You don't think they could have a dual launch for Halo 4, one for the 360 and one for the Next Box?

And risk splitting their sales and userbase?  Hell no... this is M$, not Nintendo!  Besides, it's not like the 360 is on its way out and dying like the GC was when TP was scheduled to be released.  The 360 still has 2 full healthy years of software ahead of it, and it's currently the top-selling console by a large margin in North America because of the strength of its software library and because of M$'s ability to tap into the "expanded" gaming audience with Kinect and capitalize on the total lack of support the Wii has been getting over the past year or so.

We might see the reveal of all next gen consoles in 2012 but I'd be willing to bet my entire game collection that they won't all release in 2012. It's just too soon.

I don't get the "it's too soon" mentality for a 2012 release. The Xbox launched in Holiday 2005, so that would be a full 7 years later when most generations are 5 years. The PS3 and Wii would be at 6 years, so still longer than a normal generation. I think the fact that we've reached a point in this generation where it's all sequels and no major graphics or gameplay shifts come about anymore shows that it is in fact time for a new console.

I say bring on 2012! And I cannot wait for E3 2012 either!

I didn't mean it's too soon in that way. I meant that if developpers are just now getting devkits, a 2012 launch is too soon since there won't be enough time to get some decent games out.

Oh no, I understand what you meant. It's the others that are saying this gen needs to last a few more years that I don't get. Though the 360 was a rather rushed launch, so who knows. Maybe the "target boxes" have been there for a long time and the more official finalized ones haven't yet because they are trying to get the best hardware/reliability combo? How long would it take you to convert a game from similar hardware to the final product? Surely a year would be enough in that regard.

At this point though, it is anyone's guess.

Wii U of course launches next year but I still don't think that MS and Sony will do the same. Nintendo will have full blowout 2012 E3 and will launch Wii U autumn. MS has maybe small teaser about next gen like Nintendo had this year but they will have the full blowout following E3 and will launch between summer and autumn 2013. MS has new halo release for next year and X360 is still doing so well so they will wait that extra year. Sony will focus next year in Vita and their E3 is completely about Vita and PS3. They will reveal PS4 E3 2013 like MS and will launch same time or some months later.

Also next gen started already this year with the launch of 3DS......

make that two of us.

I really don't think MS wants to give nintendo an entire year with a "next-gen" console in market.

If they can parallel their launch or release it early 2013 with relatively better hardware, they would definitely be able to steer away a lot of the hardcore guys, or from going over to Nintendo. Plus they also have the casual audience covered with that Kinect 2.0 built in. This can put some serious challenge to Wii U sales as they aren't a lone wolf competing in either casual or hardcore department.

Sony I don't know, they are already releasing a pretty high profile Vita against the 3DS after allowing the 3DS to settle in millions of units, I don't think MS will make that mistake.

More rumors? It's starting...

And are these different than the next-box rumors from ~a couple of days ago?