1. It will be released next year
Xbox 720 speculation hit its frothy peak this week, after Edge magazine published a report online claiming that that the next-generation console will be released some time in 2012. It's not the first time that next year has been mentioned in relation to the console, with T3 also reporting that it might be unveiled at January's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. So, is it likely to happen? Not according to Digital Foundry's Richard Leadbetter, writing at GamesIndustry.biz: "Moving on to the next-gen within 12 months would essentially see Microsoft calling time on it's own profits... for example, 343 Industries' Frank O'Connor has stated unambiguously that Halo 4 is an Xbox 360 title. It's hard to imagine that Microsoft would launch its next-gen console within a month or two of its flagship franchise game appearing on the older console.
Probability rating: 3/10
2. OK, so it'll be released in 2013 or 2014 then?
While looking more likely, it's far from definite, with some suggesting consumers may even have to wait until 2015 for the next-generation Xbox. Others such as industry analyst Michael Pachtner are plumming for the more reasonable-sounding 2014, while still others have posited 2013's E3 as the possible announcement date. OK, so it's all just rampant speculation at the moment, and the people who do know ain't tellin'. Our guess, plucked from our patented MSN Games Random Speculative Release Date Generator: December 5th, 2014. You heard it here first.
Probability rating: 7/10
3. It'll have massively improved graphics
This one's a no-brainer really. For 2005, the Xbox 360's Xenon 3.2GHz triple-core architecture and ATI Xenos Graphics processor packed some serious clout - these days, however, even a modest Sandy Bridge gaming PC can make it look long in the tooth. And with PC hardware improving exponentially, the 720 is going to need some serious firepower to stay in the game. Fortunately, the rumor mill is already going into overdrive, with reports so far suggesting everything from hex-core processors with dual ATI graphics cards to dedicated system on chip (SoC) arrangements. Either way, industry legend John Carmack seems convinced it's going to be at least 10x faster than the current generation.
Probability rating: 10/10
4. It's going to run Windows (sort of)
Those of you who've seen previews of the Xbox 360's new dashboard update (launching on December 6th) will already have noticed a certain, ahem, convergence with Microsoft's Metro UI, as seen on Windows Phone products and the forthcoming Windows 8. It's not hard to extrapolate that the 720 will take things even further, with rumors already seen in the wild claiming that Microsoft's 'integration ecosystem' will see it based upon some version of the as-yet unconfirmed Windows 9.
Probability rating: 7/10
5. It will be entirely 'cloud'-based
With developers already having to resort to two DVDs to pack in all their game content (we're looking at you, Battlefield 3), one of the most tantalizing questions about the next-gen Xbox is how Microsoft will tackle the issue of storage media. With Sony's ownership of Blu-ray presumably making it a no-go, will MS be forced to resurrect HD-DVD? Or create a new proprietary format? Some would even suggest that the new generation will emulate the successes of Steam and OnLive and head for the cloud. While a download only future sounds an enticing prospect, it does raise some questions - is Britain's digital infrastructure robust enough to allow near-universal adoption of full-game downloads, or even OnLive-style streaming? We'd suggest not.
Probability rating: 2/10
6. It's going to be called 'Loop'
OK, so it's almost definitely not going to be called the 'Xbox 720' - mainly because that name would imply that Microsoft are essentially going around in circles, but also because it is, well, really quite bad. The current frontrunner on the Internet Speculation-o-meter is that it will be known as the 'Xbox Loop', which is only fractionally less rubbish. Fortunately, Richard Leadbetter is also keen to pour water on this rumor - which emanates from the same MS Nerd blog as the Windows 9 story - as well: "it sounds like another project entirely - if it exists at all".
Probability rating: 3/10
7. Games are already in development for it
Ah, at last something we can be fairly certain about. Maybe. There's certainly reports suggesting that Xbox 720 dev kits are already in the wild, and have turned up at high profile studios such as Ubisoft Montreal. Unfortunately, it would seem the case that these are in fact 'target boxes' - a collection of off-the-shelf components that give a rough equivalent of the intended next-gen spec. Still, it's promising news - if studios have a rough prototype of the hardware, you can bet your ass they're going to be using it. There's also rumors that the 'proper' developer kits will be delivered by Christmas - although it's apparently from the same source that told us the 720 will be released next year. So don't hold your breath just yet.
Probability rating: 6/10
8. Kinect will be fully integrated
"With total sales passing the 10 million units mark over 8 months ago, it's fair to say that Kinect has done a lot extend the lifespan of the Xbox 360 - it would therefore make it pretty darn likely that Kinect-like features are going to be the forefront of the 720 hardware. Our old friend MS Nerd agrees, going as far as to claim it will also "be cheaper than 360, further enabling Kinect adoption." Whether his claims are accurate only time will tell, but it would be extremely surprising for Microsoft to drop such a successful technology from their next-generation hardware. Just so long as they don't drop the traditional gamepad as well - then we'd be REALLY angry.
Probability rating: 9/10
What are your thoughts on the "Xbox 720"? I personally am looking forward to see what Mircosoft can do with it. Graphics wise, this should be pretty interesting as well because of the rumor that it will be utilizing Holographic Versatile Discs which can hold of to 6TBs of data. Of course all this space doesn't have to be used. (Think of Sony, and their Blu-Ray discs.) Hopefully we might see a glimpse of some games in development or possible even a picture of the prototype in the future years to come. As for you PC gamers, think Microsoft's going to give you a run for your money? Promising the console to be at least 10x faster than the current gen consoles, would give the console quite a edge.
like a 250 dollar kit back when DDR4 was Intel only