Report: Microsoft To Unveil Next Xbox Console At E3 2012

A third report has emerged which suggests that Microsoft is gearing up to announce the next HD Xbox console at E3 next year. According to a report by BGR, the hardware and software giant is gearing up to announce the next Xbox console during the event next year and states that the console has been in development since 2006. The report however fails to state the launch plans for the new console but assures that it’s going to be announced during E3 2012.

This isn’t the first time that this has been reported, earlier in the year, two separate reports also claimed that Microsoft’s planning to announce the next Xbox console at E3 2012.  Develop had claimed that very close sources have revealed to them that the new Xbox console is going to be announced next year at E3.

Develop’s story said the next Xbox is being played around with by an unnamed Electronic Arts studio after a dev kit was sent to the publisher earlier. The site said the machine was a very early build, with no official case and therefore stored in a PC shell.

In a separate report by Videogamer, the site claimed to have got intel from Crytek that Microsoft were prepping an announcement for the new console at next year’s E3 with a new Timesplitters title to be shown alongside it. The firm told them that they were making the game using DirectX 11 tech and it was aiming to set a visual benchmark for the new Xbox console. Their source also confirmed that Microsoft were planning to launch their next Xbox console ahead of Sony.

Nintendo has already announced their next console – Wii U during this year’s E3 event at Los Angeles. The console which is slated to release in Summer 2012 won’t be a huge step over what both Sony and Microsoft already offers. Sony hasn’t hinted about a new console being in development and has stated that the PS3 has a life-cycle of another few years atleast.