Xbox 2 to be announced at X04?

By Kristan Reed Published 12 July, 2004

Annual industry conference the likely platform for Microsoft's next move in the console market, with first look at GDC 2005?

The Xbox 2 looks likely to be formally announced in September, with Sony's PlayStation 3 announcement this morning helping to heap pressure on Microsoft to finally take the wraps off the successor to its Xbox console.

To date, Microsoft has consistently refused to comment on any talk of Xbox 2, despite issuing numerous game developers with development kits, but with both Nintendo and Sony having made up their minds to use E3 2005 as an initial launch platform, Microsoft will be mindful that it needs an event of its own which can generate as much attention without getting lost in the next gen crowd.

The most logical assumption to make, is that Microsoft will use X04, its annual industry event for Europe, as the means to reveal its intentions in the next generation console market, although at the time of going to press, Microsoft has not yet confirmed that the event will be taking place this year. A mid September date is expected, however.

Microsoft's Peter Moore repeatedly stated back in May that Microsoft would "not be beaten to market", and therefore the firm needs to begin beating the drum to the industry shortly - and X04 would appear to be the ideal platform for the firm to begin the process of launching Xbox 2 to the wider world.

As for when the console will be shown off for the first time, that role is likely to be fulfilled by either the CES show in January, or the Game Developer's Conference in March - thought to be Microsoft's original intentions this year, but chose to launch its XNA development tools initiative while it waited for Sony to play its hand.

The first 'hands-on' public unveiling will therefore be at E3 in May 2005, with a US launch following in October. As before, it would appear likely that a staggered launch strategy will be implemented, with Europe's next logical launch window pushed back to March 2006 - still a full six to eight months ahead of the PS3, with Japan following shortly afterwards.

Microsoft's current company line is to not discuss Xbox 2, but expect a huge blaze of publicity soon.

Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (18) Latest comment 8 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • andrewfromdoncaster #1 8 years ago

    /campness on

    Oooooh its all happening now!

    /campness off

  • Daryoon #2 8 years ago

    Sadly, unlike the PS3 announcement, this one doesn't make the front page of the BBC news...

  • Whizzo #3 8 years ago

    Probably rhythm but they won't be beaten to market, which seems to matter to MS.

  • aabyssx #4 8 years ago

    > Why is M$ so keen to be first to market??

    I (for one) don't care about who is out first. I wait for 6-8 titles I really must play and then (but only then) I buy.
    IMO M$ and $ony should focus on games and make a better image with current generation rather than being first or having stronger HW.

    edit: stronger HW (on paper).
    Edited by 1 at 12/07/04 @ 15:42

  • jt #5 8 years ago

    They are concerned about being first to market because they want to be a more attractive platform than the PS3 when it comes out. If the Xbox Next has a handful of truly killer titles by the time that the PS3 ships, that could make a big difference, especially since Sony's launch lineups tend to be a little weak historically.

  • perilikid #6 8 years ago

    Man, I used to dislike MS, but I've switched sides since buying an Xbox to the extent that I really hope that they don't screw this up. I'm sure the Xbox hardware can still be stretched further.

  • mystic_mick #7 8 years ago

    I can't wait for the Xbox 2, it's going to be the bestest console ever.

  • Kami #8 8 years ago

    MS seem to think if they are first, then they will grab the lions share of the market. Which, and I hate to keep referring to this, is pretty much what Dreamcast tried to do!


    It might work. Then again, it might not... I'll be eager to see the relative (REAL) size of the machine and their controller...

  • Xensor #9 8 years ago

    Even tho i'm a sony fanboi part of me want to see MS succeed a certain extent, simply to force Sony to raise their game. With the curent state of the market all sony have to do is turn up and they'll most likely win. It's been mentioned on the forums i think that some people think that backwards compatability is not a selling point. Ironic i think, judging that MS would never have sold as many copies of windows as is has has they not been backwardly compatible to some extent. Even if it's never used it's something to compare and contrast the relative strengths of each next gen console and i seriously doubt any 'average gamer' is gonna want more than one box under the tv that plays all the games in their collection. So anything that means one bocx that playhs everything is good, two or more boxes, very bad. Mrs 'average gamer' aint gonna like that. And while i'm on the subject - harddisks in consoles. IMHO MS never properly sold the usefulness of a HDD to the general public but probably more importantly at the time they were released Mr 'average gamer' wouldn't have a clue what a HDD was. Nowadays however therre are HDD in literally every single box under the tv as well as in some tv's - in fact HDD are rapidly becoming ubiquitous and therefore IMHO people are only now cottoning on to the idea of a HDD in every box. All of a sudden a HDD in a console aint that wild and crazy, more to be expected which is why i think the PS3 will have one (and the fact that they are dirt cheap too). But will Mr 'average gamer' be able to get their head around the solid state storage in the NeXBox? Dunno. And another thing is that Mr 'average gamer' is usually Mr 'average PC owner' and therefore the bigger the numbers the better. E.G. "PS3 had 40GB storage!" "Xbox2 has 512MB storage!" YTS Joe in Dixons will tell Mr A.G "PS3 has 80 times as much storage capacity! And can play all your PS2 games!" Mr A.G. buys a PS3. And thus the circle of life is complete!

