Xbox 720 Dev Kits 'Ready by Christmas'

[Jason]

Custom hardware dev kits for the next Xbox will be shipped to leading developers and publishers by the end of the year, according to a new report.

Citing a "source," the generally reliable Edge Magazine reports developers like Ubisoft Montreal are working on 'target boxes' based on Microsoft's intended specifications for its new machine.

The target boxes, which have been sent to top publishers like EA and Ubisoft, are basically PCs featuring  components that aspire to the new machine's specs. Edge says that "AMD is providing the bespoke GPU solution for Microsoft's console."

Microsoft is now replacing these with new dev kits. The story is fueling speculation that the new Xbox will be available at retail by the end of 2012.

With Wii U launching as soon as next year, and Sony fast catching Xbox's global installed base lead, Microsoft appears to be ready to once again ratchet up its decade long console war with its closest rivals.

Source: IGN.com

[Ted]

Wouldn't 2012 be pushing it?  I mean don't the developers need time to actually develop a few games?  One would think a year from getting the hardware to having a few games out the door to be "pushing" it.

[Brad Company]

I still think they will show it off mid-year next year to build hype, but launch in 2013.

[Jason]

The developers could technically do a lot of design work on the 'target boxes' they've had access to and then just fine-tune and tweak the code when they receive the real developer kits. I agree with Brad though, I think they'll show it off at E3 2012 and release sometime in 2013.

[Jason]

Xbox 720 Won't Launch Until 2014, Rumors for 2012 Are Just Plain 'Silly'

Xbox 720 rumors have been circulating quite a bit in recent weeks, with multiple sources claiming that the next-gen console might even launch by the end of next year to give Nintendo's Wii U a real challenge. The most recent report stated that Ubisoft Montreal is currently working with 'target boxes' and "all signs point to the finalized console arriving at retail in late 2012." If you ask Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, however, it's all hogwash.

Speaking to IndustryGamers in an upcoming "Pachter's Podium" column, the analyst told us that launching an Xbox 360 successor by the end of 2012 doesn't make much sense for Microsoft. Instead, he's fairly confident that Microsoft is actually getting set to release an updated version of the Xbox 360.

"Those rumors are silly. Microsoft is still selling a ton of Xbox 360s, and they won't replace the existing one until sales begin to slow. I think the rumors are based upon leaks about modifying the current Xbox 360 to allow it to operate Windows 8," Pachter commented. "I fully expect a new model of Xbox 360 by holiday 2012, but don't think we see a new console altogether from Microsoft until 2014."

Source: IndustryGamers.com