Rare has Xbox 2 dev kits? (1 Viewer)

[John Kilroy]

Rare takes receipt of first Xbox 2? 5th Nov 2002
spong.com/x?art=3967
Insider rumblings...make compelling case.
We have received word that UK-based Rare has already assumed ownership of one of the first batch of Xbox 2 development kits. Talk from those close to the Warwickshire studio, strangely lacking in its Fort Knox-inspired security since the Microsoft take-over, tells of a “new Microsoft machine.”
With a launch date for the Xbox update practically confirmed for the year 2004, research and development of both games and hardware will, without question, be underway and who better to take early receipt of a development kit than $375 million Rare?
Indeed, analysts believe that in order to ensure a Rare launch game of any standard, development must begin this year at the latest.
To add fuel to the fire, Rare’s latest recruitment advert, placed in a leading specialist magazine, has practically confirmed the existence of the new machine. In the section devoted to games programmers, the firm asks for coders that are “required to produce cutting-edge software for Microsoft Xbox and future hardware.”

 

[Jeff Kleist]

Most companies start development of their next console within 6 months of launch. Only Nintendo seems to put it off

 

[GlenHaag]

I'd have to say that I'd be a bit miffed if I was an Xbox purchaser (which I am), and knew that they were going to roll out new consoles every 3 years. Honestly, you can't build a library of more than 400-500 titles in that time. In fact, it's usually not until the 2nd or 3rd generation titles that you usually see grand innovation of what the console can do. Usually being the key word there.
Frankly, I don't think that the next Generation Xbox will be due out until 2005, but that's just based on previous consoles and my hope that they support this console longer than they do their OS products.
Glen

 

[Dan B]

I'm sorry, but do you people seriously believe that there are Xbox 2 development kits? The Xbox hasn't even been out for a year yet. Maybe these are Xbox development kits: Stage Two, but not development kits for the next Xbox.
Bah! Silly internet rumors. Not a word of truth to it.
As for Ballmer saying the EDIT: (next) Xbox would beat PS3 to market & all of the speculation that followed, do you really think that Ballmer knows what he's talking about? I mean, he might want to release Xbox 2 before PS3, but he's not going to will it to happen. Do you really know what day PS3 is releasing anyway? Didn't think so.
-Dan B
please ignore the above post, my coffee has not yet kicked in today

 

[BrianB]

Surely a XBox2 devkit at this stage is just a PC?
Anyway, the advert being discussed is the monthly Rare advert from the back of Edge. Before the sell-off to Microsoft, those ads usually said "to code cutting edge software for current and future Nintendo hardware". Does that mean Rare had GameCube2 devkits?

Do you really know what day PS3 is releasing anyway?

October 15th, 2004 at 3:24pm. Steve Ballmer told me.

 

[Camp]

Surely a XBox2 devkit at this stage is just a PC?

It probably is. "development kit" is a pretty vague term. It could easily be a set of minimum spec goals and very general hardware configuration guesses.

 

[Kelley_B]

Last I heard was that it would be released before the next World Cup.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

They most likely have one of those ReplayTV/X-Box hybrid dev kits. They're probably making some special software for it.

If it's something else, then it's either a handheld or an extremely early X-Box 2 (the latter of which I SERIOUSLY doubt).

 

[BrianB]

C'mon people, this is a meaningless story with little to back it up but a badly worded advert.

 

[Joshua Moran]

this probably should read X-Box Dev Kit 2. I really doubt that there is an X-Box 2 in the works already the system is only a year old.

 

[Dave F]

With a launch date for the Xbox update practically confirmed for the year 2004

Quick, tell another one before I stop laughing!!
-Dave

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I have no doubt that they will havea combo ReplayTV/XBox/WebTV out in the next 2 years

 

[Andre F]

I'd be awfully mad if they came out with another system too soon. None of the consoles have really been pushed yet, nevermind being ready for replacement.

 

[Camp]

A new console would sure heat this forum back up! The period prior to the release of GCN & Xbox was a lot of fun around here!

 

[Adam Nixon]

It sure would "heat" things up, but not in a positive way. A 3-year life cycle for a console wouldn't exactly please consumers.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

If the new console is backwards compatible and the previous console still gets decent titles for a year or so, I'm fine with a 3-year life cycle!

 

[Sean Oneil]

They will just pop in the latest available Intel processor and NVidia or Radeon GPU, and you will have Halo running at well over 400fps in 1600x1200 resolution on your Xbox 2. And obviously they will be able to push much more advanced gaming engines with the new hardware that are not possible on the Xbox 1.
There will probably be a whole host of new hardware texture and lighting and geometry effects available for use in the newer games.

There is an upside of using PC hardware in the Xbox line. They can sit back and reap the advances in the PC hardware market without having to invest much of their own capital on proprietary R&D.

And it should all be backward compatable.

 

[Camp]

Do you guys think nVidia will supply the GPU again? If I'm not mistaken nVidia wasn't all that happy with some of the finanical arrangements of the current deal. Obvioulsy, it's too soon to tell but I guess it's possible ATI could supply the part next time.

 

[Dan B]

Yeah, why don't we talk about that again in three years Camp. Sheesh...not yet at the one year mark for the Xbox & people are all over these Xbox 2 rumors already.
*now expects IGN Xbox newsstory on Monday..."Xbox 2 to debut November 2003 with ATI chip, backwards compatibility w/ enhancements to Xbox 1 games, Perfect Dark X, Killer Instinct X, & Conker X.*
-Dan "this is the last time I'm posting in this thread" B.

 

[Carl Johnson]

X Box2 in 2k4 would be fine with me. After three years or so of use my X Box will be ready for replacement anyway, that's about how long my first Playstation lasted.