At present Microsoft, like Sony, deny any rumour that its next console will be ready for an E3 convention launch this June but that hasn’t slowed any of the speculation surrounding the gaming gadget, which at present is known as the Xbox 720. We do known, however, that Nintendo will be at the Electronics and Entertainment Expo bringing with them the “finished” Wii U home console with its innovative touchscreen control method – and it’s reported today that Microsoft has been taking a page out of the Japanese gaming co.’s book with the potential inclusion of an HD screen controller to come packaged at the next gen console’s arrival.. Whenever that might be!
News of the alleged HD controller was further supported when Xbox World Magazine broke the news, and suggested that Microsoft’s Xbox 360 successor will be “a matt-black media hub with a mission to bring games to life in your living room” and that it will deliver “augmented reality, directional sound, and a four-player, finger-tracking Kinect” with “HD screen surrounded by the traditional 360 buttons and sticks.”
As mentioned in previous reports motion control system Kinect will be the driving force (or shooting, running, punching and kicking force) behind the next ‘box, but a touchscreen controller could bring additional benefits as detailed by Nintendo for its Wii U. An additional area for play or a menu screen away from the screen of play and also providing a wider field of vision with panoramic view through the handset and the Microsoft gaming news sources predicts “It could be a remote control when you’re watching TV, a browser when you’re on the internet, extra buttons and information when you’re playing a game or a portable display when you want to take your game with you.”
We’re hoping that the Xbox 720 will blow our minds with its power, performance and graphics but not be heavily dependent on its gimmickry (other than Kinect, which we’ve already come to love). We’d hate to see a repeat of Nintendo’s lacklustre opening sales pitch for the Wii U, which was sadly uninspiring and brought nothing much to the table besides its add-on gadget. We have a bit more faith in the Xbox 720, which is currently rumoured to boast a Radeon HD 6670 supporting DirectX 11 and 3D display as well as a 1080p video output. Microsoft’s next is also said to be 205 faster than Nintendo’s upcoming offering and six times the speed of current model Xbox 360.
Let us know your thoughts on our comments below or via our @Gadget_Helpline Twitter page or Official Facebook group.