Microsoft Puts New Console Rumors to Rest After the unveiling of the new Project Natal, many rumors surfaced about a nex Xbox console being released with Natal in 2010. Microsoft shipped a new development kit earlier this year. The new kit includes one gigabyte of RAM. This new kit will make development easier for studios. Developers get another surprise when they get their development kit: new engine code-named the X-Engine. The most common engine used for Xbox 360 development was Epic's Unreal Engine 3. It might look great in Gears of War, but the engine does not shine in every developer's hands and it also doesn't have key features to take true advantage of the Xbox 360 quirks. The engine isn't just a new set of special effects; it's actually a whole new way to develop for the system: a new first party engine design. So no new console being released with Natal in 2010, but instead the current 360 is getting an overhaul. If the new engine is successful, the 360 could outshine the PS3 in more ways than it does now. The new engine may give the console enough to match the PS3's graphical output. I don't know about everyone else but this seems like a good step for Microsoft. Full article here: Xbox Secrets: The truth about the Xbox 360 "relaunch," the X-Engine - Gamezine.co.uk
That is great news. I don't want to spend money on a new console when this one is fine as it is. But the new developer kit sounds good. Bigger, better games.. Thats what it's all about!