Friday, May 13, 2005
It's official. The next Xbox console will be called Xbox 360 and it will launch this holiday season. Details such as price point and backwards compatibility have not yet been addressed, but the console's specifications and main features have all been confirmed.
"Starting today with Xbox 360, our ambition is to revolutionize the way people think about fun," Robbie Back, Chief Xbox Office
Microsoft has finally taken the wraps off its next-gen Xbox, and to no one's surprise it is called Xbox 360 and it does look like the console pictured in the recently leaked photos. What began with an MTV infomercial last night was quickly followed by a host of press releases and a new website, Xbox360.com.
Hardware design
The console, designed with the help of San Francisco-based Astro Studios and Osaka, Japan-based Hers Experimental Design Laboratory Inc., is far more stylish than the original Xbox and can be personalized with interchangeable faceplates, much like swappable cell phone covers. Microsoft went through upwards of 20 different prototypes before arriving at the concave, "inhale" look for the platform.
The hardware itself will be powered by three custom IBM PowerPC-based CPUs running at 3.2 GHz each. The custom ATI GPU will run at 500MHz and will come with 10 MB of embedded DRAM. For memory, the Xbox 360 will come packed with 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM. The system will also come with a 20GB hard drive, which is detachable and upgradeable, and despite the rumors of multiple SKUs, so far only one version of Xbox 360 has been announced. In addition, there are two slots for using 64 MB memory units.
DVD, digital media and more
There had been speculation that the system would use the new HD-DVD media, but Xbox 360 will be sticking with a 12x dual-layer DVD-ROM, which will play movies in progressive scan out of the box (no remote purchase required). To emphasize the "HD Era" the Xbox 360 will play all games in 16:9 widescreen with resolutions of 720p and 1080i and full-screen anti-aliasing. 5.1 Dolby Digital surround sound and custom soundtracks will also be standard. A built-in Media Center Extender for Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 will also enable users to instantly stream digital media to the Xbox 360 from any Windows XP-based PC, MP3 players, and digital cameras.
The 360 supports up to four 2.4GHz wireless controllers, which run about 40 hours on two AA batteries. A Play & Charge cable can also be used to recharge the controller while playing, so that your gaming session never gets abruptly ended. Perhaps the best feature on the new controller is the Xbox Guide button in the middle, which lets users bring up a menu at any time to watch movies, listen to music, contact friends on Xbox Live, or access the Xbox Live Marketplace.
Xbox Live, launch games
Speaking of Live, an Xbox 360 Wireless Network Adapter will allow players to get online without worrying about long Ethernet cords. The system comes with free access to basic Live features such as sending and receiving text and voice messages, engaging in voice chat, and the Xbox Live Marketplace, "a one-stop shop to download demos and trailers, new game levels, maps, weapons, vehicles, skins, community-created content and more." In order to actually play online, though, Xbox 360 owners will have to subscribe to the premium (Gold) service. An Xbox Live Camera will also be available for players who wish to personalize their profiles with their own faces or engage in video messaging.
Xbox 360 can stand vertically (above) or horizontally
At launch, a number of titles from a variety of genres will be available including: 2KGames' NBA 2K6, Activision's Call of Duty 2, Quake 4 and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland; Electronic Arts' Madden NFL 06, Need For Speed: Most Wanted and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06; Majesco Entertainment's The Darkness, Microsoft Game Studios' Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo: Elements of Power, Project Gotham Racing 3, and Gears of War; THQ's Saint's Row, and Ubisoft's Ghost Recon 3.
"With the first generation of Xbox, our ambition was to change the way people think about video games," said Robbie Bach, Microsoft's chief Xbox officer. "Starting today with Xbox 360, our ambition is to revolutionize the way people think about fun."
More to come
Although an exact date wasn't pinned down, the 360 will launch this holiday season, most likely sometime around Thanksgiving with launches in Japan and Europe to follow soon after. A price point was not given, and the issue of backwards compatibility has still not been addressed. Industry sources, however, have indicated that Microsoft is in the process of deciding this now and will make an announcement one way or the other on Monday (likely during their pre-E3 press conference).
In the meantime, to get more information and a closer look at the unit and controller check out Xbox.com and Xbox360.com.
