The edge and multiple sites have been reporting that an inside source has announced technical specifications on the Xbox 720 as well as some terrifying news for game retailers. The system will be “shipping all games with activation codes making the products useable only one time.” Microsoft is also reported to be heavily committed to “always online” functionality with massive storage space to back up the digital distribution. The edge reported that the specs would be:
Our source has also confirmed that the next Xbox’s recently rumoured specs are entirely accurate. That means an AMD eight-core x64 1.6GHz CPU, a D3D11.x 800MHz graphics solution and 8GB of DDR3 RAM. As of now, the console’s hard drive capacity is said to be undecided, but Microsoft’s extended commitment to online delivery suggests that it will be the largest unit it has put inside a console to date.
If Microsoft truly plans to block used game sales on their console they will definitely be opening a can of worms with their “business partners”. Imagine that 50-60% of your profit is derived from the purchase and resale of used gaming products. Then imagine that using your trade in program you also sell close to 50% of titles on release for those publishers. You would definitely have a bargaining chip with companies like Microsoft, Sony, and others. Although I may not be the biggest supporter of Gamestop, or the way they do business. I am a supporter of their employees who are working to simply take care of themselves and their families. The amount of volume driven through their doors in the gaming industry is pretty obscene, and Microsoft would have to have an extremely well thought out plan to replace their distribution. It would have to go above and beyond a Microsoft store in every city, and get much closer to the Steam model, with pre-loading, massive summer sales and the whole 9 yards. As far as hardware specifications go I really hope the new console is loaded with something a little beefier, even if they continue their subsidy program by allowing you to commit to 2 years of live, I would love a console with enhanced functionality that can keep up with my PC. With Sony announcing something big in just under 2 weeks, looks like this might be the year of the next generation consoles.