Possible XBox 720 Leak

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**LordofHats**

In that ever expanding abyss that is copyright infringement (aka Scribd) it appears someone posted a document claiming to be detailed guidle line for the next XBox console. The document has since been removed (at the request of, Covington & Burling LLP, a law firm that commonly handles corporate matters for Microsoft) and if real is apparently from 2010, but that doesn't mean we can't feast on some juicy speculation.

This always happens the year before an expected gaming hardware announcement. Prototype diagrams turn up online, developers give mysterious off-the-record interviews to news sites, screenshots of unannounced games leak on to forums. Speculation, rumour and gossip are rife, fuelled by a ravenous news culture and a fanbase of tech-savvy fantasists who know how to use photoshop.

Now that we're all fairly certain Microsoft and Sony will be announcing new games hardware next year, the speculation-mobile has cranked into fourth gear and the quality of the reference material is improving.

Hence, the arrival of a 56-page document, apparently written by internal Microsoft sources, outlining the future of Xbox. Posted on document sharing website Scribd, and leaked to gaming site Nukezilla, the report suggests that the Xbox 720 will launch in 2013 with a price point of $299 (£191). It will feature a built-in Blu-ray drive and a new Kinect 2 motion sensor complete with better voice recognition, improved HDRGB camera and four-player tracking. The launch of the machine will be followed a year later by the arrival of an augmented reaiity glasses technology named Fortaleza (similar to Google's AR headset concept).

The document goes into great depth about Microsoft's plans to dominate the living room entertainment space, offering video on demand, transmedia entertainment and other applications as well as gaming. It lists the company's key rivals as Apple, Google and OnLive – all producing TV and streaming content solutions. There is also pleny of material related to Microsoft's recently announced SmartGlass app, designed to allow cross-platform interaction between the Xbox console, smartphones and tablets.

There is "information", too, on the Xbox 720 tech specs. A slide refers to processing power 6x in excess of the current Xbox 360 – although there seems to be ambiguity over whether the CPU will be based on ARM or Intel processors.

So is this one of gaming's most elbaorate hoaxes? It certainly seems inconceivable that such an explicitly detailed and far-reaching document could leak from Microsoft – there's just too much important stuff in here. Furthermore, Microsoft has never refered to its next console as 720, and after losing the HD optical disc war to Sony, is highly unlikely to license the Blu-ray standard from its rival (although sticking with DVD is unfeasible, as is developing a proprietary format).

Furthermore, many of the possibilities the report discusses are well-known to industry watchers – there's little that couldn't be guessed at or plausibly imagined by anyone who's been keeping up to date with Microsoft's plans for its hardware.

But according to Joystiq, the doc dates back to summer 2010, way before Microsoft officially announced SmartGlass – and the offending literature has now been removed from Scribd by Covington and Burling, a law firm that has been used by Microsoft. There's also a clever pay-off at the end – a single slide headed with the phrase, "Additional questions to answer for Todd" – a reference, no doubt, to Xbox hardware guru Todd Holmdahl.

There's a possibility that, instead of representing an actual road map for the console, it is an early proposition written up by one Microsoft department to another, a means of clarifying messaging for the launch. Certainly it is filled with marketing vernacular and is structured in an authentic manner (ie, essentially stating the same things over and over again, but in differently headed sections).

Whoever made this has worked with tech marketers and knows how they conceive and structure product pitches. Whatever else, it is certainly a step on from the poorly photoshopped "prototype console" photos we're used to seeing. Assuming its a hoax, whoever write it has a lot of spare time on their hands.

Microsoft, of course, doesn't comment on rumour and/or speculation. However, you can see the document yourself by heading over to Spong and following the link at the end of this story. This Link no longer has the document attached since the take down order ~ Hats

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2012/jun/18/xbox-720-leaked-document

EDIT: Replaced previous Yahoo article with a better one from the Guardian.

**Aldarionn**

Hmmmm, very interesting and at that price point I couldn't see myself not buying one at launch. Assuming it's what this document claims, it sounds like it could be an excellent replacement for the existing system. That is, of course, if the document is to be believed in the least, which is a big stretch. An early release of a proposal is most likely, but it could be good foreshadowing for what's to come from Microsoft.

**Ravenblade666**

I heard about the blu ray rumor some time before this leak, also I guess Kinect v2 was always going to be table, but with that price tag wow, but like what Aldarionn said at the price I wouldn't say no to it.

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

Sadly I would guess we will see a dollar to pound conversion price as with previous new console releases, so £299 is likely for us in Blighty.

Still, on board Bluray player, 4player kinect and the extra power it would bring for games, would have me buying one at launch.

Although to be fair that is likely regardless.

**Testify**

It'd be nice to be an actual console rather than "multimedia centre", since it's just a cheap way of adding "features" to something, increasing the value of the end product without adding more expensive, better hardware.

