as in the rebirth of 360 in new form. I tihnks its the 360 natal packaged differently to be more marketable to casual consumer(slim?). Also the x engine could so developer can release natal games sooner.

But I think they will do at least 6 years of the 360..i hope they all wait at least 8 because i want to see a super graphical leap in consoles...

who cares mj is dead !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

no man... i dont like this.. i'm all for a new 360 (as in a new look or new bundles) but a hardware upgrade is no good.. come on ms i have serious abandonment issues.. dont leave me and my 360 just yet... push it to 2012 atleast

I want a new Xbox..

This stuff is pretty much correct. Although sending out specs and early software isn't meant to release the next console soon. Its meant to have devs build for 2 to 3 years on a game to have at the launch.

And that perfectly means it'll be 2011/2012 when the '720' will release with some great games.

The 360 is 2 years away from a new console...2012 I predict.(obviously when the world ends)

didnt michael jackson rape kids.

I do not understand the logic behind this.

The xbox 360 platform is build on top of DirectX.

If anybody is familiar with developing applications on Microsoft platform they will understand that Microsoft technologies always spill across platforms.

So, if Microsoft is working on a Game Engine "X-Engine" it does not mean a new console... it just mean a new API that can be use on the xbox 360 and will mature and and be use on all future Microsoft platforms.

I wouldn't doubt that this projects is not exclusive to consoles but that it will be available to PC developers too.

And you can be certain that developers will not have to replace their development talent or spend 2 years in research to learn how to write code for it and that the fact that the company (Microsoft) responsible of the xbox 360 is also the company responsible of many programming languages and development tools across many industries which guarantees that it will be developer friendly have have a ton of end user developer input and not completely made by some hardware company that takes under no consideration the developer that eventually needs to write code to make their games.

@darthv72 - This is not all coincidence. The xbox brand came as a result of Microsoft involvement in with Sega. The culture of the Sega fans still live on the xbox 360 by many Sega fans that without noticing now own an xbox 360.

Take a look at this old article:

http://windowsitpro.com/art...

1998, "
Sega Enterprises has finally settled on a strategy to beat Nintendo and Sony: it's going to use Windows CE in its next-generation game machine. While few details are known at this point, using Windows CE will allow Sega to easily facilitate online gaming over the Internet. "

Sega did not only used Microsoft OS in their console, use partial directx API, but also ask microsoft to built their network system today know as xbox live.

When Sega went belly up Microsoft continue most of what Sega was made of... not to mentioned that all those sega employees and developers end up moving and working for microsoft on the xbox.

So it's not a secret... in theory it's as if Microsoft acquired the Sega hardware division.

I'm taking this article with a huge pinch of salt, but it makes a lot of sense. Make a more powerful console, but make sure it's backwards compatible with existing 360's, that way developers can target a huge market while still allowing room for growth.

By making the architectures so similar that they're essentially the same, but faster, engines, tools, etc. can be developed way ahead of the launch. It's a good plan, if it's real, it should mean that the transition to the next generation is much smoother and it should be easy to support the 360 for years, since you can literally just tone down the graphics and such for the 360 version while having a full on 720 version (or whatever it's called).

I always believed that Sony would do a similar thing as well, they could easily make a "next gen" Playstation by just upping the clock speeds of the SPUs or even throwing a few more in there with a beefier graphics card.

how funny that is the rumored name. Considering it was the rumored name of sega next gen system a little while ago. Sega was the ones to bring a new beginning ("Genesis") to gaming in the 90's and then fall from grace. To be reborn from the ashes ("Phoenix") with a new system.

Maybe this is the collaboration MS and Sega have been secretly working on for some time??

off topic: Goodbye MJ ,hats go off to your great and inspiring music..

ON topic: Kool i guess,but more importantly how will the RRoD favor in this new Phase of XbOx?

so that what they meant by the next xbox being forward compatible.

http://www.computerandvideo...
(article from oct 15 2008)

its 01h00 EU time and the link is down!

