Rumors of the Next Xbox Point to 2012?

The codename is "Loop". Or "Project Ten".

With Nintendo already putting their hat in for the next console race, it was only a matter of time for some official-sounding information about the next machine from Microsoft. Considering that the Xbox 360 is now six years old (two years older than the Xbox was before getting replaced), development of a new console has been a foregone conclusion. But today, two tidbits of slightly conflicting information have come out regarding the future of the Xbox console front.

According to MSNerd, the next Xbox is codenamed “loop”, and will be integrating elements similar to the Zune HD, among other things. “With a heady mix of rumors, tips and speculation, I am now stating that Xbox codename “loop” (the erstwhile XboxTV) will indeed debut a modified Win9 core,” said the blogger. “It will use a Zune HD-like hardware platform—a “main” processor with multiple dedicated assistive cores for graphics, AI, physics, sound, networking, encryption and sensors. It will be custom-designed by Microsoft and two partners based on the ARM architecture. It will be cheaper than the 360, further enabling Kinect adoption. And it will be far smaller than the 360. It will also demonstrate how Windows Phone could possible implement Win9’s dev platform on the lower end.”

However, on the latest edition of the Windows Weekly podcast, tech reporter Paul Thurrott calls the next Xbox “Project Ten”. He says that he has heard that the console is planned for a 2012 holiday release. This comes as a surprise, as recently it was reported that chip manufacturers and middleware firms were expecting the system to hit in 2013. It’s all rumors and speculation at this point, but all signs point to some interesting news coming down the pipeline.

Thurrott went on to say that the new system is supposed to be “all metro”, referring to the unified interface that Microsoft has been implementing amongst its different devices. He likened it to the “Apple route”, where all Apple devices talk to each other and share common interface elements. It certainly fits in with MSNerd’s “loop” codename, as a loop between different devices could be what Microsoft is striving for with the next generation.

We will of course update with all the upcoming news on the new consoles, as we head into the new year.

Our Take

Jesse Miller Staff Writer

11/10/2011 at 08:58 AM

I still don't think we'll see anything until 2013. I know that Microsoft usually releases product quickly after reveal, but I think they'd want to see exactly what the Nintendo Wii U has to offer before pushing a system out the door.

Julian Titus Senior Editor

11/10/2011 at 10:11 AM

I will be very surprised if it comes in 2012. I think we're going to see a repeat of the previous generation. We got the Dreamcast in 1999, PS2 in 2000, and the Xbox and Gamecube in 2001. I think we'll see Wii U, then the next Xbox, followed by PS4.

Michael117

11/10/2011 at 10:53 AM

I'm not sure what the catalyst was but I remember pre-E3 and pre-Wii U the majority of the media and gamer sentiment I saw on 1UP for example was that we weren't quite tapping the potential of our current hardware and people were just begging for new games instead of consoles. Now all this momentum is building for new consoles just because Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony will it to be true lol. Suddenly it's a "foregone conclusion" as this article puts it. I for one don't have a problem with new consoles, as long as they are backwards compatible and don't come out of the oven before they're workable. I hope the new Xbox doesn't come out before my dream of replacing my frankenstein first gen 360 that's been repaired 3 times with a slim 360 comes to fruition.

2013 would be fine because I'll have time to prepare and save up for it. The reason backwards compatibility is important to me is because this generation I've only had the funds to be able to invest in a Microsoft experience and I still don't have my own PS3 and all the Sony games I want. If I have to wait till PS4 I hope I can still buy and play the Uncharted series, MGS 4, God of War, etc on it. There's ton of stuff I could go on because Sony has lots of games I want.

11/10/2011 at 12:23 PM

I think this generation still has some surprises for us, but when it comes to new IP and ideas, we're probably going to need to wait until the next slate of consoles. But who knows? God of War came out just before the current generation began, and it became one of Sony's most epic franchises to date. It would be cool to get something like that before we move on to the next big thing.

Jason Ross Senior Editor

11/10/2011 at 05:46 PM

I really don't think this is an Xbox platform. I talk about my opinion in PB & Jason, but judging by the context and the innards of project loop, I'd say it's a TV media device akin to the Roku XS or even the Apple TV, or it's another attempt at a Zune-like platform to compete with the iPod Touch.

Chris Mabrey Staff Alumnus

11/10/2011 at 07:36 PM

I agree with Jason, here. This device certainly fits with what Microsoft is doing with its products, but it doesn't sound like a successor to the Xbox. The name Loop holds weight in that regard, particularly with the decreasing number of seams Microsoft wants between its products. I'm thinking this could be a modified Xbox, but that seems like an odd move, so I would imagine it to be an additional product, maybe as a part of the Xbox family. But it still seems odd based on this information.

PixlBit