Major Nelson on 'new' Xbox 360: We're not even halfway through yet

[Zeus]

Major Nelson has tried to clear up comments made by Ballmer yesterday who revealed a new Xbox 360 will be available in 2010. Ballmer did not outright deny the claim but noted MS is not even halfway through the current console lifecycle and there is no date for the launch of Project Natal.

<blockquote>A few people have emailed me regarding something Steve Ballmer said earlier today about a new Xbox coming in 2010. As the Xbox team stated at E3 two weeks ago, we are not even halfway through the current console generation lifecycle and believe Xbox 360 will be the entertainment center in the home for long into the next decade. Project Natal will be an important part of this platform, but we have not confirmed a launch date at this time.
</blockquote>

News Source: <A href="http://majornelson.com/archive/2009/06/18/to-clarify-what-steve-said-earlier-today.aspx" target="_blank">MajorNelson</a>

[NextGenPsych]

So, Ballmer said something he shouldn't have ?
And Major Nellson is now into damage-management-modus to prevent an Osborne effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_effect) at the Xbox department ?
Or is the next Xbox-iteration not a real technological step forward, so they better decided not to call it an xbox720 ( yet )?

Anyway, just deliver on your promises MS, or Sony will really kick your @ss :D

[ThreeDog]

So, Ballmer said something he shouldn't have ?
And Major Nellson is now into damage-management-modus to prevent an Osborne effect (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_effect) at the Xbox department ?
Or is the next Xbox-iteration not a real technological step forward, so they better decided not to call it an xbox720 ( yet )?

Anyway, just deliver on your promises MS, or Sony will really kick your @ss :D

Everything i've heard points to a redesign of the 360 combined with natal, it would be pretty dumb to release a brand new console and specifically aimed games half way through a generation, games may be somewhat recession proof but hardware is not.
I can't see anyone dumb enough to get to such a low price point while everyone is yelling price cut at sony while making a new system and resetting to a £300 price point.

[crypysmoker]

Everything i've heard points to a redesign of the 360 combined with natal, it would be pretty dumb to release a brand new console and specifically aimed games half way through a generation, games may be somewhat recession proof but hardware is not.
I can't see anyone dumb enough to get to such a low price point while everyone is yelling price cut at sony while making a new system and resetting to a £300 price point.

Exactly, and thats how they are dodging it "were not making a new 360" "we have no plans for new hardware"...
But NEVER do they say "well, we may not be making a new 360, but we have finally figured out how to keep our consoles from breaking within months, so lets smash it into a new case and include our new camera so that people think we care. Of and charge $599.99"

[Cue]

Everything i've heard points to a redesign of the 360 combined with natal, it would be pretty dumb to release a brand new console and specifically aimed games half way through a generation, games may be somewhat recession proof but hardware is not.
I can't see anyone dumb enough to get to such a low price point while everyone is yelling price cut at sony while making a new system and resetting to a £300 price point.

Do not count it out. it is apparently (according to 1up) a new console which can play 360 games but is more powerful than the current 360 (better graphics and such), part of that forward-compatibility thing we heard a while back.
http://www.slashgear.com/xbox-360-games-to-be-forward-compatible-with-next-gen-console-1619427/

[DanASBO]

Do not count it out. it is apparently (according to 1up) a new console which can play 360 games but is more powerful than the current 360 (better graphics and such), part of that forward-compatibility thing we heard a while back.
http://www.slashgear.com/xbox-360-games-to-be-forward-compatible-with-next-gen-console-1619427/

That negates the point of forward compatability, which should mean the 360 would be able to play 720 games, not t'other way round.. and I highly doubt that would be the case.

[DEDDOA]

Didn't he say a new 360, in that case how is it different to a redesigned PS3, PS2 slim, etc. It's natal plain and simple, they want to push the wii style gaming on an MS console so the best way is to ship the console with it. Not my thing, but it makes sense for them to do so, get it in the public mind with sufficient time prior to the next console so that the public associates MS with motion control pick up and play family games as well as high end gamign (tho lets for get dodgy hardware :p )

[Cue]

That negates the point of forward compatability, which should mean the 360 would be able to play 720 games, not t'other way round.. and I highly doubt that would be the case.

huh? yes, if there is a new xbox 360 coming out it will play games created for it which would also be playable on the old 360 but with lower graphics and such.

[kcvfr400]

I think like others this is a redesigned case to create a different look and probably to move the dvd drive from sitting on the gpu which is a heat issue when laying down and change the hdd position which is a heat issue when standing up. A different look especially as its currently the ugliest of this gen's consoles and looks more like a formal pc case would allow more of a buzz to be created around natal to present to the non gaming community dipping their toes with wii's.