No New Xbox This Year
Attention everyone who is babying their broken down Xbox 360s, hoping for a new console this year: you’re going to have to wait a little longer. And by a little, I mean at least a year. Read on for the details, and a bit of whining from yours truly.
In an article appearing today on Bloomberg, Microsoft squashed all the internet rumors surrounding a possible console unveiling at E3 this year. A company representative is quoted in the article saying that the company has no plans to introduce a new console in 2012. Unsurprisingly, the reasoning behind this decision is economic. The Xbox 360 had its best sales year to date in 2011, outselling both the Nintendo Wii and the Playstation 3. More importantly, the Xbox 360 is now a profitable device to sell. Each new console takes years to emerge from development and production deficits, and now that the 360 is finally in the black, Microsoft isn’t too keen on losing that profit stream any time soon.
Now on to that bit of whining. Thanks to the Red Ring of Death, I am on my third Xbox 360 since early 2007. But I still have the original 20gb hard drive. With the cunning use of flash drives, I’ve been able to nurse that old drive along for far longer than any sane gamer would. I was hoping to finally retire it this year when the new Xbox launches, but noooooo… I guess that won’t be happening. Thanks a lot, Microsoft.