XBox 720 Could Be Released During E3 in June

Microsoft’s latest console could be one step closer to an official reveal.

Shortly after some rumors caused much chaos on the internet regarding Microsoft’s official release date for the Xbox 720 (codenamed "Durango"), there are stronger indications that the hardware and software giant is planning to unveil its latest console at this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3).

Larry Hyrb, Microsoft’s director of programming for Xbox Live (the console’s internet service), has placed a countdown on his blog for this year’s E3 event, accompanied by the message “And it’s on….”

Hyrb, who has been crucial in the development of several Xbox Live features and also runs a podcast show that frequently gives insider news on the happenings over at Microsoft. So, whenever he mentions something, fans usually pay attention.

If this countdown is indeed towards an Xbox 720 reveal, Microsoft will once again announce a console before competitor Sony, who has revealed no such plans (although both are behind Nintendo, which has already released its latest console). However, rushed production was rumored to be the reason behind Microsoft’s Red Ring of Death fiasco, a blunder that caused the company over $1 billion, so one would think they would be hesitant to unveil something in a hurry again.

Despite the console cycle ending, both companies still have several great products scheduled for release in the upcoming months. However, Microsoft’s console still uses HD-DVD (in comparison to Sony’s much larger Blu-Ray), so the space limitations might make the Xbox 360 vulnerable to quicker abandonment by game developers.

This furthers the notion that Microsoft would be in a greater hurry to reveal something, even if Sony is momentarily content with their current console. However, the last time Microsoft announced a next-generation console earlier than Sony, the latter lost much of the dominance they had with the PlayStation 2, so their announcement probably will not lag too far behind their competitor’s.

So, regardless of whether this particular countdown is indeed for the Xbox 720 or not, the clock for the next generation of consoles is already ticking.