***X-Box 3 in 2010 or 2011***

No matter what anyone wants to say about the Xbox, the bottom line is that Microsoft gave up on the Xbox after only 4 years. That's nothing in gaming years. Microsoft simply took their ball and went home, leaving fans that paid hard-earned money stranded at the carnival without a ride home. Fortunately for Microsoft, Xbox fans, in general, are a loyal lot.

Well, if Bobby Bach is to be believed, Microsoft is getting ready to do it all over again. If that's the case, count me out.

Robert Bach, the President of the Entertainment and Devices division of Microsoft gave an interview to Venturebeat.com recently and many gaming sites picked up on one tidbit in the interview:

Microsoft wants to be the first one out of the gate with the NEXT, next-gen console. Specifically, he said, "If you take the question of whether it was the right thing to try to be first, the answer to that is definitely yes. It has given us a leg up in a number of places that are super important. It has given us a leg up with game developers. It has given us a leg up from an economics perspective. It helped us expand Xbox Live quickly. At a strategy level, if you asked if we wanted to be first again, I would say yes."

While this factoid, in and of itself, isn't a big deal, when you couple it with what we know about Microsoft and their gaming hardware cycles, you'll realize that that release date is fast approaching.

If 2010 or 2011 really is their window for releasing the next Xbox, I don't think I'll be one of those early adopters. You'd think, by now, that Microsoft would have learned their lesson about being "first" and "quickest" to the market. Their haste to get to the starting line first resulted in a loss of over a billion dollars and a loss of unquantifiable consumer confidence, no matter what the PR spin on the Red Ring of Death fiasco is this week.

I don't want another new console to shell out $600 bucks for. Sony has repeatedly said that they plan on having a 10 year life cycle for the PS3 and I applaud them for that. Will Sony ever realize the potential of the PS3? Who knows, but at least one company is sticking to its guns and isn't out searching for the next big thing.

Sure, if the next, next-gen Xbox is launched in 2011 it will be six years from the 360's launch, but what about people that aren't early adopters? There's a lot of us out there that didn't buy an Xbox 360 until 2006, or 2007, or even more of us out there that still haven't purchased the console yet. What about us, Microsoft?

Microsoft, don't run out on us, like you did to the original Xbox guys. In your rush to be first, you may end up leaving the rest of us behind... Permanently.

LINK TO THE ARTICLE

You're blowing things massively out of proportion.

Firstly, even if the 360 hits in 2010, that'll mean that the 360 had a five year lifecycle before its successor hits. That's in line with what every other console manufacturer has done.

Secondly, the original Xbox was bleeding money then faster than Nintendo is making it now. Manufacturing it was a huge losing proposition on Microsoft's end. They had to get rid of it. The 360, on the other hand, has had multiple profitable quarters recently, which is more than could be said for the Xbox. Since the 360 is capable of making them money, they have no reason to prematurely kill support for it.

I don't see the problem.

Because five to six year lifespans are so uncommon. :|

And do you SERIOUSLY think that MS would cut support to the 360, a machine they are making a profit on, as they did the Xbox, which was a money sinkhole?

Because five to six year lifespans are so uncommon. :|

Verge_6

Should be uncommon, because consoles are become cheap watered down PC's

How does releasing it in 2010 or 2011 hurt those who bought it in 2006 or 2007? That gives those late adopters 3-4 yrs to enjoy the games, and I'm guessing they'll have it backwards compatible, so even if you do miss out on game because you wait until 2009 to buy the system, you probably won't be out of luck. I'm no lemming, but I'm pointing out that that's a fairly weak argument.

Microsoft is all about money. They were out of the gates first this gen and made money. Why not try again?

6 years after the 360? I'll be ready

Do you realise how outdated the tech will be by that time?

Also, its 2011 or 2012 http://thexboxdomain.com/2007/03/12/next-xbox-in-2011-2012/

err here let me explain with maths

10-5 = 5

5 =/= 4

happy now?

Thats about when I expected it. 5-6 years is a good length for a console to me.

sarcasticgamer.com is a great source

EDIT oh and the xbox boys learned that by releasing first they've managed to maintain a lead over sony so far this gen despite their last console being outsold by about 100 mil, hhmmmmm ........

A five year life cycle is long enough.

How many folks keep a PC for five years without updating at least some of the hardware?

A Ten year life cycle is fine and dandy, but I have no issue re-tooling my consoles every half decade.

Lol, i am 100% ready for the NextBox, i'd buy it if it came out next month if it's a 100% superior console, waiting until 2010/11 is fine with me though.

4 years for a console sounds fine with me, console's tend to become inferior a year after release

If this is true... it will hurt Sony once again for late start in the next gen race... or will Sony bring out a better hardware than X-Box 3?aka_aj03

The question is how much of a factor is "Better hardware" PS2 had nearly a two year jump in Japan and a year jump in North America, had the worst hardware of the big three yet sold nearly three times as many consoles as Microsoft and Nintendo combine.

And even if MS finishes third in sales, it won't be by the same sort of margin as last time.

