generation is as willing to get rid of physical media as MS thinks, at least i am not.

[poopface1]

instead of making half life 3 right after #2, valve made episode 1/2 and are making ep.3 right now. You can still buy them on disks but most of the buyers probaly dowload from steam.

[mindedone]

Does this mean a (gaming)OS only? That would be incredible if I interpreted it right.

[KLEPTOMANIAC]

sucks to have no internet when that comes out

[freediro]

if they try to release a new console any time soon when the 360 is still trying to get a lot more sales, big games, and going digital would be another move that could kill MS, DD might be the future but most gamers like to go buy a game have the box create a collection, trade in games, trade games with friends, buy used games, etc. MS would not only hurt themselves but other companies. yeah dont think so about all digital!

[etownone]

this year makes 3 years the 360 has been on the market, it is definitely time for that mass market "sweet spot" price.
I'm expecting a nice price drop at E3:
arcade $199
pro $249
elite $299

wishfull thinking? maybe, but i know those hard drives are way overpriced, and thats the only thing the really differentiates the 3.

and i hope they release a new one in 2010.
keep the 360 around for the mass market and the new 720 for the early adopters.

[trancefreak]

sounds about the right timing also a price drop would be nice.

[Finch]

Maybe they will do both. You can go out and buy the game at the store or you can buy it right online from your system afew dollars cheaper. Me i will be going to the store for the most part, but i can see maybe one or two games i may get online. Thats if its a game i want and can't wait until the store opens in the mourning and they put up there DL's at midnight or something the day before. Every game has a midnight release! I could deal with that and it would sucker me into getting it over the net instead of at the store the next day.

[n to the b]

bubbles

[Clinton514]

Be prepared to lose a chunk of your user base.

I'd never buy into that fully locked down BS.

[n to the b]

I forgot how much microsoft's DRM crap p1sses me off!!

[DoctorXpro]

Is bigger HHD. No discs!!!!

[beavis4play]

it would be game over. that kind of system is still years and years away from being a mainstream idea. ms, sony or whoever does this; they would crash and burn.

[Meresin]

Given that a lot of ISPs are currently experimenting with bandwidth caps, I don't expect fully digital consoles to be coming any time soon...Especially with 30+GB titles rolling out.

This really is just a pipe dream right now. There's far too many factors stacked against it for purely digital distribution to be viable.

[Morgue]

I think Shane KIm and Aaron Greenberg are going too leave M$ and make they're own game system.

[th3james]

unless major ISP's majorly up creation of faster larger developments

the internet might get very slow even for fast users

[AuToFiRE]

if they go digital it will have such an epic failure it will be worse than the RRoD, not everyone has super high speeds for broadband and therefore it will take months to download a single game, even at speed it will take hours if not days

[socalr6]

aAybe MS wants go get ot of the console business. They want XBOX Live to become like Windows. Run it on your own hardware, pay MS a yearly fee.

[Djomblade1]

I dont even want to hear or talk about the next consoles at all until at least 2013-2015. The next gen is here and now. I want to enjoy it to the fullest extent and for the longest time. Im almost burnt out really. Give me at least another 5-7 years before a new console is being talked about LOL.

[karlostomy]

It will further cement the 360 lead, as casual users come on-board.

Plus, i think the ps3 is good value.. after all it has a built in bluray player. So the 360 needs to remain cost competitive to stay ahead.

As for the reason for the historic lack of 360 price cuts, my guess is that MS have a 360 product that *is* selling and *is* profitable. MS know SOny is bleeding on ps3 sales. Hence for MS there is no need to cut 360 prices, while the ps3 is unable to match any more price cuts.

But it will come soon.

[zapass]

LOL!

this is soooooooooo completely dumb!

shane kim: Chief Clown Officer

[baum]

If it's rrod free and disc free, then it would be more next-gen than anything unless Sony or Nintendo launch discless machines. But something I would personally require, would be game streaming, not game downloading. If the console does not require huge HDDs because it will have music, movie and game streaming, then it would be a dream. That way games could be waaaaaaaaaay bigger than the "measly" 200GB Blu-ray discs, and Microsoft wouldn't have to make a half next-gen half not so much next-gen console, since they wouldn't need to look for partners or to give Sony some money for each console and game sold. Hopefully Sony will also take this path. I'm sick of using discs, downloading is so convenient.

[ice_prophecy]

I like My CD rack of Games.......

I like to see it. Hold it. Smell it.

Just like my DVDs.

Digital is great... But I still want a Damn CASE!

I swear the industry is getting cheap ass on us!

I remember when Games used to come with Magnificent Boxes and extravagant Manuals ala Baulders Gate, Diablo 2, etc etc.

Suddenly It became a half size box with the CD case and the Manual. I thought OK. Still acceptable.

