Rumour: Xbox 720 “Aligned” With PS4, Controller Almost Entirely Unchanged

The advantage of letting Sony go first with its PS4 announcement is that Microsoft now has time to tweak the Xbox 720 to ensure it matches up with Sony's console.
And that's just what it is doing, according to Ubisoft Montreal CEO Yannis Mallat, who told Eurogamer that it's been a long five-year wait for the game maker - "much longer than we were anticipating".
Without letting any actual detail slip, Mallat said that the next Xbox would be "aligned with what Sony announced".

[iGAM3R-VIII]

Can E3 just come already so that there will be no more rumours. Anyway, if this is true the hardware race could be pretty close.

[LOGICWINS]

Hopefully. Competition breeds excellence.

[Xaphy]

Competition equals happy gamers

[jimbobwahey]

Hopefully competition leads to Microsoft implementing backwards compatibility as an advantage over the PS4. It's one of the most important features for me at the start of a new console generation, and the next Xbox having it would be enough to sway me over to investing in Microsoft's console come launch day.

[LOGICWINS]

^^The PS4 will have backwards compatibility. We just don't know to what extent yet.

[Ron_Danger]

@jimbo

One of the unannounced features of the last PS3 firmware was that they removed the programming code that would make your PS3 explode once the PS4 comes out so you should still be able to play all of your PS3 games.

/s

[1nsaint]

It wont be backward compatible with discs, psn content and save data..
The only thing sony said was that they might offer some psn content via streaming

[Godmars290]

It will have BC through Gaikai. Most suspect, and aren't happy about, this will be at cost and through PS+.

And even then we don't what will actually be available because of licensing restrictions or even how.

[darthv72]

this reminds me of saturn and Ps1. Sega added a 2nd processor at the last minute to try and beef up the saturn's 3d processing power. Up to that point, the saturn was (and is) a 2d power house.

so while PS1 went on to rule the 3d world, saturn still holds the distinction of having some of the best 2d shmups and fighters this side of the arcade.

PS1 did an 'okay' job at 2d but we all know that when it came to 3d, it just couldnt be beat. So to think Ms is taking the time to 'tweak' the 720 is akin to sega 'tweaking' the saturn to try and be more like the PS1.

too bad many on this site dont go back that far. Many have said their interest in games was around the PS2 but the generations prior to that...oh what great memories.

[Diver]

Peeps are misinterpreting the Ubi comments. The dude wasn't talking about horsepower.

The Ubi dude was talking about things like social features an such. A console is born with a certain amount of power an you can tweak it to squeeze more out but you aren't gonna make up for huge hardware disadvantages vs another console.

[Godmars290]

As to your original comment about competition breeding excellence, I say BS. At least the way MS applies it.

Said it once, will say it again: even though the 360 was touted as being "Easier to Program for" there is little to no evidence that such an advantage was exploited in this console cycle. Some multiplatform titles looked better on the 360 but not all. And when it comes to exclusives often times the PS3 set the standard.

MS have really done noting to exploit what advantages they supposedly had.

[thechosenone]

And those small difference between the PS4 and 720 are what exactly? Well for one is dat always online requirement and the other is the fact that you'll never really own these games because once MS shuts down their DRM servers you won't be able to access those games again, even though you paid for them.

Just some minor non important differences that you shouldn't pay much attention too.

[starchild]

As a PC gamer I hope that the next Xbox isn't too far behind the PS4 in terms of performance. I don't want PC games and PS4 games being held back by a much weaker next Xbox.

[isyourhouseonfire]

So did my parents.

[Kenshin_BATT0USAI]

@Diver

I don't think anyone was talking about horsepower. Gaming website not a automotive one.

[AsimLeonheart]

I read the original interview and he never said XBOX 720 was being aligned hardware-wise. I think the author is putting words in Mallat's mouth. IMO, I do not think it is possible to shoehorn extra RAM, CPU core or GPU at the end of the development when you never initially planned to. PS4's RAM case was different because Sony were considering both possibilities and finally settled for 8GB. The next XBOX has been in development for several years, the designs, the components, architecture all were planned years ago and MS had been following that plan. There are so many things associated with that like ordering components from suppliers, costing, manufacturing processes, manufacturing facilities etc. It just does not seems possible to change your console design and everything associated with it in a couple of months after having worked on it for years.

[DarthJay]

@iGAM3R-VIII - I back your comment 100%. Can not wait for this to finally be announced so we can be done with this speculation and drama.

