No new Xbox just PROJECT NATAL

http://www.n4g.com/xbox360/NewsPending-350163.aspx?cas=1

Microsoft on New Xbox 360: We're "Not Even Halfway" There

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PCWorld: Okay, settle down gossipmongers, Microsoft says all this talk about an upgraded Xbox 360 is not only wrong, it's missing the point. There won't be an upgraded Xbox 360 next year, and in fact, we're only halfway through the current console cycle. What's more, Project Natal, the company's no-controller 3D motion and voice recognition technology is being designed for the existing Xbox 360, not an imaginary "performance-upgraded" one.

What we know: Natal will be sold as a standalone peripheral.

Natal will work with, and is being designed explicitly for, existing Xbox 360s.

Microsoft has no plans to alter or retool its existing platform circuitry. Aside from conventional manufacturing enhancements like thermal and spatial improvements--all invisible to consumers--the company plans to sell the same Xbox 360 it's been selling since late 2005 through Natal's launch in...whenever.

What we don't know:

We don't know when Natal will launch, though we can speculate about a general 2010 timeframe given the fact that Ballmer pegged 2010 as Natal's shelf date. Also: Sony has stated its PlayStation Motion Control peripheral will ship in 2010, so there's the competitive market incentive to consider as well

DNO SAYS: i would say the odds are zero.

There is new Xbox - it's just 360 with Natal. There will be another Playstation, and another Xbox - probably... but not for a while. So in fact soon we're likely to see 360/Natal and PS3/"wand" being sold as a new SKU.

All companies deny any rumours about their future plans. I know that the Natal camera is designed for the current Xbox 360s on the market, but what I don't know is if future Xbox 360s will get an internal upgrade of the sort handhelds get from time to time. Unless a large proportion of consumers start using the interface games simply will not be created to take advantage of it so consumers will not buy it. The only way around this is to bundle the camera with a singificant proportion of consoles sold. Its this bundle which makes me consider the possibility of an upgraded SKU which moves the processing load off the camera and internalises it into the console as that would likely be cheaper longer term.

I just don't buy it.  An upgraded SKU stands every chance of splitting their market and undoing all the effort they've made since 360 launched.  I really believe that a new 360 spec next year would stand a good chance of killing their momentum.

Now either they're going to flat out lie (as Ballmer himself has gone on record correcting his comments and stating no new specs) and pull a bait and switch later and there is a new 360 spec, or there is no new spec.  Obviously if news of a new spec did leak it could badly hurt sales through the rest of this year plus December 2009, so I can imagine it would be tempting to lie - but on the other hand would Ballmer really put himself in the position of very publically correcting himself only for it to be clear he was lying later?  I don't know.

Just imagine the complaints the first time (mid 2010, late 2010) there is a game that only runs on the new spec because it uses that bit of extra horsepower?  I really think a new spec could easily have this result.  And I doubt developers would like it either.  So do you built your title for the larger existing install base or the newer, smaller install base?

I say this on the assumption that unless we're talking any spec changes irrelevant to gaming any new spec system would be different enough to power games that existing 360s couldn't.

In the end the idea just doesn't fly for me.  They'll launch a new SKU with same 360, Natal and a standard bundled title because they've seen that work for Wii (is my guess) while making Natal available as a peripheral for existing 360 owners.  The big question I believe is will they leave 360 SKUs on the market without Natal or try and force its adoption by making it mandatory with all 360's going forward?

New Xbox probably just means new SKU w/ natal. PS3 might do the same, but itll have to be bundled with the PS3mote & PS eye.

How much does KAZ pay you?...

Or is it your personal speculation that sony will release a slim PS3 when NINty and M$ go for the next gen....

And no....M$ is not dropping new hardware as a console....Since NATAL has CPU in it..you can consider it new hardware..but not a new console