Xbox 720 Rumours: True and False

This past week has brought a few exciting snippets of gossip about the Xbox 720: potential release dates, hints about astonishing graphics hardware and upcoming games, lots of hypothesizing.

Let’s sort the [possibly] true from the [probably] false right here:

• “Avatar-quality” AMD graphics on the Xbox 720 = TRUE [probably]. “We’re pretty darn close,” AMD’s Neal Robison says, but refused to confirm any work for Xbox 720.
• Xbox 720 will be announced at E3 2012 = TRUE [maybe].  Nothing we’ve seen suggests that Microsoft have another date in mind.  That doesn’t mean it’s all set, but it hasn’t been firmly denied.
• Xbox 720 will hit the streets before PlayStation 4 = FALSE.  This is extremely unlikely.  No reliable source is backing this gossip, and the PS4 console is also expected to launch at E3.  Industry insiders generally seem to agree that PS4 will be on sale first.
• Crytek are now developing Timesplitters 4 for Xbox 720 = FALSE [probably].  Crytek say they “do not have any next generation hardware from Microsoft, nor do we know when Microsoft may announce future hardware or what that hardware will entail.”  Timesplitters 4 wasn’t mentioned in their statement, but of course they’ve had it in the pipeline for a couple of years; only the Xbox 720 connection is new.
• Xbox 720 will play Blu-Ray = FALSE.  Microsoft’s Director of Xbox and Entertainment, Stephen McGill, says they have “no plans” in that direction at all and are focused on the instant HD video streaming already provided by the current Xbox 360 S.
• Xbox 720 will support cloud based gaming = MAYBE.  Joe Bentley, VP of Engineering at cloud gaming service OnLive, hinted that some preliminary chats have already taken place and commented, “we’ll see where it goes. But it would absolutely work, we’re ready to work with everybody.”
• Xbox 720 will have Skype = TRUE.  Given that Microsoft now owns Skype, that’s pretty much a no-brainer.  Expect a refined Skype version of Xbox Live Chat.
• Release of the Xbox 720 console is planned for the middle of 2013 = FALSE?  Wish it were true, but there are no guarantees.  2014 seems more likely, and 2015 wouldn’t surprise me either.  Keep your avatar’s fingers crossed.

Sources: IGN, OXM Online

Visit Front Side Bus for the latest in gadgets, technology and science.

Read more at Frontsidebus