Andre Yoskowitz
2 Apr 2012 22:17
According to sources cited by VG247, the Xbox Next (codenamed Durango) will launch in time for the holidays of 2013.
Additionally, the console will come standard with a Blu-ray drive, say the sources.
On a darker note, however, the sources say Microsoft will require an "always-on" Internet connection in an effort to block out piracy. The DRM scheme, which has been seen on PC games from Ubisoft, requires gamers to have an active Internet connection, even if playing in single-player mode.
More notably are the specs expected for the upcoming console. The sources says the machine will have two GPUs, be variants of the AMD 7000 series, but not run in an SLI/CrossFire formation. Instead, the GPUs "will be able to work independently, drawing separate items simultaneously."
Additionally, the new console will have "four or six cores," with one devoted to Kinect and one reserved for the OS.