[JeffGUNZ]

How do these articles get approved? This "journalist" says the studio in Montreal says they are tweaking their hardware but in the quote it just says their hardware is in align with the PS4's. It says nothing about them tweaking anything, just that it's comparable to the PS4. What a bunch of crap. I am so tired of these rumor articles.

[violents]

By saying that the durango platform "will be algined" with the ps4 in terms of power means they are playing catchup since sony released specs.

[JeffGUNZ]

No it doesn't. It means future tense. Since the PS4 is officially announced and the 720 isn't, they can't say it IS, they have to say "will be" since the 720 is a future product (due to the unofficial announcement). Also, I highly doubt this is a real quote and MS would be suing this company for acknowledging the nextbox. It's like you're at the mall with the newest smartphone in your pocket. I WILL BE at the mall later with the same phone. Doesn't mean I don't own the phone and it's in my pocket at my house. Same thing applies. The PS4 has announced their specs and since the nextbox hasn't, you have to speak in future tense.

[DeadlyFire]

They state in the article X720 will be aligned with PS4 with social features, Immersion, and so on. Nothing about hardware. This is rumor out of control. X720 being announced at 1.23 Tflops is going to crash alot of people's hopes. It could be announced to have similar power as PS4, but we will only know when its announced and all rumored specs so far say otherwise.

He told Eurogamer: "It's going to be connected. It's going to be social. It's going to be immersive. It's going to be interactive."

[ijust2good]

Who's to say M$ will admit "always online" even if they were implementing it. If the leaked specs of nextbox is to be right then it shows that nextbox is much weaker than PS4. They prob wont even show the specs.

[_-EDMIX-_]

100% agreed. Mainly because of this story!

http://www.quartertothree.c...

Though EA says DRM is bad and sucks, you think they are talking about SimCity's own DRM, but they literally start acting like its not even DRM! As if to say "we don't like DRM....but this isn't DRM" LOL

[ps3_pwns]

no it wont be close. this gen is close and the ps3 launched a year later and still has the same number of consoles out that MS does. this new gen ps4 will win big time trust me. the go to console will be the ps4. any reason you were getting an x720 is the reason you should get the ps4 because its doing it better and bigger and in a gamer friendly way.

[sak500]

Trust you a 2 bubble anonymous nerd with handle as PS3_pwns claiming PS4 will win big time.

Sure why not you can't be wrong..

/s

[pete007]

hey, youre a shareholder, right? if you so ps4, instead of buying 1, buy 10, it´ll help your master a lot trust me, be ready for E3, then we´ll speak of facts, dont come with your religious expansionism, it doesnt work here

[3-4-5]

probably just adding the replay / always recording button feature. It's going to be a must have feature for games like GTA V.

[Freedomland]

No time, If they rush changes, I expect hardware failures are at hand otherwise you will see nextbox in 2014.
They will not risk it, so they should launch what they have, if they will wait until 2014, ps4 will eclipse xbox 720, maybe death. I know Microsoft is not that crazy to fall straight into trap.

[Bobby Kotex]

I don't see why anyone thinks the one or the other will be more powerful. MSFT just better bring the games, or they're in for a world of hurt.

[MYSTERIO360]

Im guessing well need internet access for the controller to work this time around.

[jden28]

If we all go back to the original leaked rumors they said that the Xbox 720 was like having 2 pc's tapes together. Basically it had 2 cpu's and 2 gpu's....Now we get another so called leak. And it's all of a sudden less powerful. Well if you think about what was also included in the original rumors it said that Microsoft was developing 2 consoles side by side with one aimed at casual users and the other at hardcore...Heck who know's we could be getting both...the Original rumor of a 16 core power pc cpu with and AMD graphics card and an all AMD machine with only 8 cores...one for all of us...how this would work who knows...I can't wait for E3 so it can put and end to the rumors and we can really know what's going on.

[aceitman]

if true it can push the release date for it by months

[Godmars290]

if true it could mean another bout of RRoD.

[Jek_Porkins]

The Xbox 360 was rushed, but we saw a quality console that was very sturdy with the original Xbox, we've also seen a very sturdy Xbox 360s.

Microsoft has had the longest possible time to work on their next console because they were first to market this generation. As for RROD, 2006 called and wanted people to stop talking about things from over six years ago k?

[Godmars290]

With the first Xbox MS failed to buy several key components which prevented them from modifying it. Kept them from making a "slim" Xbox1 and was the main reason they lost so much money on the system.

