Xbox 2: What we know so far

[JohnXE]

Xbox 2: What we know (Think we know) so far.

A lot of the information I am about to post is fact, and a lot of it is rumor. Here Is what we know for certain:

CERTAIN:
-Will use the word “Xbox” in it’s name
-Will use at least DirectX 9 (perhaps even newer?)
-Is using Ati graphics
-is using IBM CPU
-Will play DVDs, Cds
-Will have a new version of Xbox Live readily available for it on launch
-Will include an Ethernet port
-Will be $299.99 at launch
-It will be considerably smaller than the Xbox 1

RUMORS/MAYBES:
-Will use Xbox controllers, remotes, etc
-Will not come with an HD, although it will be an option*
-An alternative to HD will be made available to save games*
-The official name is Xbox 2*
-Games being developed for it now are developed on G5 computers, indicating it will have a PowerPC G5 chip, or something very similar*
-The launch will see at least one MMOG and at least a majority of games being online at launch*
-Rumors have said that it could run on 256 RAM, but the way a G5 works needs 512 RAM but I wouldn’t doubt if it was just 256.
-Could use BluRay Media
-Will not play Xbox 1 games, although it is possible Microsoft could sell an emulation kit*
-Will launch in late 2005*
-could be 64-bit CPU instead of 32-bit, however overall bits could be 512-bit
-It will have at least a 128MB Ati card similar to the Ati Radeon 9800 model
-The system will not launch in other territories such as Japan, Europe until 2006*
-Microsoft will show tech demos of Joanna Dark (or a woman like her) at GDC, and then at E3 similar showings, we will not see Xbox 2 in high gear until E3 2005. Microsoft will also announce the specs.*
-Microsoft will announce unexpected partnerships, and new hardware to further expand it’s “Media hub” part of the Xbox brand*

[slimscane]

sounds pretty good to me

[BluehempXE]

Not bad ... good work on the information ...

[LavisBlade]

Microsoft will be giveing out some info on there Next Box at the GDC (Game Developers Conference) on March 22-26 of this year.

This which is fairly soon to come will hopefully clear up some of these rumors.

No reason to worry about this now lets just enjoy the time we do have with the legendary Xbox that we have now :D.

[JohnXE]

Yeah exactly.

[TeMpEsT]

I'm still kind of ticked off about that no hard-drive thing...it was a mistake.

[slimscane]

john still has it under rumor, although he is almost positive, it is still a rumor

[Myukoi]

I don't like it at all. I predict it will be worst then Xbox.

1.) No Hardrive, i'm sure it's even less powerful now.
2.) Can't play Xbox games? That's stupid. We're going to have to keep this bag ass crate just to play a few games, they just want to make a bunch of more **** you have to buy.

[WolfmanNCSU]

Some specs sound great, while others have me really worried. I can't wait to have some of these answers revealed.

[TuckerXE]

Originally posted by Myukoi
I don't like it at all. I predict it will be worst then Xbox.

1.) No Hardrive, i'm sure it's even less powerful now.
2.) Can't play Xbox games? That's stupid. We're going to have to keep this bag ass crate just to play a few games, they just want to make a bunch of more **** you have to buy.

I'd love to have those things, too. Unfortunately, they go together - can't play Xbox games without a hard drive. To be honest, though, how many PS1 games do you play on your PS2? I have maybe 1 or 2. That's about the same number of games I still play on my Dreamcast, and more than I play on my N64, but they're still plugged into the TV...

[SHNAG]

No hard drive? No deal. I'm not getting if it doesn't have a hard drive. I'm not going back to using memory cards. And if its sold seperatly basicly know one would use it (game compan's), few people use it now. The expansion pack, it think its called, (the red cartridge), for the N64 probaly got more real use then the harddrive for xbox.

[slimscane]

That is because the expansion pack made it more powerfull. I still belive that Xbox 2 is going to have a hardrive, last months isue of OXM even had a rumor that it would have games pre-loaded onto it's hardrive out of the box!!! also it rumored there to be a new version of live at the launch, w/ live compatable games. That is a good thing because OXM is rarley wrong with thier rumors! :D

[SHNAG]

But you have to remeber. They are rumors

[JasonXE]

pretty much if your buying the hd then your gonna waste a good 400 buxs. I wish i could save my games on live until i can get a hd which would be in the next 8 months. I also need to buy games which i can't b/c of that so there setting the xbox 2 for a downfall.

[TuckerXE]

Originally posted by JasonXE
pretty much if your buying the hd then your gonna waste a good 400 buxs.

$400? Why do you say that? Are you saying the new hd would cost that much? If so, I find that hard to believe.

[SHNAG]

He probaly means for xbox 2 + a hd will cost you that much.

[Myukoi]

Well, you can use memory cards for Xbox, so i think you might be slightly mistaken Tucker.
Anyway, i think having a harddrive would be good, so xbox 2 can have better everything, a great new live, and you can get rid of your old xbox and still play all your favorite xbox and live games.

[Chaos744]

I have an xbox 2 and its great!!! Hard drive included!!!

[LavisBlade]

And I can shoot money out of my ass...

[Myukoi]

::grabs lavisblade's ass::

[TuckerXE]

Originally posted by Myukoi
Well, you can use memory cards for Xbox, so i think you might be slightly mistaken Tucker.

You might be right - what I meant is that although you can save your games on memory cards, the games are programmed expecting to see a hard drive. If I understand right, some of the space on the Xbox hard drive is reserved for in-game memory usage. If the new Xbox didn't have a hard drive, any game that expects to see one would not run.

