Xbox 720 to use Blu-ray and new version of Kinect

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Next console will feature anti-used-game technology?

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Microsoft's next console will make use of Blu-ray disc technology according to a report on Kotaku. The use of Blu-ray would offer up to 50GB of storage compared to just 9GB available on a single DVD.

The report also suggests that the next Xbox will come with a new version of Kinect, this time including an on-board processor – something originally planned for the current version of Kinect but removed to keep costs down. If Kinect isn't your thing, then the reported smaller controller might be preferable, although many people are happy with the current Xbox 360 controller design.

Of more significance could be the rumour that Microsoft will implement anti-used-game technology inside the next Xbox, potentially crippling retailers who rely on pre-owned game sales, but also preventing gamers from sharing titles with friends.

If that lot of juicy rumours isn't enough, Kotaku also offered that its sources believe the next Xbox will be eight times as powerful as the Xbox 360 – not six as reported yesterday.

VideoGamer.com Analysis

The Xbox 720 (which is unlikely to be the actual name of the next Xbox) rumours seem to be coming every day at the moment, but with most of them contradicting each other in some way it's clear that concrete info is thin on the ground.

Use of anti-used-game technology seems the most unlikely, unless it doesn't shut out high-street retailers completely. The inability to share games with friends would also be a hard hurdle for the console to overcome.

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Woffls's Avatar

Woffls@ pblive

Publishers will know that people have to keep their games, so that will improve the chance of the games being supported long-term with DLC. We might even see the cost of DLC go down. Maybe.

Also, this should make games cheaper at retail because publishers will be able to offset 'costs' against their estimated losses through second-hand purchases. Although, I'd be more inclined to think they'd just revise down these estimates to suit their P&L accounts.

Similar things will happen with piracy numbers, actually. Publishers will want to claim very low piracy rates for the new consoles so they can say that it was actually taking money away from them for all those years.

Also, I think we will see more versatile pricing this generation for many reasons that I will save for another post. I will favour this because I like buying new games, but I know a lot of people depend on trading.

This generation will be very interesting for distribution and retail models.

@Batmamerc - None of the next gen consoles will be download only. There's too much money in retail, and they know that global broadband infrastructure isn't there yet.

Imagine what it would do to PSN/XBL/NN with a few million people downloading Call of Duty on launch day, and how much of a colossal twat up it would be? Not happening.
Posted 13:00 on 26 January 2012
Batmamerc's Avatar

Batmamerc

Lol didn't mean to put hi. Anyway next gen surely will be download only, however I'm expecting a drive still to play DVD/blurays CDs and Xbox 360 games (hopefully original Xbox too but think the ship has already sailed on that one). But if it's download only you won't be able to share games anyway and with all the recent clamp downs on gamertag sharing will make it impossible to trade or lend games, I'm not happy wit not having a physical disc as I take pride in my tower of games collection especially wen sat on sofa watching tv n i see a game in the pile n think I fancy playin that, most of my pc game are downloaded so I only see them wen I go on there to do none game stuff. I think we just gotta face it that the world is goin digital wether we like it or not as it saves the company's a lot of money on things like staff, warehouse storage n printers as well as shipping them just hope we the consumer see that lower price n get games for a lot less than now cos £40 a time I can only afford every 3 months which is crap in October/November. As for all the rumours so far there daft of course it's gonna be faster have more power n better graphics bluray drives will be in the initial consoles but may removed in later models wen digital goes big time, just hope they remember what a games console is n not give us a family friendly media Center.
Posted 12:48 on 26 January 2012
Batmamerc's Avatar

Batmamerc

Lol didn't mean to put hi. Anyway next gen surely will be download only, however I'm expecting a drive still to play DVD/blurays CDs and Xbox 360 games (hopefully original Xbox too but think the ship has already sailed on that one). But if it's download only you won't be able to share games anyway and with all the recent clamp downs on gamertag sharing will make it impossible to trade or lend games, I'm not happy wit not having a physical disc as I take pride in my tower of games collection especially wen sat on sofa watching tv n i see a game in the pile n think I fancy playin that, most of my pc game are downloaded so I only see them wen I go on there to do none game stuff. I think we just gotta face it that the world is goin digital wether we like it or not as it saves the company's a lot of money on things like staff, warehouse storage n printers as well as shipping them just hope we the consumer see that lower price n get games for a lot less than now cos £40 a time I can only afford every 3 months which is crap in October/November. As for all the rumours so far there daft of course it's gonna be faster have more power n better graphics bluray drives will be in the initial consoles but may removed in later models wen digital goes big time, just hope they remember what a games console is n not give us a family friendly media Center.
Posted 12:48 on 26 January 2012
Batmamerc's Avatar

Batmamerc

Hi
Posted 12:33 on 26 January 2012
pblive's Avatar

pblive

It will still cause a huge backlash from gamers and it's a huge waste for those who've finished a game, do they then add it to the pile of rubbish to go on the tip? Not exactly eco friendly unless they start making discs and boxes out of recyclable material.
Posted 12:18 on 26 January 2012
Woffls's Avatar

Woffls@ pblive

It wouldn't be if the others - perhaps even just Sony - were using it as well. I expect publishers said something along the lines of "give us this DRM protection, and we'll give you some important exclusivity deals" or something.

I'm guessing it was also a decision Microsoft made with regards to all the games being downloadable, which they will be, as well as being available on disc. Those titles need to be tied to consoles, otherwise it's just too easy to exploit.
Posted 11:44 on 26 January 2012
pblive's Avatar

pblive

Bluray isn't a problem, MS were happy enough to use DVD and Sony were on a similar panel for DVD as they are for Bluray. This generation was really just the HD format wars in the way, but now the dust has long since settled and Bluray drives have much faster read speeds, there's no reason not to use it.

I'm dubious as to the anti-second hand support though. Would MS really want to shoot themselves in the foot with this?
Posted 11:38 on 26 January 2012
Trip-l's Avatar

Trip-l

If the next Xbox does come with 'anti-used-game technology' then I'll have 2 options
1) Hack it, I'm not a fan of hacking hardware but it maybe required if ANY corporation feels they can place unreasonable restrictions on kit I've bought and paid for.
2) Wait 6-12 months to see if SONY can offer a machine that doesn't try to ***** over gamers with friends or on a budget.
Posted 11:38 on 26 January 2012
munkee's Avatar

munkee

'anti-used-game technology' - If its true, then it's ridiculous and I would thoroughly advise everybody not to buy one. Or, flash the firmware at first opportunity.

Blu-ray support is a result for everybody. Unless Sony decide to make an entirely new format that only the PS4 uses.
Posted 10:22 on 26 January 2012
Woffls's Avatar

Woffls

Hah, more arbitrary power comparisons pulled out someone's arse. All of this sounds feasible: Kinect is an obvious one; Bluray is likely considering it's now the dominant HD format, though I imagine MS won't be happy about XB3 game sales giving royalty to the BRC that includes Sony; the anti-used game stuff is also likely, and will have been a result of pressure from major publishers.

I don't buy second hand games, so I don't care in that regard, but I do lend my games to people, and what the hell is going to happen when the games are discontinued? Gone forever. Dick move. Unless there's some magic switch that can be thrown to unlock the game on all systems?
Posted 10:20 on 26 January 2012