CVG

The next generation Xbox will launch in 2013, according to a CNET source said to be working within Microsoft's Xbox team.

Multiple sources also informed the tech site that there's a new face responsible for Xbox brand and design leadership as Microsoft moves towards launching Xbox 360's successor.

Don Coyner, who had guided that strategy since Xbox's inception over a decade ago, and most recently served as general manager of entertainment design at Microsoft, has reportedly taken on a different role at the company.

Emma Williams, who led the launch of the new Xbox 360 dashboard as general manager of Xbox Experiences, has apparently assumed Coyner's former position.

Microsoft refused to comment on a potential Xbox 360 successor or personnel changes.

The firm has long spoken of its ten-year plan for Xbox 360, which launched in late 2005, but that doesn't rule out a successor launching during the period, according to European Xbox boss Chris Lewis, who said in August:

"We think we're a little over halfway with the life cycle of the console, but that's not to say there won't be an overlap. I'm not going to announce specifically or talk about timing. But you could imagine there could be overlap, it depends. We're not being specific about the next generation at this stage."

Microsoft is rumoured to be planning to make the first official announcements about Xbox 720at the CES expo in January 2012.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/329829/xbox-720-launching-in-2013-microsoft-source-confirms/

2013? Not bad. Hopefully GTAV comes out Spring 2012, that'll tide me over till the Next Xbox.

That's a smart move for them.
The 360 released like a brick in many many ways.
But the work of Emma Williams has really turned the system into a really, well, I'd call it chic, system.
Even though it's mostly just the dashboard and well, the redesign she might not have had anything to do with, but if she's involved with the overall design of the new system, expect something classy and minimal... no weird curvyness like the current system. More likely something trapezoidal or rhombus like, with some artistic large vents.
PS3 is cool, but MS has done a great job making their system chic, which follows trend really well with the Wii and Ipadpodphones etc.

All great news.

Xbox is a great brand.

Much more than a Game console.

Good if true, 2013 seems like perfect timing:

2012 will still be a good year for 360, release of Halo 4 as it's game swan song.

2013 will start to see 360 decline, so putting another console on the market makes sense, and if the 720 sells at a loss, the 360 sales (will be on the market at least till 2015, they won't cut off this cycle) will be able to offset any losses.

Not to far behind the WiiU, 2014 would be too far away.

2013 sounds like a good year for me. I am almost but not quite ready to start the next gen, will probably get the nextbox in 2013 if it releases than and also a wiiU that year also.

Yeah 2013 sounds like the perfect time to release the next console. You can bet that the PS4 will come out in 2013 as well. Sony can't afford to allow the Wii U and the next Xbox to get a two year and one year head start on the next gen. I am sure Sony might have been planning for PS4 to be a 2014 system but the release of Wii U in 2012 will force them to push the launch up a year.

Sony now knows that a 2014 launch of PS4 would be distrasously late.

I wonder what big launch titles Microsoft has planned for the next Xbox in 2013? I wonder if we will get a next gen Halo, Gears of War or Forza with the launch. I think a next gen Dance Central and Kinect Sport for the next, much more advanced Kinect iteration (which will come standard with every new next gen Xbox) is almost a sure thing for launch.

I'm not 100% sure but I think it was confirmed that a new fable and forza 5 will be nextbox launch games. A main halo game will not be a launch title, but a spinoff or another remake is possible. Gears of War seems unlikely. 

They need to give it an official name soon. Xbox 720 is a mouthful.