**Formosa**

if they do indeed put blueray on it i may get one, but it will take alot to take me away from the Playstation, i simply do not trust microshaft anymore (myriad reasons but mainly due to bad customer service and the terribad 360 dying on me no less than 4 times... ) i for one would like to see an end to consol exclisives but i know it will never happen

**LordofHats**

COnsole exclusives are kind of over. Generally speaking, the only games that are exclusive are flagship titles made by developers who tend to be owned or have very close partnerships to a console maker, and that's a ever shortening list.

**Chowderhead**

LordofHats wrote:COnsole exclusives are kind of over. Generally speaking, the only games that are exclusive are flagship titles made by developers who tend to be owned or have very close partnerships to a console maker, and that's a ever shortening list.

Or they're made for the Wii.

**LordofHats**

That too yes XD

But that's Nintendo's fault. Not only do they not support third parties very well, they make platforms for which doing non-exclusive games is more trouble than its worth.

**Chowderhead**

If they call this the 720, I might vomit. In my pants. Out my ass.

**LordofHats**

I doubt they'll actually use that name, cause it does sound really really stupid.

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

Thats my hope as well, although as Aura pointed out as I mentioned that point.. 'most of us laughed at the Wii first time around' So who bloody knows.

**Ouze**

I don't care if this thing spits gold coins when you unlock an achievement, MS has forever lost me as a console customer with their faulty hardware shenanigans. I too had a 360 RROD and was pretty annoyed by it, but the straw that broke the back was when there was a story claiming that 360's failed 54% of the time (this is pre-flash version). MS released a statement saying yeah sometimes hardware breaks yadda yadda but they never said it wasn't true. MS is one of the most litigious companies in existence and the fact they chose not to rebut it (let alone sue over it) cemented that as fact in my mind.

I'm a grown adult and have a full time job and a family to support. I say these things so you understand I have absolutely zero interest in being a foot soldier in a "console war"; an undertaking I always found stupendously inane (I owned all 3 consoles). I simply think anyone who releases a product that fails more then half of the time within a warranty period have proven themselves to not deserve my time or money. There is nothing in the specs for this console that could ever redeem themselves in my eyes.

So, going back on topic a hair here, I also don't buy the "they'd never license blu-ray from Sony" argument. Obviously I'm sure they're butthurt over HD-DVD's demise but business is business and I suspect developing and implementing a new standard is going to be way more expensive then simply licensing it; and I don't see MS as being the kind of company that makes giant business decisions emotionally.

**KrimsunBaron**

I would assume the PS3 comes out around the same time, I usually judge it on when the newest call of duty comes out.

So both consoles have another year before being replaced for something better, well not much better.

Hopefully they might allow the new 720 or PS4 to play against the older one? Live in hope...

**Morathi's Darkest Sin**

I've had two RRoD, also had a Plastation one die on me back in the day, and my original Megadrive was getting close to its death when i upgraded to a Megadrive 2 and Mega Cd in the mid nineties

Hardware can die, its a sad fact of life, probably the 360 had more issues than it should, but they added the new power lead, then upgraded the machine, not once but twice, to the point its barely an issue.

I cringe more when my PC starts making wierd noises, I've had to buy three since I started having one at home since 2002, and thats a lot more painful. Aura has gone through two as well.

As to bluray, aye I really can't see them not putting it in, it'd be crazy not to and it really would be a waste of time trying to challenge the blu-ray format with anything else. For the next period of HD tech at least blu-ray is king.

**RossDas**

I wonder if they're put off calling it Xbox 3 on account of PS4 having a greater numerical value in its name?
Bluray would enhance the chances of me getting one; I want to upgrade to that format but cannot be bothered with even more cables round the back of the telly.

**KrimsunBaron**

RossDas wrote:I wonder if they're put off calling it Xbox 3 on account of PS4 having a greater numerical value in its name?
Bluray would enhance the chances of me getting one; I want to upgrade to that format but cannot be bothered with even more cables round the back of the telly.

Sounds about right in the petty stakes!

**Ouze**

KrimsunBaron wrote:
RossDas wrote:I wonder if they're put off calling it Xbox 3 on account of PS4 having a greater numerical value in its name? (snip)

Sounds about right in the petty stakes!

Well put.

**Formosa**

i am interested in seeing what (if anything) Sony will do with the ps4, now i love my little ps3, but even i know sony have lost the consol war in this generation, but look at what the ps1/2 did, sony OWNED the consol market pre 360 and since then they have gifted me with a subpar (compared to 360) interface screen, no cross game chat and a mass of bleeding sequals (not sony's fault to be fair).

