Microsoft Recruiting For Next-Gen Console Development 134
An anonymous reader writes with this excerpt from Eurogamer:
"Microsoft is ramping up development of its next generation Xbox console according to job positions being advertised on business networking site LinkedIn, brought to light on the Beyond 3D Forum. The first position advertised is for a Graphics Hardware Architect, working with the team that is 'responsible for defining and delivering next-generation console architectures from conception through implementation.' 'The responsibilities include architecture analysis, key technology selection, architecture specification, communication and collaboration with extended Microsoft teams and partner companies,' according to the advert. ... the most intriguing element of the story is just how early on in production we appear to be — far earlier than many had suspected. Unless Microsoft is actually planning pre-production of the next next-gen console, the evidence seems to suggest that the system is so early in development that the graphics hardware at the very least hasn't been locked down."
Re:profits? (Score:4, Interesting)
I am by no means an MS fanboy, but you're talking bullshit. Xbox division is one of the few areas MS is making money. The 360 made money not long after it was released. Revenue for the Xbox division has been a steady US$8bn for a few years and profits have been far from abysmal (approx US$500m).
I am always amazed at what fanboys come up with, and I'd suspect you are a Sony fanboy.
500mil per year? on a >8B investment 11 years ago? and you think its great? ....
Not to mention Games division started making profit only in 2007, so BEST case scenario is 2B return for >8B investment.
Its not even a profit, They just started earning back the investment, 12 more years and they will be in the green.
And its time to invest another 8-10B
Re:We're about due for another generation anyway. (Score:5, Interesting)
The Ps2 was early and the ps3 was late. We might as well compare to MS's own consoles, the XBox in Nov 2001 and the 360 in Nov 2005 which means we are about a year and a half behind. They have been releasing a lot of versions for the 360 console itself, the controller, the XBL service and of course the Kinect. Considering they are hiring now for this, it looks like its going to be a while before we see it.
Or you can compare Nintendo as a ruler, who has been making consoles longer than both of them. All of their major consoles (NA launch, starting at the NES)
If the trend were to continue, the next generation of consoles would be releasing this or next year. Since there hasn't been any buzz, the earliest I would expect to see anything new would be late 2012, which would put them on schedule for the trend, a bit on the later side.