    Sorry for the rambling diatribe :)

  • Feanor #10 8 years ago

    So the PS3 will be released first in Japan, eh?

  • Gastrian #11 8 years ago

    Its Unlikely the Xbox2 will suffer the same fate as the dreamcast. The current hardware lifecycle has ended. Customers have been asking when the new consoles are out since last christmas, when the Dreamcast was released everyone was still happy with their PSOne.

    If Xbox do release their console next year, especially if its a Q3 or Q4 release they will get an entire christmas period to themselves which is what the PS2 had and was the major reason for its market dominance. If Microsoft play their cards right they could very well steal a large chunk of the market from Sony, especially if Halo2 and Fable sell well on the current XBox.

  • Ravenlore #12 8 years ago

    NO matter what MS does it will not sell well. Y
    -
    1. This gen games look great, Halo2, Doom3, Half-life2... And one year later I think Halo 2 will sell just like Halo after 2 years it will be bought. (there R not many people online so it will do nothing to aid in sales) Even on PS2 games are looking better this gen than last. Next gen games starting with GT4(more cars traks), GTA:SA (3Xbigger), KillZone(new Graphics)...
    -
    2. Many games droping in price. Greatest Hits and Platnum, Many Used games ...
    -
    3. Price drop in Consoles to $99, I will pick up another PS2 for Lan play. My friends will get another XboX also, I may get a used XboX to mod.


    Now PS3 and N5 will soon be launching later so it will be a hard sell. PS2 did not sell well till XboX and GC went on sale, (for the most part because of limited amount on hand). AND this time XboX can not claim "the Most powerfull" so what will they say????? the most fun?? most_____ (fill in blank).
    -
    Why are people buying XboX now??? Look at what the Forms are saying they have the best(graphics) games Doom3, KOTOR, DOA3... so now those Developers can make games on PS3 and not just XboX2 or maybe only on PS3???

    Playstation is a brand that is bought (FACT) why will that change??

  • 3william56 #13 8 years ago

    Expect a bunch of Sony spoiler PS3 details to be released in, well, September then.

    6-8 months difference in release dates is not a lot (assuming both MS and Sony hold to their plans) - apart from the early adopters, it's practically simultaneous for most of the market.

    With the staggered release, by the time XB2 is out in Europe, PS3 will be out in Japan (and available on import). We'll all know how they stack up and make puchase plans accordingly. So unless MS get out a lot earlier, or PS3 slips, the bulk of MS's "first to market advantage" is going down the gurgler.

    The big question is: who will blink first and drop the price from the Early Adopters sucker rate, to the real long term retail rate? MS have deep pockets, but how much more XB losses can Bill stomach? Sony have market share, but the corp is screaming for cash.

    Get the popcorn in, boys, it's going to be a fun year.

  • Tiitiz #14 8 years ago

    Playstation is a brand that is bought (FACT) why will that change??

    Just like Nintendo?

    Nevermind, I disagree with 99% of your comments but I can't be arsed

  • Ravenlore #15 8 years ago

    nintendo took a wrong turn with the Catrage in N64, If it had a CD then Nintendo would have split the market ( its heavy hand on Dev would have still lost it many gamers) and GC was not too less expancive and need to cort Dev to their system. none of which it did.

    Sony is not making mistakes like Nintendo so to compare them is a wast of time.

    As for MS trying to hype XboX2 and keep XboX alive, while trying to out due PS3 (given XboX has more to offer than PS2 and still sells less) will be HARD.

  • pjmaybe #16 8 years ago

    Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games! Show us the games!

    Peej

  • Bill Gates is Evil #17 8 years ago

    Why is M$ so keen to be first to market??

    Why are people so keen on saying Microsoft wants to be first to the market?

    Microsoft has said that they aren't going to give Sony a head-start this time around. Can someone please show me where Microsoft has said that they want to release AHEAD of Sony? From what i've gathered from all of Microsoft's press releases that I remember, they always seemed to imply that Microsoft is going to release Xbox 2 the day that Sony releases PS3.

    Can someone clarify with Microsoft's own comments on the matter?

  • RumpyStumpy #18 8 years ago

    at least if microsoft are first to market but then reduce the price of the console shortly afterwards they will probably compensate early users as they did with the current xbox.

    in fact i can't fault microsofts customer service one bit. i recieved 2 games and a pad when they had the price drop. and yesterday after having to change my gamer tag i recieved a years free live and another free game.

    oh and how is sony's online service now. i was beta tester but it was so poor that even the promise of free games couldn't get me playing it. subscription is now out of date so could you let me know if it has improved.

    cheers