Ensight – Jeremy Wright

Well, Microsoft is now letting it all (almost) hang out in regards to the new XBox console, officially named the XBox 360.

Here is the news roundup on the topic:

New XBox 360 Site
The XBox.com FactSheet
OurColony.net – click the circle to see the “real” info on the XBox 360… This 5 minute teaser has way more info than the entire 30 minute MTV special
Tom’s Hardware on the XBox 360
Gamespot on the new 360 (of all the news pieces, these 2 are the best, IMHO)
Engadget’s coverage: live coverage, ourcolony trailer, earlier trailer & Game Reactor Magazine Spread

So, lots of news. The short and skinny of this:

- wireless everywhere
- lots of USB, lots of standardization (like being able to use your cellphone headset for XBox Live instead of needing to buy some proprietary puppy)
- there IS a hard drive (20GB), there is also 2 memory stick ports so you can take stuff away with you… But the Hard Drive is also portable, so I expect most people will use that (since it includes your music and everything)
- custom faceplates
- simpler controller (black / white buttons are now above the triggers)
- loads of hardware power (a teraflop of processing power makes it roughly the equivalent of a super computer 5 years ago)
- water cooled

All kinds of fun stuff. Lots of other info at the links above.

Enjoy

Oh, and here’s the current known starting lineup (not bad… looks like the best starting lineup EVER):

Please note Unreal Tournament, a new Tony Hawk (with no load times, “Just one big level” says Tony), Tiger Woods, Quake 4, Project Gotham Racing 3, Perfect Dark Zero, a new Need for Speed, seasonals of NFL and NBA by EA, Ghost Recon 3, Full Auto (Burnout 3 with guns), Elder Scrolls 4. Also nearly confirmed is a Fable 1.5 and Halo 2.5.

2 Days to Vegas
Publisher: TBD
Developer: Steel Monkeys
Genre: Third-Person Action

Alan Wake
Publisher: TBD
Developer: Remedy
Genre: Action

Blue Dragon
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Mistwalker
Genre: RPG

Call of Duty 2
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward
Genre: First-Person Shooter

Condemned
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: Monolith Productions
Genre: Action

Dark Sector
Publisher: TBA
Developer: Digital Extremes
Genre: Action

The Darkness
Publisher: Majesco
Developer: Starbreeze AB
Genre: Action

Demonik
Publisher: Magesco
Developer: Terminal Reality
Genre: Action

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks/ 2K Games
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: RPG

Full Auto
Publisher: SEGA
Developer: SEGA
Genre: Driving/Shooter

Gears of War
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Epic Games
Genre: Third-person shooter

Ghost Recon 3
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Genre: Shooter

The Godfather
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Electronic Arts
Genre: Action-Adventrue

Kameo: Elements of Power
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Rare
Genre: Third-Person Adventure

King Kong
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft
Genre: Action-First-person shooter

Madden 06
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer:
Genre:

NBA 2K6
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Visual Concepts
Genre: Sports

Need for Speed: Most Wanted
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Canada
Genre: Racing

Ninety-Nine Nights
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Q Entertainment
Genre: Action

Perfect Dark Zero
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Rare
Genre: First-Person Shooter

Project Gotham Racing 3
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Bizarre Creations
Genre: Racing

Quake IV
Publisher: Activision
Developer: id Software
Genre: First-Person Shooter

Test Drive Unlimited
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Eden Games
Genre: Racing

Tiger Woods 06
Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Sports
Genre: Sports

Tony Hawk’s American Wasteland
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Neversoft
Genre: Sports

Tomb Raider Legend
Publisher: Eidos
Developer: Crystal Dynamics
Genre: Adventure

Saint’s Row
Publisher: THQ
Developer: THQ
Genre: Third-Person Action

Unreal Tournament 2007
Publisher: Midway
Developer: Epic
Genre: First-Person Shooter