[slimscane]

wait, the next xbox will have to have a a hardrive, think about it. It is going to have Live, right? Well you can't do live without a hardrive, that is why PS2 and Gamecube can't do anything like it.

[TuckerXE]

Why not? Even the Dreamcast had online service, and it didn't have a hard drive... Maybe I just don't know all of what Live entails.

[slimscane]

dreamcasts online was like ps2's, xbox live has all the friends lists, and gamer tag, and dashboard stuff that is added when you get it. It wouldn't be possible with out the hardrive! Now I'm happy, because i really think the next Xbox will have a hardrive still! :D

[TuckerXE]

Ah - thanks for the extra info, slim

[WolfmanNCSU]

Unless its stored online, like AIM Express...

[SHNAG]

Originally posted by LavisBlade
And I can shoot money out of my ass...


So is that money processed inside your ass or is it stuffed in then fired?;)


I don't like the idea of another xbox coming out so soon. I think a system should last you awhile. My N64 defently got plenty of use.

[slimscane]

n64 lasted less time than the xbox

[SHNAG]

Um.... no

Just because ps2 came out it stopped makeing games. I played N64 from when it came out till i got my xbox a about a month after it launched. Wasn't N64 out for 4-5 years? I still play n64 once in awhile but i stopped buying games for it.

[Zzero]

Regarding the hard drive rumor:

I don't see why Microsoft just include a hard drive in the next Xbox. It wouldn't cost them any more than an extra $10 per unit to add around a 10 GB hard drive per console. The only thing they have to worry about is people hacking the system, but I mean, theres only a small minority who do that, so why should they ruin everything for us?

If the rumors are true, I am expecting Microsoft to use a memory card type device similar to that of the new USB 2.0 hard drive sticks that are available on PCs. They can range anywhere from 16 MB to 1 GB of space. All you do is plug them in and you can save info on the go. Only problem with that is that when you are talking about free downloads and such, even 1 GB isn't enough for those who are going to download a decent amount of content from Live. They are also expensive as well, so I dunno. Microsoft's got some explaining to do...

[TuckerXE]

USB drives are sweet - I have a 256 M one I use all the time and I love it. I wouldn't worry too much about the cost - it's only the really huge ones that cost a ton. I'd say by the time the next Xbox comes out you'll be able to get a normal 512 M USB drive for the cost of a normal memory card right now. I realize that's not a GB, but if they're making them special for Xboxes, they could probably get a 1 GB Xbox 2 memory card for the same price as a current memory card.

[WolfmanNCSU]

Yeah, I have 3 USB disk drive, but they are pretty small. 16MB, 32MB, 23MB. I do love my USB drive kit that plugs to your USB port and you can put what ever drive you want in it, such as a HDD, CDROM, CDRW, DVD, etc.

That way you can make an external USB whatever drive you want out of extra or older internal drives. :D

[TuckerXE]

That is cool - I've thought about getting something like that a few times, but I haven't been able to justify it. I don't have any old drives sitting around, and I don't have a need for it. It's just cool.

[WolfmanNCSU]

Yeah, i sold all my CD Drives, but I have spare HDDs. I use it as my external 10, 13.5 and 20 GB HDD. :D

[slimscane]

Originally posted by SHNAG
Um.... no

Just because ps2 came out it stopped makeing games. I played N64 from when it came out till i got my xbox a about a month after it launched. Wasn't N64 out for 4-5 years? I still play n64 once in awhile but i stopped buying games for it. i was talking about, you know, accual console life like how long games were readily made for it

[SHNAG]

N64 was pumping out games till Game Cube came out. Its a shame the last game for N64 was a power puff girl game.

[slimscane]

it was not pumping out games in any since of the saying!!! There wasn't a game for like, 3 months before gamecube came out, and before that the release of games had slowed to a snails pace, with only about one or so out every once in a while (as far as i can recall). N64 died well before gamecubes release, that is reguardless on how much you played it.

Edit: haha, i remember that (i used to subscribe to NP)

[JohnXE]

No hard drive? No deal. I'm not getting if it doesn't have a hard drive. I'm not going back to using memory cards. And if its sold seperatly basicly know one would use it (game compan's), few people use it now. The expansion pack, it think its called, (the red cartridge), for the N64 probaly got more real use then the harddrive for xbox.

If you bought you Xbox based on it had an HD, that is sad. What are you going to buy other than Xbox 2? Something else without the option of an HD. Also let me remind you I didnt say it wouldnt have some sort of huge memory storage as an option.

don't see why Microsoft just include a hard drive in the next Xbox. It wouldn't cost them any more than an extra $10 per unit to add around a 10 GB hard drive per console. The only thing they have to worry about is people hacking the system, but I mean, theres only a small minority who do that, so why should they ruin everything for us?

Actually the HD was part of the cost, also no HD can reduce sizes, these cards could hold a lot of memory, or the HD could slide onto the box, or go inside possible, also look at what the Xbox HD is used for--one thing is to make some Xbox games, usually the exclusive ones (Halo, Morrowind, KOTOR) run faster, these games have to do this because of hardware limitations not because it is needed, if they can find ways around this (which I am sure they will) then that is not a problem. The next thing is downloadable content, once again I am sure would fit on a smaller card, or a small HD add-on, or on to Xbox Live servers like MS just announced (soon you can store info on Xbox Live servers). The other thing the HD is used for, music I am sure will be in there some how but I don't know...also look at your HD..I have about 100 games, downloads and everything else on mine and I bet I still havent taken up over 2 gb (if even that).

[JasonXE]

i m hoping that i can extract my xbox HD and insert it into the xbox 2 lol.

[Kenshin]

why would you do that Jason? the bigass flashmem cards are fine