You 
probably saw all the headlines that hit the internet in late January: “Next Xbox to prevent you from playing used games!”
In terms of headlines, that’s a doozy. In terms of credibility, it’s unknown. But in terms of business strategy? It’s incredibly risky.
As the 
industry devours any scraps of gossip about the next Xbox or PlayStation, Gamasutra editor-at-large Chris Morris wonders if Microsoft and Sony are paying enough attention to Apple’s threat to the living room.
As the next generation of console systems looms, and the industry devours any scraps of gossip about the next Xbox or PlayStation, I’m starting to wonder if Microsoft and Sony are paying enough attention to Apple – and the threat it presents to their living room dominance.
While Steve Jobs never had a big interest in the gaming world, the app store quickly made the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch portable gaming powerhouses – albeit using a vastly different model than Nintendo and Sony. These days, Tim Cook is running the show – and he’s not an executive who’s going to ignore a $60 billion-plus industry.
Veteran 
journalist Chris Morris explains what a no-show for the next Xbox at E3 means
With Microsoft’s announcement that it has no plans to even mention its next generation console system at this year’s E3, the annual video game trade show has gotten a bit less interesting.
It is, in some ways, a confusing decision. While no one expected the next Xbox to come out this year, publishers traditionally begin beating the drum for new systems about 18 months out – and there’s no indication Microsoft has pushed the system to 2014. Also, with the company talking to developers now, the specs for the device have leaked out faster than water through a colander.
If Microsoft 
was looking to ratchet up the stakes in its ongoing battle with Sony, it sure managed to do so with Tuesday’s hiring of Phil Harrison.
In addition to filling the Redmond-based company’s quota of tall, bald game industry superstars, Harrison brings an insight into how things work at Sony that Microsoft has had to guess at for years. And, after being out of the spotlight for the past few years, he’s likely coming in hungry to make his mark.
Microsoft still 
isn’t talking about the successor to the Xbox 360, but that’s not stopping the grapevine from speculating about the new features it will offer.
The company received a patent late last year for a device that would serve as both a game console and a digital video recorder — and that has people wondering if the next Xbox will have an even bigger role in the living room.
In his latest IG 
column, veteran journo Chris Morris addresses the Xbox 720 rumormill and offers up advice for Microsoft’s next console.
As whispers of a looming next generation Xbox announcement grow to a fever pitch, it’s hard to open a browser window these days without encountering a screaming headline about the still unannounced system (which, more often than not, contradicts what another outlet is claiming).
While the truth about what Microsoft has in store will find its way to the light eventually – likely next year in some way at some point – there has been precious little discussion on what the system needs to do to ensure it matches (or betters) the success of the Xbox 360. With that in mind, we’ve got a few humble suggestions about what Microsoft should – and shouldn’t – do with its next generation console.
Looking at recent 
rumors of the Xbox 360’s successor supposedly poised to surface soon, Gamasutra’s Chris Morris explains why neither consumers nor publishers should really want a next generation at this point.
New consoles are one of the favorite topics of the rumor mill – and over the past couple of weeks, the system has been grinding out a seemingly endless stream of speculation and anonymously tipped whispers about the next generation.
Microsoft, specifically, has been in the spotlight, with several reports saying the company plans to unveil the Xbox 720 (or Xbox Next or whichever clever naming scheme you prefer) as early as next year – and perhaps release it before the next holiday sales rush.
While Microsoft 
hasn’t uttered a peep about the next iteration of the Xbox, it’s one of the industry’s worst kept secrets that development is well underway. Now, a new rumor from a blog that has a decent track record when it comes to Microsoft information has a few new theories about what we can expect.
If MS Nerd is correct, the Xbox 720 (or Xbox Next, or whatever Microsoft decides to call it) is currently being developed under the codename “Loop” — and the machine may run on a modified version of Windows 9.
Historically, gamers 
get new consoles every five or six years. Like cell phones, game systems have a planned obsolescence — and each subsequent generation offers eye-popping new features that reinvigorate sales.
But as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 start to get a bit long in the tooth, neither Microsoft nor Sony has uttered a word about their plans for new systems. And while Nintendo’s Wii U will hit stores next year, there’s a considerable amount of debate over whether that machine is truly “next gen.”
Chris Morris: Journalist 