With the 360 they added HDMI and an internal wifi adapter as an afterthought post release. Another sign of it being rushed and overall poor research on their part. Then there are the issues the DVD driver. That one they first used the cheapest they could find which lead to damaged discs, then more telling upped their storage limit via an update which bricked a few of consoles.

The point I'm getting at is that as a software company, MS's weakness has always been hardware. That weakness has even showed up in their main product over several iterations with resource hog Vista the most notable. Hell, the current BS with the DRM rumor, them essentially tethering Xbox3 to the internet so they can exert that much more control over it, is just another sign.

The question is how many more software preferences are going to show up this time around. How soon and how badly will it effect their hardware.

[nukeitall]

@Jek_Porkins:

You are speaking to deaf ears. Godmars290 is a well known Sony fanboy, so he ain't going to listen to anything you say unless it is smack about MS or praising Sony.

[Lvl_up_gamer]

Are we still talking about RROD?

How's that PSN hack doing? I guess we can expect poor online security with Sony going into next gen.

lets keep talking about that too

OMG, can we not let it go. You people bring up issues from many years ago are pathetic.

[Godmars290]

I've had two YLoD incidents, 4 and 3 years apart, so its sort of a thing with me.

[Knight_Crawler]

The worlds biggest Sony troll has spoken.

You must be excited aobut all this doom and gloom MS news :)

[sengoku]

Agreed if indeed there tweaking the hardware side the console would be delayed considerably.

personally i don't believe they can do that much changes to the hardware, and i doubt that Sony even told everything they have under the hood.

so if M$ would try and match the current specs.
Sony might just pull another rabbit out of there hats and slightly one up them again..

very exciting times SPY vs SPY LOL

[wishingW3L]

they already did it once when they stole R&D from Sony to make the Xbox 360. That's why both consoles ended up being so close in power and you can bet that is gonna be the same again with the X720.

[JimmyDanger]

They stole what from who now? Is that why they were on market a year earlier?

Is that why the 360 was successful? Because they stole some magical R&D blueprint from Sony then jumped back into their time machine to release earlier?

Whatever gets you through the night I guess.

[BitbyDeath]

Would mean multiplats would not be held back on PS4 so this is in no way a bad thing.

[sherimae2413]

sony and microsoft really rivals now in term of hardware eh, good

[Reborn]

This little quote again?

I ask again, where does he say they'll be similar? Or even hint at anything to do with what Sony has done? I think it's taking his words well out of context.

MS has already been aiming for interactive, connected, social with the 360. I highly doubt they'd completely abandon that direction.

Wait till MS announce, and the title is stretching it too.

[SlavisH2]

Didnt sony increase their specs to rumored m$(4gb ram to 8)?

[ichimaru]

its going to be a never-ending cycle of sony and ms trying to one up each other. we win. the gamers

[Captain Qwark 9]

agreed, although i will buy both. unless its always online, then the 720 can suck my balls

[Eldyraen]

@Captain Qwark 9:

If it could suck your balls, pretty sure next Xbox would be best selling console next gen.

[DivineAssault]

I think so.. They seen that 8GB of GDDR5 & said "oh $h*t! lets make some quick fixes" lol

[SuperLupe]

Well thats pretty much what Sony did when they heard the 720 was geared up to have 8gb.

[DivineAssault]

Sony couldve done 4GB of GDDR5 & still pulled through.. nx box is rumored to have 8GB of RAM but its DDR3.. Not the same

[Qrphe]

It's only natural to Sony and Microsoft to match each other in specs as much as possible.

[ichimaru]

I hope they exhaust themselves trying to one up each other. better products for me

[yippiechicken]

Absolutely! I want MS, Sony and Nintendo to beat each other to a bloody pulp trying to earn my dollar.

[ichimaru]

lol I'm not sure if your bring sarcastic, but this is pretty much hire I feel!

[PSN-JeRzYzFyNeSt]

im sure sony knew they would do this or else they wouldnt risk going first. sony must have other thought in mind

[ps3_pwns]

sony already knows how to dodge these copy cats who have no skills in gaming. the ps4 will launch first and it will be the best selling of the consoles by a long shot. nothing ms can do can stop this. not even copy catting. ms cant unveil anything because they dont have anything they still trying to wait and copy.

[sardaukarghola66]

Wow you're a giant douche

[ApolloTheBoss]

Just unveil the damn thing already, please.

