Xbox 720 dev kits send out to devs by christmas 2011

[NightDragon83]

superchunk said:

 

Devs have had target boxes which are really early dev kits for awhile now. These dev kits are just more finalized. Additionally, reread my post above regarding 1st year software.

3rd parties will have a lot of cross platform stuff ready with obvious upgrades for the new consoles and MS themselves will have a few unique titles to try and pursued users to upgrade... including a new Kinect.

With the hardware being essentially done before this year's over AND software already being built, especially in the far more important area of engines which have been out already from almost all major players, its far more likely we'll see a 2012 release than you think.

I am by far not a MS fanboy, but its just too obvious that its coming early. Additionally, you have to include WiiU in the topic of software. 3rd parties have had their dev kits for even longer... meaning 3rd parties have already been building 'next-gen' games and one of WiiU's goals was to make it an easy to port console so they don't fall into a trap again with no 3rd party support.

So to recap... hardware appears to be ready. Software should be more than plentiful from 3rd parties. We've seen plenty of proof suggesting many of MS studios and partners have ample time to be building a next-gen title. (gears4 anyone?)It makes the most sense in terms of competition as it doesn't allow Nintendo a big lead off with no competition as well as jumping out ahead of Sony's PS4. Heck, there must be something pretty far along... remember at E3 there were tons of rumors MS was going to show off their next box then.

I don't know if I'd bet on a CES announcement... but I know we'll see it at E3 and I think its hihghly probable to release in 2012. To outright discount it is really the only lack of all rationality that exists in this thread.

The Wii U argument does not make your case... 3rd parties have had hardware kits longer because the Wii U is itself farther along in development than M$'s next console, and the hardware is pretty much finalized.  And just about every 3rd party "next-gen" game for the Wii U announced so far is also a current-gen game for 360/PS3, just slightly more optimized for the Wii U console, if not simply a straight port altogether.  The hardware for M$'s new console on the other hand is far from done, and probably won't be finalized until the latter half of 2012 at the absolute earliest.  Then of course they have to manufacture the units and get them ready for launch... this also takes months to do, and the last thing M$ wants is to have a launch plagued by faulty hardware like they did last time around with the 360.

Nintendo is not M$'s main competiton... nobody who already owns a 360 is going to buy a Wii U just to play games like COD or GTAV on it (assuming the Wii U actually GETS these games at or near launch in the first place), so there's no reason for M$ to needlessly rush the launch of their next system, possibly botching it with faulty hardware and having no compelling software, and giving Sony an opening in 2013 or early '14 to capitalize on their mistakes.

Also, the NextBox's launch won't be led by 3rd party current gen multiplat titles with ever so slightly better graphics (if not just straight up ports) like the Wii U's will be... they will be a clear step up in both the visuals and the programming, engines, and game AI they'll be using.  Nobody is going to drop $400 or more on a new system just for slightly better visuals in the next COD.  And M$ has already blown their load when it comes to exclusives... in the past year, we've had Fable 3, Forza 3, Gears 3, Halo Reach, and next year we're getting Halo 4 on 360 (NOT the "720"!)... all of these games required an absolute MINIMUM of 2 years dev time between sequels.  So do you really honestly expect them to have any games from their major exclusive series ready for a new console launch next year?

And to say that no one can discount a 2012 release if M$ waits until E3 to make an official announcement about the 360's successor... that is the biggest lack of rationality in this thread.