Microsoft: No next-gen Xbox in 2012

Those anticipating an Xbox '720' reveal at games industry shindig E3 2012 will be disappointed. Microsoft has insisted it will not discuss next-gen consoles at all this year. Company spokesman David Dennis quashed widespread speculation that the world was preparing for a major console unveiling this summer. “There will be no …

[Piro]

Boring.

Come on, that thing is 7 years old. We still haven't achieved the promise of even 1080p 60 fps games - almost every title is 30 fps and 720p.

[Greg D]

Re: Boring.

Actually the PS3 will output to 1080p @ 60fps. So it's only Xbox gamers missing out.

Wipeout Fury being one of the games that makes awesome use of both of those features, and was in fact a launch title.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Boring.

Perhaps in Xbox land that might be true, but in PS3 land it's not.

It's just a shame that the Xbox is also holding back multiplatform titles too.

[Dave 126]

Re: Boring..

Can you expand on your multi-platform comment?

I'm not taking sides, but it just seemed Sony didn't pay for many 3rd party exclusives, and some games developers couldn't be arsed programming for the Cell chip.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Boring..

Coding the games the bad old way suits the Xbox down to the ground, and hampers the PS3, which likes things being coded the nice modern way.

That's why multiplatform titles are mostly shit on ALL platforms, and why PS3 suffers more often than not.

[g e]

Perhaps we should read that as

2012 reprieve for secondhand games market... :o(

[auburnman]

Good

when a new generation of consoles come in quality gets worse initially as no-one bar in-house developers has any experience making games for the thing. It seemed to me last time round that the shift to the next generation came just as people were getting to grips with dragging the best performances out of the the XBox and PS2 they were capable of.

When I think of the games that came out for the PS2 at the end of it's run vs some of the early days cack the PS3 had it makes me shudder.

[Seb123]

I am considering going back to PC gaming. The lack of a refresh and the rumoured specs of the next xbox have left me decidedly unimpressed.

[squilookle]

Good

Yes, the 360 is 7 years and old arguably getting rough around the edges, but it is not done yet. There are still good games coming out for it, and I don't think a replacement would be justified yet. I at least another year in it, maybe two.

Atleast they're giving it a decent lifecycle, and not trying to flog us something new for no other reason than to squeeze more money out of us. I'm sure there would be squealing from some quarters if that were the case. I remember feeling that the original XBox was replaced to early, so I welcome this change.

[Bonce]

Re: Good

^ This! Not once have I played on my Xbox and thought "I wish the graphics could be higher res/faster/whatever". On a 50" plasma at sofa distance, it's all fine.

I'm happy for my investment to run for another year or two. The only thing I don't like currently is the abominable Metro UI that they foisted onto us recently but I got 4OD as compensation so I'll live.

[Alistair MacRae]

Come on! New console please!

We've been stagnating on technology that is 7 years old.

PC gaming is being held back by the consoles and we need something new.

I only hope that this time they make the new consoles easier to write games for.

[Khaptain]

Re: Come on! New console please!

PC gaming, or any other platform, is not being held back by consoles.

It is being held back for at least a few different reasons

1 : Difficulty in creating something truly original.( there are a few exceptions but they are very rare, Limbo anyone).

2 : The sheer expense required for game creation . Programmers have to eat while they program and if the game takes a few months months or more to build.......

3 : "Corporate Greed". Electronic Arts etc have become the Hollywood of the gaming industry, it's all about pleasing shareholders rather than the customer. franchise, franchise, franchise......

4 : Any combination of all/any of the above.

.........

[Anonymous Coward]

No new XBox in 2012

So, they're spending the rest of the year making sure their records of where every 360 and game are are bang up to date, so they can blast them all from orbit the instant the new one comes out?

[Anonymous Coward]

Terminiology

"It seems increasingly likely that for those who still want a next-gen console in 2012, the Nintendo Wii U will be the only option"

Is the Wii U a "next-gen" console ? What is "next-gen" according to El Reg ?

[Rabbers]

RAM Packs!

Presumably, Microsoft want to do something to get the XBOX 360 to be able to use more textures, and play more complex games (that can only be played on PC).

In the good ol' days you could get a 32K RAM pack for the trusty VIC 20 - perhaps a 32G RAM pack for the XBOX 360 would be the way to go here :)

[Greg D]

Re: RAM Packs!

If only it was all about RAM. Unfortunately they use an ancient (in technology terms) GeForce graphics processor, meaning they'd still have to keep the detail and polygon count low.

Agreed that this console is holding back PC gaming. I've always been a PC gamer, and since the Xbox 360 and PS3 have been around, have noticed a marked reduction in game quality on the PC.

The graphics are still much better on a PC, sure, but you always get the feeling that they're lacking the new engine innovations they can use now that the hardware is so much more advanced, all because the developers want to ensure it works on all platforms.