Rumors are swirling and the internet is catching fire with news of the release of a new Xbox in the fall of 2010. For quite some time people in the know have heard about the creation of the Natal, which is a new motion controlled technology that doesn’t need a controller. However, just recently Microsoft employees have started admitting that the creation of Natal will lead to a new console, and it may even be named the Xbox Natal.
Hefty Price with Minimal Improvements?
There still is no concrete information on what upgrades will be out there to look for or when exactly we will get a sneak peek at the console, but that doesn’t mean there hasn’t been a lot of excitement. The fear for many Xbox fans is that the console will come with a hefty price tag yet may only include minor improvements. For many video game publishers though, the move can not come soon enough as a number have complained that the 360 has already been maxed out in terms of potential, unlike the PS3.
A New Kind of Console Launch and the Competition
Unlike the previous console launches we have seen in the past, this one will not feature a whole new system or a massive hardware leap. It looks like it is just going to be a simple upgrade, much like the one that Nintendo pulled off recently with the Wii. It is quite coincidental that this new Microsoft console will be coming out right about the same time the Wii HD does. Both will be aimed at mainstream video game fans and include much of the same features and technology. The concern for Microsoft may be that the new Xbox console will probably be quite a bit more expensive.
The Wii and the Xbox Move Closer Together
The truly ironic part is that both consoles are moving in completely opposite directions, yet are becoming quite similar. While the Wii already has motion control sensors, they will be introducing a new HD component that doesn’t exist yet. On the other hand the Xbox 360 already utilizes HD, but does not benefit from motion controls. This will change for both in the fall of next year.
Now, the key here is to keep your excitement, or lack thereof, under control. There probably will not be any more news surrounding a new Xbox console or the Natal system until the Game Developer’s Conference next year. Keep your cool, stay calm and enjoy the current consoles and what they still have to offer……..for now.
