via the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/may/21/xbox-720-microsoft-reveal-console-live-blog?utm_source=feedly http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2013/may/21/xbox-720-microsoft-reveal-console-live-blog?utm_source=feedlyIt's a rainy, overcast morning in Redmond, and the world's gaming press is arriving on the Xbox Campus in a convoy of coaches, here to finally discover the future of Microsoft's console. Somehow, the company has managed to keep the contents of this enormous 'reveal' event secret – even the name of the machine still eludes us. Current guess are Infinity, Fusion or even just Xbox – an iPad style definitive branding endeavour.
What we do know is that the console itself will be revealed, unlike Sony's PlayStation 4 announcement in February, when the machine design remained curiously under wraps. We're also expecting a range of exclusive game reveals; possibly something from veteran UK developer Rare, maybe a whisper of the next Halo, the next Fable or Forza Horizon.
Activision will no doubt corner off a section of the one-hour event for Call of Duty Ghosts, the next gen debut of the multi-million selling shooter series. EA should also have Fifa, Battlefield and a UFC tie-in to show. "We're expecting a lot of third-party exclusives - Microsoft has put a great deal of effort into securing these - although it's unlikely we'll see them all today," says Andy Robinson, editor of CVG [cvg.co.uk].
Also likely to feature are lots of new video-on-demand and entertainment services: Microsoft is pushing its next Xbox as a true living room hub, and may even include PVR features, such as recording and storing TV programmes.
Join us now, then, as we venture into whatever version of the future Microsoft is preparing...