If the "720" has blueray, this will be another nail in the coffin for the PS, one thing i cannot fault sony for though is there customer service (my ps Yloded after 5 years and sony gave me a brand new 250GB ps3 for NOTHING) and reliability, i put well over 1k hours into that beauty and it did me well (shame the 360 didnt last 8 f'in months), im hopeing the "720" is a step up in reliability

**KrimsunBaron**

I heard somewhere they might be adding 2k support, the PS3 is still better. It's reliable and the blueray adds to the whole thing.

Technology hasn't advanced enough for a cost effective reliable machine to be produced.

PS4 will wait a year or two, the Xbox can go ahead and just make a more expensive pointless console with blueray.

It's just going to be a new box surrounding the wires and blueray. I will wait until they iron out all the problems.

The 720 will have a backlash for faults. Microsoft is probably rushing it.

**Formosa**

KrimsunBaron wrote:I heard somewhere they might be adding 2k support, the PS3 is still better. It's reliable and the blueray adds to the whole thing.

Technology hasn't advanced enough for a cost effective reliable machine to be produced.

PS4 will wait a year or two, the Xbox can go ahead and just make a more expensive pointless console with blueray.

It's just going to be a new box surrounding the wires and blueray. I will wait until they iron out all the problems.

The 720 will have a backlash for faults. Microsoft is probably rushing it.

i totally agree, when 360 came out i got it imediatly, but due to being burned (3 times) im going to sit and wait to see if it has the same issues the last one had.

I dont doubt the ps3 is better, it has just lost the consol war, look at the psp vs the Nintendo BS, the psp is better in everyway.. but ultra spam crap that can be made on the BS beat down the psp without so much as a fight

**KrimsunBaron**

It's the idiotic advertisement that draws people in.
I'm not sure why sony has such a bad rep, microsoft are plugging the whole "we're safer" route because they didn't get shut down by anon.

Either way, I don't care about winning a console war. I just want a reliable nice looking quiet and powerful machine and my PS3 fufils that perfectly.

**dogma**

I'm calling BS simply because Microsoft has said there will be no Kinect 2. The 300 USD price point is also dubious.

Either way, I don't think I'll buy the new Xbox, whatever it ends up being. Its gotten to the point where I buy consoles out of habit, rather than need. My PC can do all they can and more, hell my laptop is more powerful than my PS3.

**Avatar 720**

My 360 worked perfectly from the day I got it, which was near enough when it was released. I'm going to be investing in the next one when i've saved up enough cash, so perhaps 10-15 years.

**KrimsunBaron**

Proabably because your a lucky sod? Don't push it as far? Have a cool air space? Not blocking its vents?

The list goes on why that could be. The fact of the matter still is that Xbox's to have a alarming red ring rate.
Or RRR.

**Avatar 720**

Did I ever say that my anecdote meant that every Xbox was flawless? I don't think I did... Nope, I didn't, I just gave the reasoning behind why I would purchase the next version.

Tone down the aggression.

**Ravenblade666**

I haven't suffered any problems either, had it for just over 2 years now.

**Formosa**

Ravenblade666 wrote:I haven't suffered any problems either, had it for just over 2 years now.

cool you and avatar are very lucky, thats all that is... luck, im chuffed you havent had to go through the microshaft CS, because its terrible, the biggest shame for me is that i liked the Xbox, it was a nice consol and the interface is so much slicker than the PS3 (i love me ps3 though) and at the time had some good exclusives (glad thats coming to a slow and hopefully painfull death) but as i said i was burned by xbox ( and everyone i knew who had one, had it break down too) and it will take a lot more than a blueray for me to trust them again

**Ravenblade666**

Formosa wrote:
Ravenblade666 wrote:I haven't suffered any problems either, had it for just over 2 years now.

cool you and avatar are very lucky, thats all that is... luck, im chuffed you havent had to go through the microshaft CS, because its terrible, the biggest shame for me is that i liked the Xbox, it was a nice consol and the interface is so much slicker than the PS3 (i love me ps3 though) and at the time had some good exclusives (glad thats coming to a slow and hopefully painfull death) but as i said i was burned by xbox ( and everyone i knew who had one, had it break down too) and it will take a lot more than a blueray for me to trust them again

Nasty I have heard of a couple of people I work with who have had the problems you and many others have had, does seems a damn shame you can't get a console without having tonnes of problems.

I remember when started playing games on my PC back in the late 90s', having software or hardware problems whilst my friends who had consoles' didn't seem to have any problems, did make me envious of them back then,
now they are getting more and more like PCs' in terms of hardware and software and having the problems that plague PC users to this day.

**LordofHats**

dogma wrote:I'm calling BS simply because Microsoft has said there will be no Kinect 2. The 300 USD price point is also dubious

The document is allegedly from 2010. Plans can change quite a bit in two years. What was intended then may no longer be part of the plan.