Jari Ketola
11 Apr 2005 12:00
The next-generation Xbox console (Xbox 2, Xbox 360 or what ever it will be called) will be unveiled a week before E3 -- on May 12th. The unveiling will not be held behind closed doors to selected few, but on MTV in a half-hour special.
The special will be hosted by Elijah Wood and feature footage of next-generation Xbox games as well as online play. After the show viewers can visit the MTV site for more clips and content.
Both Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Revolution game consoles will most likely be unveiled at E3. None of the manufacturers has announced a launch date as of yet, but the next-generation Xbox is expected to hit the stores by the end of the year. PlayStation 3 and Revolution are not expected before 2006.
Also according to Engadget Pepsi and Microsoft would team up before the Xbox 2 launch for a huge giveaway. In the promotion the companies would be giving away one console every ten minutes, 24 hours a day for nine weeks straight, which adds up to over 9,000 consoles in total. The giveaway would be realized in much the same way as the Apple iTunes promotion in 2003.
The MTV show will air in the US at 9:30PM EDT. Here's the schedule for the rest of the world:
North America: Thursday, May 12, at 9:30 p.m. (21:30)
Japan/Asia: Friday, May 13, at 11:30
France: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Germany: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Italy: Friday, May 13, at 23:30
Netherlands: Friday, May 13, at 19:30
Poland: Friday, May 13, at 21:00
Portugal: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Romania: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Scandinavia: Friday, May 13, at 22:00
Spain: Friday, May 13, at 21:30
U.K.: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Australia: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Sources:
Reuters
Engadget
Joystiq