Microsoft has confirmed it’ll introduce the new Xbox games console to the world on May 21st after sending an invite out to the media on Wednesday evening.
The company invite bares the words: “A New Generation Revealed,” sitting neatly below the company’s iconic Xbox logo.
The event is described as a “special unveiling” and will be hosted by Don Mattrick, Microsoft’s president of interactive entertainment business and the Xbox team and will take place on the Xbox campus in Microsoft’s hometown of Redmond, Washington.
The invite did not reveal a name for the next-generation console, although most folks have been referring to it as the Xbox 720 for years now. Internally Microsoft has codenamed the console Durango.
The launch event will be screened on Xbox.com and on Xbox Live and will take place at 6pm BST on May 21st, which is a Tuesday.
It seems that Microsoft will unveil the console on the 21st before the a deeper reveal, alongside the first launch titles at E3, less than three weeks later in June.
Larry Hyrb of Microsoft’s Director of Programming for Xbox Live (more commonly known by his Major Nelson gamertag) posted on his personal blog: “On that day, we’ll share our vision for Xbox, and give you a real taste of the future. Then, 19-days later at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, we’ll continue the conversation and showcase our full lineup of blockbuster games.
“We are thrilled to pull back the curtain and reveal what we’ve been working on.”
The announcement comes a couple of weeks after The Verge first leaked word that the event was being planned for May 21st and it turns out the site was bang on the money.
The launch event will come less than three months after Sony unveiled its next-generation console the PS4, back in February.
Controversially, at that two hour launch event, Sony failed to show the console hardware. We can’t see Microsoft falling into that trap.
What are some of the features you’d like to see within the new console? Let us know in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
