14 DAY TRIAL // One source inside Microsoft claims that at the moment the gaming-oriented division of the company is working on two new consoles, one of them being a stripped down version of the current Xbox for the casual market and another a true successor device that will be aimed at the hardcore fans.
Writing on the Reddit platform, MS Nerd, known as being a company insider who has a good track record of leaking accurate information about Microsoft and its upcoming products, has said, “My understanding is that we’ll see a Xbox device in late 2013 which does Arcade-style games & all the current & future media apps with Kinect (with near-mode).
“It will be an ARM-based platform price-competitive with the Apple TV (if you own a Kinect already).”
It seems that Microsoft is worried about the rise of casual and mobile gaming and creates this version of the Xbox in order to have its own low cost device that can offer experiences easy to pick up and learn, while showcasing the motion tracking experience that is being delivered by Kinect.
MS Nerd also talks about another console called Xbox Next, which will have high-quality hardware and will be unveiled a while after the casual-oriented device.
Microsoft has officially said that it has no plans to unveil any kind of new home console during the coming year and that at the moment it is still focused on exploring the full potential of the current Xbox 360.
Splitting the Xbox player base into two groups would make little sense for Microsoft, given the fact that it would force the company to maintain two separate development divisions and would also require separate support and warranty departments.
It’s more likely that the price of the Xbox 360 and a possible Kinect successor will drop once a new home console is launched in order to deliver a lower priced alternative to the Wii U and other mobile gaming devices.