Hes Dead! Children can now sleep at night without fear. The angels are overjoyed that the spawn of satan is dead

What the hell does MJ or the charlies angels chick has to do with a article about an xbox rumor??They both sucked. they were Celebrities it's not like your mom who died.

This is a Weird Console Run for Sony and MS... back in the day it was here's your console.. Now you should almost wait a year or two just to get the better model... I think there are 5 different xbox, and 5 PS3's I mean WTF... On the next console I hope they Overdue the Machine so we don't we this happening again

i care mj is dead

Its called Project pheonix. As in rising from the ashes of the RRoD. Or mabe just something that the 360 set on fire. Microsoft is making fun of their faulty azz system.

Im ready for a BC/Natal new console

i think when it comes to development tools and engines, ms is on top of the game. sony on the other hand, prefer to make things as complicated and as complex as possible. just because the system is so "powerful" doesnt make it should be hard to code for. but im glad that ms wants to make it even easier than before for 360 developers to work with these tools. and instead of just dropping a bomb on developers with the announcement of a new xbox/devkit, ms is taking more of a transitional approach ( as far as i see it ). sony needs to learn from this.

supposedly it will also come with the rrod feature

hmm project Phoenix. I have an image of a 360 RROD and is reduced into ash, and a Phoenix rises from the remains.

...that either MS or Sony can afford a "brand new" console anytime BEFORE 2012 (LOL @ the "end of the world" reference, saw the new apocalyptic trailer for "2012" yesterday @ Transformers 2). I know that MS would be going for the jugular with a new console first again, but I think that would potentially blow up in their face. Sony is in NO position financially for PS4 anytime soon. Besides, wasn't it Sony talking about 10 year lifespans for consoles? Makes a lot of sense in the current economy... does either MS or Sony want to do anything else to anger gamers, with the Wii pulling further and further away? Better to spend those precious millions of dollars getting more like the Wii without abandoning the hardcore (Natal & Eyewand I'm looking at you) gamers. Better to take the time/money using Phoenix to pave the way for a much smoother transition (Full on BC, etc.) to the inevitable next console. Besides, if new consoles were only a year out, we'd be hearing a lot more news, wouldn't we? No, no new console (even though I love the Phoenix name--- long live Jean Grey!) until 2012 AT LEAST....

I want to buy a 360 for Forza and couple other games but all these rumors are deterring me from buying one. I don't want to get one and then within two years ther wont be any support. I love my ps3 but hate missing out on good games so I want to expand my gaming experience. Maybe I should just pic up a arcade unit for now.

both MS and sony will be working on next gen machines by now as they take years to develope and much trial and error.this does not mean the 360 as MS have stated will not be around for a few more years till the next box is launched and if the ps3 does not sell massively when theres a significant price cut sony may be forced to abandon its 10year plan and launch the ps4.(if they can still afford to) BUT i think both situations are very unlikely in the current economy

bubbles LOL!!!!!!!!!

I can't wait for the next Xbox, but the 360 definitely has a lot of life left in it.

of course there not going to be a new console at least for another 3 years before information on development is released. everyone knows that next year the 360 getting the cpu and gpu on one core. that Natal is there way of taping into the we market and some of the geeks out there. To early to tell how good the content will be but that is the reason for none release date, so the can have tons of great content on it release. Developers will always learn how to tweak each console to look better each year. and am sure in 3 to 4 years the next console with all games running in supper high 1080p in all games with new Direct X 11.

It make sense....................U have GT5...........GOWIII.........T eam ICO new game...MS has no game that will counter these titans...so why not introduce a slightly beefed up console with Natal standard to compete with Sony's technological superior game line up.........Sony will be marketing AAA exclusive in 2010..while MS will be marketing a 360.5 w/an extra camera(wat happens to the 360 vision...can I trade toward the purchase of Natal?)

Correct me if I'm wrong but with all the new changes going on with the XBOX, to me its sounds like a new system. Thats a short life span for a console compared to its competition. Hopefully if they abandon the 360 the new system will be fully backwards compatible......

THese rumours could be real because if they aren't then M$ sure is taking their time to deny the rumours

i want a functioning xbox XD