Sony's PlayStation event on Feb. 20 is only week and a half away, but we might have just learned more about Microsoft's new console than anything its Japanese competitor is planning to do.
The new Xbox - codenamed Durango - will reportedly come bundled with a brand new Kinect, juggle multiple games at once, and require game installations.
The leaked information comes courtesy of Kotaku, whose source goes by the name "SuperDaE" and allegedly has two Durango development kits in his possession. A previous article stated that Microsoft's new system will require an Internet connection to function and that it would not run second-hand games, but these restrictions went unmentioned in Monday's report.
According to Kotaku, the new Xbox will reportedly ship with a brand new motion-sensing Kinect camera bundled in. The device will be capable of recognizing up to six individuals simultaneously, and will be sophisticated enough to track thumb movement, facial expressions, and more. Most importantly, the new system will not work unless the Kinect has been hooked up to the console and calibrated properly.
Since Microsoft is requiring Kinect integration into the new system, it opens up new possibilities for developers. Since every console will feature Kinect functionality, game creators can develop new gameplay elements without fear of alienating users who don't have the camera.
Additionally, since the camera will always be on, Microsoft plans to use the device for "monitoring and maybe even charging users based on who is watching what. SuperDae's Kinect documentation also makes mention of automatic player identification becoming part of a gameplay experience."
Durango will also feature a 500GB hard drive used mostly for game storage, since users will be required to install titles onto the hard drive in order to play them. Microsoft is hoping to make installation a much smoother experience than before; instead of waiting for the game to install all at once, players will be able tobegin the game while it installs in the background.
In an attempt to make the console more multi-purpose, Microsoft will also allow for multitasking. Users will no longer have to exit the game to use social media, like Twitter. They'll be able to suspend their play, use other apps (and even switch to another game), and eventually return back to the same position they were in previously.
As for the controller, there's no intention to radically overhaul the existing controller design. Unfortunately, though, Durango's new wireless technology will make it impossible to use current Xbox 360 controllers on the new system.
As usual with rumors, none of these details have been confirmed. If Microsoft doesn't hold its own special event to counteract Sony, it's widely expected that the company will officially reveal Durango at this June's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.
