It's inevitable.  The game industry likes to thrive with new technology, whether it's a new handheld like the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita, or a new hardware system that introduces an innovative new way to play.  With the Wii U ramping up for release this year, both Microsoft and Sony are thinking hard about their next systems, and today we've run across rumors of what the big "M" will have in mind for its hardware.  Our only concern is that they might be rushing things...

Granted, nothing has officially been unveiled as of yet, so we won't go finger-pointing Microsoft and saying "How could you?!"  But to even consider the thought considering that the Xbox 360 isn't doing too shabby right now...whoa, nelly.  Sure, the piracy issues are lurking about, and some folks aren't too crazy about the fact that Microsoft is thinking about dismissing its point system by year's end (forcing someone to use their credit card for purchases instead -- a questionable factor with the online security issues), but the service has millions of users still logging in daily, using apps and playing games against their friends.

But that isn't stopping the rumor mill from running amuck.  Earlier this week, it was reported that Microsoft was looking into anti-piracy technology hardcore for its "next Xbox", or "Xbox 720" or whatever you want to call it.  What this basically means is a possible cloud service, along the same lines of what OnLive is doing, where users would purchase their assets online and then connect to the Internet in order to get them.  The only downside to this is for those who can't afford an online connection, as Xbox 360 owners without a connection to Live can still play single player with stuff like Modern Warfare 3 and Saints Row the Third.  With this new technology, that wouldn't happen.

Then there's the word about technology.  Microsoft is planning to make its next Xbox six times more powerful than the Xbox 360 -- no small feat when it comes to how the current system is performing.  It's rumored to begin production on a system that will utilize a modified version of AMD's 6000 series GPU, offering support for DirectX11, multidisplay output, 3D and 1080p HD output.  The chip by itself goes for around $80, meaning that Microsoft could introduce a budgetable competitor to the supposedly expensive Wii U by year's end if it really wanted to.

About the Author

Robert Workman

Senior Writer/Editor

Robert has years of experience in the video game industry, writing for such sites as AOL GameDaily, PlanetXbox360 and Comic Book Resources.  He can also outdrink you any day of the week.  And twice on Sunday.  Follow him at www.twitter.com/thedcd.