In recent times Its just a bloody DVD case with the manual slotted in the inside and they have the nerve to charge me 120$ Australian Dollars? DOWN RIGHT CRAZY!

ps: I know, I know, production costs and all - but still!

[Ali_The_Brit]

the Xbox360 CAN NOT beat the PS3, can the Xbox 720? possibly

[heavyarms]

and add a ....
Blue ray player and big A$$ hard drive. 1tb hard drive with a blue ray player, ability to download games digital like the steam software. That would be great and sell it for like $400 and i'm in.

[agentace]

then there wont be a limit for a game to fit on a DVD and xbox could get bigger game but even some1 for with a fast internet connection it will take a while to download what about the people with not so good download speeds it will take days-weeks and what about the people with download limits they will only be allowed like 1/4 of a game a month.

a console shouldn`t be digital,atleast not until internet is everywhere with no limits and really strong

[pow3r of t3h c3ll]

I think they are desperate to get the 720 out before the 360 gets overtaken by the PS3 so they can claim some sort of feeble false victory over the PS3, what a bunch of losers!!!

[plenty a tool]

your comment just makes you look stupid.

there wont be another xbox til 2010/11, and by then, sony will have overtaken microsoft. microsoft know this will happen, but sony will have only gotten there through brand name, and a few games. but sony have been humbled seriously this gen.

next gen will be even more tougher for sony. nintendo will romp home this gen with a spectacular turnaround, and together with microsoft, will eat even more of the market sony once dominated.

second place and sony will see even more of each other from now on in. next-gen, if sony come late to the nintendo microsoft party, they may evne finish third.

[pow3r of t3h c3ll]

PS3 sales are actually on par with PS2 sales so in 6 years there will be 120 million PS3s out there.

The difference between this gen and last is that Nintendo will also be hugely successful while M$ continue to be the loser again so sony have not been humbled, people can own a PS3 and a wii but not a 360 mostly due to worse brand image than PS3 among the general population.

Btw in terms of games the PS3 has a lot more exclusives coming than the 360 cus sony owns more 1st party devs. M$ continue to bribe devs but they are mostly just timed exclusives anyway so the PS3 will also end up with a lot more exclusives than the 360, and no they will not all be as bad as lair and haze so dont even try to say that!

Well im away to cryogenicaly freeze myself, see you in 6 years so I can point at you and say OWNED!!!

[TrevorPhillips]

well aslong it dosent have the ring of death lol but prob ps4 will be more advanced

[PS3ALLDAY122]

looks like a bomb ready to go off i think M$ may drop out of the race for good they could start to make games

[Time_Is_On_My_Side]

The Phantom was suppose to be this console that distributed games completely digitally. The reason why it failed to launch in 2005 was that the online delivery software was still in development, licensing games or not getting any retailers. You would have to pay a monthly fee to download a limited amount of games for that month.

It was interesting but it was cancelled.

[blinker flewid]

its clear each console has their pro's and con's, with respect to favoritism. but why worry about the new xbox this year? or next year? 2010 is when we'll be seeing some real info. and as history has shown, the industry usually starts working on the next-gen as soon as they release their new unit. it's all speculative. r & d at this point. look at nintendo. they dropped the ball with gamecube sure, there were a few good games. but they did their homework and found their niche market and are making a killing. sony was the powerhouse and continued that path with the ps3. ms came in late in the game last gen, but as ugly and bulky as the system was, they found a market as well. they admittedly did something right with the 360 as far as graphics and multiplayer are concerned. i dont think the ps guys could even argue that.

a perfect example of milking the market is sega. as good as nearly all of their systems were, and i loved the dreamcast, hitting the consumer with a new console every two years took its toll. could you imagine a new playstation or xbox every two years, esp. in this economy?

but back on topic. a 'digital console'? personally, i would rather a physical object in which to play games on. something about digital makes me think.. unstable?

[Sphinx]

What is everyone getting upset over?

[icarus2256]

Everyone who says that need to hold onto something physical is really living in the past. Sony's Blu Ray will be short lived since all major players IE: Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, Comcast, Amazon are moving to the digital distribution. Any for everyone who cry's like a baby going Your HD download though isn't like my 50GB Blu Ray disc is clearly ignorant or just plain retarded. Obviously no one here is a CS student or has worked in technology before. There's a little something called compression and the techniques they use today are incredible. DD is the way of the future and it will be mainstream I believe in the next 3-5 years and when you add the resources of Apple, Microsoft, and Comcast you get things done quickly.

[Ravenator529]

Three to five years? I don't think so.

