Microsoft’s Phil Spencer questions the immediate value of new GPU and CPU combos
Microsoft has continued to distance itself from the opportunity to build a new console.
Microsoft Game Studios’ Phil Spencer - speaking to Develop in a new interview published today - suggested that few are signalling for a new Microsoft console.
“Do we need to sell a new console at some point? I don’t think we need to right now,” he said.
“We’ll wait until our experiences are at the right point, like we have done with the Natal camera. We’ll wait until everyone is ready for it from a software perspective.”
Spencer echoed the sentiment of Xbox division VP Don Mattrick, who notably stated that a Natal-powered 360 is – essentially – a next-generation console.
Advertisement
“I see [Natal] as like the launch of the Xbox 360 back in 2005 – there will be a launch portfolio of games to support it,” added Spencer.
Natal is expected to be released late in 2010, some five years after the 360’s initial launch.
Meanwhile, Spencer questioned whether the next generation of consoles will need to follow the traditional, and perhaps outdated, hardware upgrade process.
“In terms of putting more hardware on the market, what else can we do? Put more memory in it? I don’t think that’s enough,” he said.
Click here for part two of Develop's interview with Phil Spencer
What part of the 360 is a copy of Sony?
Not that Microsoft doesn't buy or copy a lot of their tech (the core of the 360 is based on technology used by Apple at the time, Natal is 3D camera technology Microsoft purchased from a 3rd party, and a lot of the tech of the original XBox was taken from Sega). In fact, Sony is one of the few companies they're not copying.
Looks like the comment I commented on got removed (making me look like a crazy person). :)
On topic. A new console with Larrabee tech ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larrabee_%28GPU%29 ), increase memory, internal storage, and built-in Natal would be enough to call it "720". But, given the economy and the fact that neither Sony nor Nintendo appear to be ready for another console release, Microsoft is better off producing cheaper 360s.
1 out of 3 New Xbox360's will require the RROD "fix",...if it is indeed fixable.
By the time, Natal is available, Sony will have a similar solution available for the PS3 Slim. I'm sure their Engineers are working OT, figuring it out now.
