Although specs for the new game console still haven’t been revealed, the Chief Software Architect says it’s going to look great in high-def.
As more users adopt high-definition televisions and computer monitors, game consoles will have to provide an experience that is equal to the display.
Mr. Gates confirmed to a Seattle conference of business writers that the next-generation Xbox, dubbed Xenon, would launch in 2005. He emphasized how Xenon would be in position to take advantage of high-definition screens with its clearer graphic capabilities.
The first details about Xenon will come to light on MTV beginning on May 12th, ahead of the E3 conference where Sony is expected to announce detail about its third-generation PlayStation.
The new console sits at the center of Microsoft’s vision of a comprehensive media center, where content like games, movies, and music would be managed through a single device. In this case, the new Xbox will be that digital entertainment hub.
While market leader Sony dominates the console realm with its PlayStation 2 and its mammoth library of available games, Microsoft’s leader seems content with the Xbox’s current standing at number 2, where Nintendo once stood.
This would be in line with previous Microsoft product strategies, where the company would enter a market with a product weaker than the market leader initially. A couple of versions later, the Microsoft product would usually pull even with the competitor in terms of functionality (anyone remember Netscape 3 versus IE 3.02?)
But Sony’s dominance and lingering resentment of all things Microsoft outside the United States may keep the Xbox from becoming number one in console sales.
David Utter is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