First off, to watch a Netflix (download) movie or Amazon "unbox" movie, you either need a Tivo box connected to the net(Amazon) or watch them from your PC (both). I didn't spend upwards of $5000 on a home theatre system and HD television to watch movies on my PC. Yes, I do have a PC hooked to my HDTV set as well. And no, the picture is nowhere near the quality of a Blu-Ray disk. Not to mention that none of the movies on "unbox" are in HD format to begin with. And a HD Tivo box is still upwards of $300. You can get a Blu-Ray player cheaper than that now. I use the unbox service every once in a while but it still doesn't make sense to pay upwards of $4 a download when a "Redbox" vending machine lets me have a "new" movie for $1 a night. And I can reserve the movie online so I don't waste a trip.

Second, you say Comast is going to be one of the leaders? Really? It's called "On Demand" and Comcast doesn't "own" "On Demand". All of the other service providers "provide" "On Demand". Not to mention that Comcast is rated at the "bottom" of just about every list when it comes to HD programming as far as quality is concerned. Did you forget about Fios? Once Fios is readily available, Comcast won't be able to touch it's price, speed, service, and quality. Comcast is garbage! And I have Comcast and I know that. I'm just waiting for Fios to hit my area.

Don't hold your breath for the "all digital download" era. The only media that I can see going "all digital" in the very distant future is music media. Artists are seeing that digital downloads can release them from the grip of the "music industry". A band can sell their entire album digitally on their website without any contracts or involvement with record labels. And the best part, they get to keep their own music. So that may be the only thing I agree with. But it won't be in the next 3-5 years.

[Time_Is_On_My_Side]

Honestly digital distribution will make an impact but it won't take over physical media. Physical media is fast, easy to travel, and is secured. Do you think people will want photos to be in a digital album or have it physical. It's best to have a digital copy for reference or to manipulate. Overall people will stick to physical because it's safer and easier. I think digital distribution can be an alternative otherwise it won't take over. Rogers and Digital Satellite have been around for ages now. So far it hasn't made enough impact to replace hard media. The most important fact will be memory my non-gaming PC (Personal Computer) has low memory from two games. So would need major upgrades to store all that content even if it's on my digital device.

Blu-ray Disc

Pros

•· Can travel with you.
•· No need for internet access points to watch.
•· Can port it to a smaller media device for free.
•· Can use the interactivity to use the features on BD Live.
•· PlayStation 3 is an up gradable Blu-ray player.
•· BD Live offers distribution content.
•· PlayStation 3 is a cheap Blu-ray player.
•· Security of the client's and company's content is secure.

Cons
•· BD Live needs an internet connection.
•· Blu-ray Discs cost more than regular DVDs.
•· Stand alone Blu-ray players can be expensive.
•· Not much independent (indie) content on Blu-ray discs.

Digital Distribution

Pros
•· This will be a true on demand service.
•· Portability is much easier if you're on the road.
•· More independent (indie) content can be noticed.
•· Cheaper to distribute to the public.
•· Will give you new content.

Cons
•· Networks can shut down because of traffic.
•· Downloading HD (high definition) content to devices may take time.
•· Might have to go through a profile set-up before doing anything.
•· Content might not be as clear as Blu-ray content.
•· Features might be lacking with the movie rentals.
•· Everything has a price and with its own price points for each company's product.
•· Security violation to client's and company's rights can be exploited.
•· A rent only service (possible)

Rogers Digital Cable / Satellite

Pros
•· With your subscription you get a decent amount of free on demand content.
•· It keeps up dating itself with new content.
•· I can keep up with my TV shows if I missed them.
•· Free HD content.
•· Watch content shown in other countries on local networks.
•· No profiles needed.
•· Low price.
•· Security of client's and company's content is secure.
•· Old content does come back to the service.

Cons
•· You don't always have access to the same content since it up dates itself.
•· Rogers doesn't always show HD but is slowly changing.
•· No extra features with your content.
•· It's a home service.
•· Network sometimes shuts down on you.
•· Everything isn't on one channel.
•· Not really a true on demand service.
•· Old content gets removed after a months' time being available.

Digital Distribution Won't Take Over Blog HTML: http://www.gamespot.com/use...

[Ravenator529]

Digital movies and games will always be an "option" but never the standard. Even if they are "cheaper" than physical media.

How do you "re-sell" a digital download? You can't, at least not yet.

It may be "easier", "cheaper", and more "convenient" but people will still want to own a physical piece of media.

[Satans Cousin]

I for one am sick of getting my disc scratch by my console,and other minor incidents...which in turn reder them unplayable after a while.If i pay 59 plus dollars on game it better last a lifetime.But im all for the digital world in games.

[Rom828]

Tyrael wrote in another blog (Your quote was too good to pass up):

"... What hopes they had to increase popularity for the next generation is somewhat decreased by the skepticism of the Red Ring of Death. Consequentially, Microsoft will try extra hard to prevent a hardware problem for the next unit, and yet people will be too afraid to purchase."

