Is Microsoft Already Manufacturing the Next Xbox?

[JEMC]

superchunk said:

JEMC said:

I'm sorry but no, if they are making consoles in Texas, they are probably dev kits to be sent to 3rd parties.

What rumors said last year was that some developers (EA) had PCs with the intended hardware specs of the nextbox. But those where PCs with of the shelf hardware. What they can be making now are the dev kits with near final specs to be sent to as many 3rd parties as possible to prepare games for the console's launch in 2013.

Let's face it, there's no chance that Microsoft (neither Sony nor Nintendo) will mass produce an electronic device outside of China. It would be too expensive.

No, the rumors in dec specifically stated final dev kits were being produced. Not PC shells. However, it is just as plausible that rumors were wrong and this is the final dev kit finally being produced for everyone.

Yep, you're right:

"Ubisoft Montreal is hard at work on 'target boxes' based on the intended specifications of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 successor, according to an Edge source. Delivery of the first iteration of genuine devkits, running custom hardware, is expected to reach studios before Christmas, and all signs point to the finalised console arriving at retail in late 2012."

http://www.edge-online.com/news/next-generation-arrive-2012

My memory isn't as good as it was.

Still I don't think these consoles are "real" consoles. I still think that mass production will be made in China, not in USA, simply because the manufacturing costs.It makes little sense (from a business point of view) to do it otherwise.