Gamechup

Microsoft could be showcasing the new Xbox internally according to an event agenda leak.

The event will be held at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel on Monday March 4 to March 7. The event is called START FY14 and attendance is by invitation only.

“The purpose of START (Strategies, Tactics and Regional Targets) is to bring together all levels of employees from CCG to share high-level corporate direction as well as Business Group and segment product strategies and details necessary to build out timely, comprehensive and integrated business plans,” the description on the website reads, as spotted by GAF.

Furthermore, the interesting thing is the event agenda which can be found in this pdf.

It clearly mentions “Xbox” and “Xbox games” and considering the event will be held internally, and considering the rumours that the system will be unveiled in April, everything falls into place. Think of this as a test start before the real thing.

*squints eyes*

OT:

Yeah posted this earlier in the nextbox thread, seems to be a multipurpose event, for WP8, X360, XBL, Surface and the IEB Devision direction, but nextbox (Deep Dive) is purely invite only, so not even every MS employee at the event may see it.

WTF!

that's like 2 weeks from now

So what is this, an internal release of the next gen xbox or a get together to plan a date to announce?

The short timespan either indicates Microsoft confidence that they can effectively shoot the PS4 down, or are feeling pressured by the early annoucement.

I think it just might be a combination of both, but MS might decide to annouce the price at E3 and not give SONY room to adjust price beforehand.

I'll take your word for it then, don't think you'd spout a lie about that for no reason.

Glad to hear it anyways, wonder if Microsoft will slot in the public unveiling between March 9 and GDC or just wait it out untill GDC is over, it'd be some work, but I'm sure Microsoft can set up a event in a few weeks, they're experienced afterall.

They must feel they need to react fast to the PS4 announcement.

Neither, this is a relatively big inhouse event spanning several software and hardware product lines, this wasn't done specifically for nextbox or rushed by any means, this will have been set in stone for a while now.

I see the PS4 launching around $399 and i think M$ might launch at $399 aswell. If the 720 specs are close to the PS4 then i guess i could see M$ aiming for $349 because i guess they can handle losing a bit more money than Sony can.

I'm pretty sure Sony already knows what price they are going to launch at regardless of what M$ makes the 720

Naive of you to assume such a thing. We have no idea whatsoever how long ago this have been planned, it could be 2 weeks or 2 days ago, no way of telling.