Xbox 2 - Scaling Down Size, Evolving Live, Xenon-ize

Thanks to IGN Xbox for its coverage of an interview with Japanese Xbox boss Yoshihiro Maruyama, in which he discusses the release timing of the next-gen consoles, suggesting: "If asked if the [Xbox sequel's] release will happen next year, I'd say that no, it won't be next year", and predicting: "We foresee the next generation PS2 hardware arriving some time after 2006." He also mentions that a smaller-sized console is "something that we'd like to do" for the Xbox's sequel, which GameGossip are claiming may be called the 'Xenon', according to a job posting on Microsoft's website. Elsewhere, Microsoft's Robbie Bach has been discussing the evolution of Xbox Live at CES, mentioning, via GameSpot, that "...he wants to turn Xbox Live, the trash-talking meeting ground of testosterone jazzed gamers, into a kinder, gentler realm reminiscent of Microsoft's other online playground, the Zone.com." Finally, GameInformer provides clarification that the previously mentioned Xbox Media Center Extender Kit "will not recognize media on PC's not running Windows XP Media Center Edition" - it appears upgrading your PC to this edition may be tricky/impossible for some.

Comments

It's a per game community.

[*weasel]

xbox-live is surprisingly similar to the rest of internet gaming. the communities form on a per-game basis.

all MS has to do is release a game that is little more than a collection of live-enabled popular card games, and they'll have the community they want.

it will be no more reflective of the 'community' you find in xbl cstrike, than yahoo games is of the PC fps 'community'.

the primary difference between xbl and regular internet gaming, is that MS is the controlling authority in a pseudonymous (not even remotely annonymous) online environment. in the rest of internet gaming, banning one asshat simply means he'll crop up somewhere else with very little hassle to him and he'll continue annoying people.

with xbox-live, at the very least an asshat has to shell out another $50 for another live account, and there's some discussion that MS blocks the credit card used to register a banned account, and possibly all cards issued to that individual.

xbox live is much more suited to actually delivering a community of reasonable people than anywhere else. If you'd ever tried playing a game that doesn't appeal to as many kiddies (ghost recon has many fewer kiddies than cstrike) you'd realize how easy it will be for them.

the only trick to for MS is figuring out how to get enough people online and playing, say, their card games. perhaps allowing people to play between xbox live and the MSN Zone.

and despite your assertion, the xbox communicator exists simply because you need to communicate to enjoy multiplayer games. and if you hadn't noticed, there's no keyboard.