If this is true... it will hurt Sony once again for late start in the next gen race... or will Sony bring out a better hardware than X-Box 3?aka_aj03

It'll be PS3 vs xbox 3

You do know the reason ms gave up on teh first xbox? It was because intel and nvidia were making all the money and MS couldn't control costs due to the way they licensed the technology.

And the 10 year lifecycle of the PS3 doesn't mean it will be 10 years between consoles. But that they will support it for 10 years. Like the PS2 is still getting support.

I will not buy another xbox.

when will microsoft learn

If this is true... it will hurt Sony once again for late start in the next gen race... or will Sony bring out a better hardware than X-Box 3?aka_aj03

I agree with you...

By MS releasing the 360 a year ahead of the PS3 they have accomplish a few things..

1. Resetting the clock in terms of user base. This had a huge affect on developers..This is one of the reasons why we see so many multi-plats this gen..

2.Has set up Sony to make a decision on if they should wait out a another year OR introduce the next PS a year early..Both are not in the best interest of Sony's business plan..

I will not buy another xbox.

when will microsoft learn

epic_pets

Oh well...

I will not buy another xbox.

when will microsoft learn

epic_pets

What, microsoft need to learn you wont buy another xbox?

2010 would be perfectly acceptable for the 720 (that is five years) , why is everyone making a huge deal about it ? I just hope they show the 360 some love and big game support late 2010 and early 2011.

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

darthogre

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

darthogre

jesus consolites, why do you want to stay with old hardware all the time? i like what microsoft is doing, speeding up the gaming industry in terms of techRiki101

[QUOTE="darthogre"]

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

Riki101

[QUOTE="Riki101"]jesus consolites, why do you want to stay with old hardware all the time? i like what microsoft is doing, speeding up the gaming industry in terms of techDreams-Visions

[QUOTE="darthogre"]

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

Riki101

I said it once, I'll say it again, MS would be fools to release another console after their first two disasters.DaBrainz

even though they have actually making money off the 360? cant say the same for the PS3

Microsoft has said that the Xbox 360 is meant to last much longer than their previous one. The reason the first one was killed off so quickly was because MS needed to get a head start for the next generation if they were to make an actual profit.

Shane Kim has said in a recent interview with GT that the 360 is still in it's EARLY years and there are a lot of thing that they have in store for it.

microsoft said no new console untill 2011-2012

they also said to expect at least 7 years of 360 support

Microsoft has said that the Xbox 360 is meant to last much longer than their previous one. The reason the first one was killed off so quickly was because MS needed to get a head start for the next generation if they were to make an actual profit.

Shane Kim has said in a recent interview with GT that the 360 is still in it's EARLY years and there are a lot of thing that they have in store for it.

martialbullet

microsoft said no new console untill 2011-2012

they also said to expect at least 7 years of 360 support

st1ka

I'm hoping for 10 years, but that depends on lots of stuff

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

darthogre

i agree. seems like a 5 year cycle diluted into a 10 year cycle given sony's current pace. i mean, 1 exclusive above AAAE, the wait-from-2005-to-2009-for-killzone2, the very distant home, the endless flops, throwing in a bit of in-game XMB a couple of years later, ripping off trpohies after learning about their existance... the list goes on.

[QUOTE="st1ka"]

microsoft said no new console untill 2011-2012

they also said to expect at least 7 years of 360 support

killerfist

I'm hoping for 10 years, but that depends on lots of stuff

remember, they said at least 7 years, we dont know if by 7 years they mean 7 years before the xbox 3 is launched

[QUOTE="darthogre"]

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

Riki101

I call BS again on that thinking. You don't support a failure, what you do is put all your resources to the next project to make sure it's the success that PS2 or Wii was. If the Wii absoultely continues to kill them and X360 continues to steal their previous installed base, why would they support it until 2016.......just because? I mean come on, Gcube and Xbox support was dropped like bad habit. And let's not forget the many promises Sony has already broken on the PS3 already....that being 4D graphics, 120 FPS, true 1080p games.....should I go on?

Sony is going to say they are going to support this console to try to get you to buy it. If they said "Well, we're going to support it until unless it doesn't generate the revenue we want" do you think that would give you confindence to buy a PS3.....of course not, it sounds better when you say "We are goign to support it for 10 years no matter what". Their a business, they are just telling you what you want to hear. Sony will drop PS3 support the moment it seems that PS4 needs the attention.....I can assure you they are not going to be blindsided like they were with the X360 again.

[QUOTE="darthogre"]

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

Riki101

I can understand the support but 3 years? That's where I lost you. You know there's a reason why the PS3 was set at such a high price. Again, this generation is much different from the previous ones. MS and Sony have made it their goal to make their consoles "futureproof."

Also, it would be unwise for the two companies to bring out a new console in a couple of years. For MS, it's more of reliability. They need to gain back that trust. For Sony, it's more of making a reasonable profit out of the PS3. Add the fact that the U.S. is in recession, (and will probably still be in the future) then you've got something that can potentially bring down the industry.

[QUOTE="darthogre"]

I don't buy this "10 year life cycle" for the PS3 one bit.

It was too slow of a start, I say PS4 will be out by 2012.

Riki101

should make it clear the dates you gave are just wild speculation on your part.