Too true! That's me...

[icarus2256]

This just in.....beep, beep, beep. Ravenator doesn't believe in technology changing LOL. Do I need to remind you what has happened over the last 5 years. Come on. Enjoy playing on your Atari 2600 obviously it will be the console of the future. LOL

[N4g_null]

The next xbox will be a PC standard from intel MS and maybe a GPU maker. Then the hardware problem is only a matter of tastes. Scalable performance is the future of console gaming. Some thing I hoped the PS3 would achieve. Cheap gamers want some thing to get the job done yet HD gamer have proven they will pay way more for graphics and Hard drive space. This is the last step for the assimilation of the console market into the PC market. This could be bigger than you though if those parties do get involved.

LOL all powered by vista too LOL Man would that be funny. Every one has been asking for this and they may just get it now CRAZY!

[ip-student]

You might not like it and it is annoying for people that like to trade in games but it is coming because MS, Sony and Nintendo don't make any money off those traded-in games. If it comes with a flash HDD, it will be a lot faster than optical disks and a lot quieter as well.

Look at Steam - that is one way how it could work out. I wouldn't be surprised to see more of a cloud-based console but we are probably a generation away from that. But digital downloads of retail games - definitely in the next generation. You might still have both but I suspect digital downloads will be cheaper and so you will tend to go for them.

In fact, that is why PC gaming isn't dying, it is morphing into something different. The evolution will continue.

[Tyrael]

I seriously doubt hardware will be a problem for Microsoft's next console. With that being said, sales will lag because people will be scared anyways. It's just like 9/11 - people were afraid to fly after the incident, when infact that is the best time to fly because security measures are increased tenfold.

[Citizen Cook]

I think there will be

1. Two SKU's, one will include a Blu-Ray drive, the other won't have any drive at all.
2. HDD will be standard on both SKU's, the CORE (with the Blu-Ray drive) will have a 250GB HDD, the PREMIUM at least 1TB... because everything will be digital delivery.
3. No standard pad, instead some ginmmicky wave your stick Ninteno-ish bastard hybrid...

That is all

HA HA HA HA!

[G4drake]

well i don,t know.

but what about the consume of energy?

[cl63AMG]

well at least something completely digital can't rrod...

...i don't think

[himdeel]

...kind of exciting and a bit scary at the same time. It's exciting because they are considering what I could consider a next-gen format. However, it's also scary because I'm not particularly ready for another MS system UNLESS they continue to support the 360.

[MANCREEP]

How much many more 360 would have sold, if they the whole RROD fiasco happened. Every System has its disadvantages, but take away the RRoD crap, and you would have had a pretty flawless machine.

I still think the Dreamcast was WAY ahead of its time.

[aiphanes]

Because ATT and Timewarner are now talking about bandwidth caps and charging more for the users who exceed the caps. They are talking about $1 per gig over the cap...so most 1080p movies compressed will be at least 15 gigs. If the cap is set to 45 gigs per month...how are you going to download games and movies?

[Ohohoho]

Damn, you're getting a bargain with that. My ISP in Canada initiated Bandwidth caps this month, and for my plan it's $2 extra per GB over 60GB.

Sucks too because they used to be the best ISP around, and now they suck. I can't seed any torrents for very long without worrying about how much I'm going to have to pay because of it.

I never DL anything too big, but I like OST's and some complete collections go over 3, 4, up to 6 gigs.

[Ohohoho]

Will have NO discs. I'm telling you right now. With the way M$ has been talking about Digital Distribution, that's the way they're going to go with their next console. Mark my words.

And once they do that, that will be the end of Microsoft making money in the VG Industry. Pirates will have field day with the 720.

[ip-student]

If you have to download the media then you can have a completely closed system that only logs on to MS servers - there is no way to distribute pirated games and the system will be so closed that piracy will be almost impossible.

But we will see - people are pretty resourceful so it is possible that pirates will figure something out.

[chasuk08]

This would be the downfall of all consoles. Full Games eg: Halo 4 will never ever be made only for download, they will never ever get 8 mil downloads, unless its free. Simply down to the fact that most younger gamers wont be able to use credit cards, and broadband is at least 10-20 years away from being able to dowbload 50gb+ games in a reasonable time and hardrives would need to be 4TB+ in every console and they would need to be less than £100 to produce, which i cant see that happening for a while.

And i also think that many people actually want a physical collection of discs rather than files on computer, as its safer, it looks better, and more convienient.

[hrusa2]

xbox 360 je zkurvená poruchová sračka, která hučí jako prase. další xbox bych si nekoupil, i kdyby byly hry zadarmo. k čemu mi budou hry , když bude konzole rozbitá.