Microsoft planning three versions of Xbox 2?

[Nitrous]

From a good site I know and trust. *copy and pastes*
Might want to sticky this thread??

The next-generation Xbox console may come in three different versions, according to a report today which claims that the firm plans to launch 3 versions with and without a hard drive in 2005, and a fully functional PC/ Xbox 2 combination in 2006.

Technology website The Inquirer reports that an NDA'd presentation given by Microsoft to ****ysts and market researchers in the UK pointed to the existence of three hardware versions, with two of them launching next autumn.

Xbox Next and Xbox Next HD would largely be functionally identical, but the latter of the pair features a hard drive and offers increased functionality as a result - which could be anything from Xbox backward compatibility (which the basic model could not offer due to the lack of a hard drive) to media jukebox functions or TIVO-style video recording.

In itself, that's not an entirely unlikely scenario, and indeed, Sony is expected to offer two different models of PlayStation 3 as well - one a basic "games only" device, and another with a hard drive and extended media centre functionality.

Indeed, Microsoft has already told developers not to rely on the presence of a hard drive for their games, but has curiously failed to rule out the possibility that a drive could be present. Theories for this range from an internal debate at Microsoft about the cost to benefit ratio of the hard drive, through to the remote possibility of the hard drive being sold as an optional extra - on balance, the idea of two versions of Xbox 2, with and without hard drive, seems eminently more reasonable.

The third version of the Xbox being touted by today's reports, however, is a rather more unexpected beast - titled Xbox Next PC, it combines the Xbox 2 with an entry-level PC which would run a media-focused verison of Windows, run standard PC software and games, and include a CD burner, wireless keyboard and mouse.

This system would not launch until Autumn 2006, and aside from the question about whether it really exists at all or not (a similar system which integrated PC functionality into the Xbox was widely reported on about three years ago, but never saw the light of day and may have simply been an elaborate hoax), there's also a major question mark over how such a system would work - since the Xbox 2 is based on PowerPC G5 processors, which won't run the Windows operating system, let alone PC games.

It's possible that a version of Microsoft's VirtualPC software, which allows Apple Macintosh users to run Windows operating systems under emulation on their PowerPC based systems, could be used to provide at least basic functionality - or PC hardware could be built into the console alongside the existing Xbox hardware, driving costs up but providing much better performance and reliability.

Either way, the possibility of multiple versions of Xbox Next will certainly make Bill Gates' keynote speech at CES in early January, where he's expected to publicly unveil the console, even more interesting.


Well I for one is very intrested in this, I already knew that the X-box2 would not be able to run X-box games but hopfuly with a 2nd version on offer this could be of benifit to many people other wise it would all have been a waste of money. I don't own an X-box and I may never do but I do own a PS2 and I like the sound of the PS3 HD version as well.... lookin like 2006 is going to be a good year for all..... come on Nintendo what you gunna do to counter attack eh? :

[RocKer]

Dam... sucks that it wont bable to play X-Box games... and that it wont have a Hard Drive... (1 of them i guess is what it says) dang...

[xboxwizz]

so you wont be able to play the old xbox games on it. that sucks, they should take a leaf out of sony's book.

[Nitrous]

meh if ya had read it ya would have know that thats what this 2nd Version is going to fix.
It will have the HD and X-box titles will work on it as well as the new X-box 2 games but if this 2nd version isn't made then yea it's gunna suck for most people that have a lot of the X-box1 titles.

[Laguna Loire]

That 3rd one sounds damned revolutionary console-wise...But that wouldn't be out until 2006. Not surprising, with the stuff it should be able to do. The 2nd version sounds cool. The thing I love the most about my X-Box is the built in HD.

[Forsaken]

this could be interesting... i can see nintendo, they'll do something copletely outrageous, or they'll pour more and more into the DS

Seems really cool.......If you like buying $100 worth of games when you buy ithe new xbox

[RocKer]

Originally Posted by Nitrous Oxide

meh if ya had read it ya would have know that thats what this 2nd Version is going to fix.
It will have the HD and X-box titles will work on it as well as the new X-box 2 games but if this 2nd version isn't made then yea it's gunna suck for most people that have a lot of the X-box1 titles.

Too true, too true.

Originally Posted by wil

Seems really cool.......If you like buying $100 worth of games when you buy ithe new xbox

What is so bad about this? seems fine to meh.

You are right Besides it will come out close to christmas",>

[SPARTAN VI]

Cool, I am definity gona get the 2nd version first, if it plays all my old games. I mean it will be easy to transfer all my game saves, ill keep the ole x-box in some hiddy hole in case I need a back up, but this X-Box PC, sounds awsome, 2006 Peh, thats not far away, besides I could BUY all three versions by 2006.

[TK 421]

i just annoyed tat ther wont b as many xb games to go on my lovley xb. i dont wanna spend tat much on another xb. i hav had mine only 4 a year and the xb2 sounds sweat...i heard the xb2 was gonna b cheaper than the original xb wen it came out coz of nvidia being gready with money.DAM!!! oh well i can deal with it i hope