What I Want From the Xbox ‘Next’

So you may have noticed that there have been a lot of rumours flying about with regards to the next generation of Xbox so I thought I’d throw some fuel on the fire and do a little speculation of my own. Just so we’re clear, this article is like a wish list of sorts and in no way fact… but if I am right you can thank me later.

To kick things off I’ll wish for something that I’d put money on actually happening, the continuation of your Xbox Live Gamertag. There are gamers out there, like myself, that are proud of their Gamerscore and all the Achievements that they worked so hard to unlock. There would be uproar if Microsoft and it’s Xbox Development Team didn’t make this a reality. It would also be a pain to come up with a new Gamertag and re-add all of your previous accounts friends, recovering your previous Gamertag is the way to go.

The next item on the list is a little more ambitious. I would wish for the Xbox ‘Next’ to have a built in Blu Ray player like Sony’s PlayStation 3. One of the reasons why the PS3’s graphics are better than that of the Xbox 360’s is that you are able to fit more on a Blu Ray disc as opposed to a HD DVD. A Blu Ray player plus an upgraded/better graphics card would allow the next generation of games to look their best and allow for a more cinematic feel to the games we play. There are rumours floating around that the Wii U will use discs made by Panasonic that have the capacity to hold 25-75GB of data, although this is unconfirmed.  I understand that the graphics of a game do not affect gameplay but we all like to play a pretty game once and a while right?

I think I speak for everyone when I wish for a more stable connection to Xbox Live. I realise that this technically wouldn’t have anything to do with the console itself but if Microsoft were to ensure that their servers provided a stronger connection then I believe that it would enhance the overall enjoyment of the service. Recently, I have read about problems with simply signing into Xbox Live from the console and no amount of tinkering with routers and internet connections have helped. A better connection makes for a better experience.

Moving on to another possibility, the use of Skype integration to support Private, Party and Video chat. Back in May, Microsoft bought Skype for $8.5 Billion. To me it only makes sense to integrate Skype into the Xbox Live experience as the quality and clarity of voice chat is matched by few. Skype could also replace the less than adequate MSN Messenger that is currently in use on the Xbox 360. Communication is key when playing online so I’d say that this has to become reality.

For the next generation of Xbox, Microsoft also needs to focus on its hardware, I don’t think I need to remind you of dreaded ‘Red Ring of Death’. I was very surprised that the Xbox 360 actually managed to survive such a bumpy launch so it leads me to ask one question. If history were to repeat itself, could the Xbox ‘Next’ survive a ‘Red Ring of Death’ scenario? Strictly because of it’s fan base, I think it could but gamers would not be happy. An extensive launch title would also help to boost the number of early adopters.

If the above were to become a reality I would be a happy man. If there is anything you think I have neglected to mention then comment below and share your ideas.