Kinect and Move have changed the gaming landscape. Microsoft and Sony see their motion-control systems as add-ons important enough to be treated like new consoles. Which means the chances of seeing a new console for real from either company in the near future are slimmer now than ever.
Asked by Eurogamer a random question about the next-gen Xbox, Microsoft Xbox & Entertainment Director, Stephen McGill, replied:
We’ve no plans for another Xbox. You’ll continue to see us bring amazing new experiences to the console, without you having to buy a brand new console. A couple of years ago we didn’t have movies, Sky, Facebook and Twitter – now we’ve got things like Kinect. We’ll continue to evolve those gaming and entertainment experiences through the power of software updates, rather than new chipsets and plastic.
McGill was then asked to comment on Aaron Greenberg’s estimation that a new Xbox would arrive in around five years time, to which he replied:
I’m not sure what the timeframe is. There’s a long long way to go with the experiences people deliver on this platform – we’re just beginning to scratch the surface. Obviously we’ve got this brand new experience platform with Kinect. The launch games and experiences are pretty phenomenal but it’s a gateway to unlock a lot of amazing ideas for developers. So there’s a long way to go.
I have no doubts that Microsoft is at least thinking about the next Xbox console. Someone, somewhere in the bowels of Microsoft HQ will be working on designs and specification wish-lists. But for now, and likely for some time to come, Kinect is where the focus of attention is, and Microsoft thinks it has the capability of breathing new life into the Xbox 360.
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