[PFFT]

Now all they need to do is remove this so called always online BS. Have a heck load of exclusive and maybe then they will have a shot going up against Sony.

[maniacmayhem]

"...hardware is currently being tweaked, as hardware boffins work to “align” the new home machine with the power offered by Sony’s recently revealed PlayStation4."

I guess one of the benefits of revealing second. Who knows what else they might throw in for good measure. I was really hoping the rumors of a second screen were true. Lets hope it still is.

And lets hope MS deals with the d-pad issue. No way should that happen again.

[CEOSteveBallmer]

Let the kazification begin!! Meanwhile at Sony headquarters: http://i.minus.com/ipHqzgSb...

[TheSkullkid]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Microsoft copying PHony's pathetic controller? That's like trying to copy the answers off the D student's paper during a test. If you REALLY wanted to succeed, you would copy Wii U's beautiful controller, but then again Nintendo don't play around and would sue the pants off MS. Man, the PS4 and 720 are like lambs being led to the slaughter. Wii U is going to MASSACRE them. I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

[Ace_Pheonix]

This must be sarcasm, because there's no way in hell anyone would actually believe this. I'd say I laughed, but it wasn't funny sarcasm either.

[Minato-Namikaze]

These things are too funny, lol

[FrigidDARKNESS]

Why change an already excellent controller.

[remanutd55]

This is the best rumor i have seen from the next Xbox, i really like it if Microsoft is trying to compete with sony on hardware power, that can only means better competition and i really want sony to bring the best of them next gen with the ps4. Anyways i hope next xbox has that exclusive title that makes me go buy the system, i dont care too much about apps and whatnot but the games.

[BrianC6234]

Is Microsoft going to delay the release of their console until next year? You can't just change a console this close to release unless they're already close. Adding features like the PS4 will have will take months of programming and testing. I doubt Microsoft had all of the same ideas Sony had.

[BABYLEG]

The 360 does what the ps4 does. There was no need for Microsoft the change the controller aside from making it sleeker.. They have a kinect for every other input they need. A share button? Who in this day and age wants a share button on their controller? I'd much rather press the guide button and share from the actual OS.. No need for the excess clunk ya feel me?

[brave27heart]

No, I dont feel ya.

Having a one button press to share option is brilliant and if MS hadnt thought about doing it they are now. Sonys method is simple, quick and effortless. Its a great addition and one button hardly adds "excess clunk".

[GraveLord]

Wow this is sad. The original article mentione NOTHING about it being aligned on a technical level, this Gizmodo fanboy just added that per his wishful thinking.

This isn't even a rumor, its the misinterpretation of one.

[MRMagoo123]

yeh but who reads articles these days, it makes more sense to just jump the gun and blindly comment on things. lol

anyone else notice how this is supposed to be a sony fanboy site yet the ppl that support sony the most have the least bubbles ? or is it the fact there are way more xbox fantards than the rest of the consoles here.

[Dms2012]

I believe that MS r&d probably had this contingency in place to allow room for last minute improvements and changes, but at some point soon they will need to put the proverbial stake in the ground and finalize the hardware.

[Jockamo]

soooooo....backwards compatibility for controllers...? ...please?

[illtornworld]

i for one cant wait to see next gen gaming unfold before our eyes. i just hope its not focused on shooters. like call of booty. Both consoles will undoubtly make gamers think on which one they need. :-) gonna be epic

[josephayal]

i want a xbox durango

[KewDeGra]

in the end. SONY will be at the top.

[SonyAddict]

So I wonder what sony is tweaking?!.

[urwifeminder]

More rumors love the speculation what ever keeps it in the news is fine with me day one.

[vigilante_man]

Would be great for multi platform games. Especially if they do adopt a Bluray drive. No more limited releases so not to upset Microsoft.

I believe Sony originally planned to use 4GB Unified ram but upped it when it heard the Microsoft rumours - great idea that has been well accepted by developers.

I believe Microsoft were massively caught out with the Sony specs once revealed and have been busy getting up to speed. Just hope they don't rush out their hardware like last time. Do it right first time, guys.

[etownone]

If rumor is true.

Ms tweaking to catch up to PS4...... Makes sense since rumor has it that Sony did some tweaking of their own from 4gig memory to 8 gig memory to catch up to Durango rumored specs.

Anyways....

Remember people, it's all rumors until MS announces the Xbox 720 official specs just as Sony did with PS4.

[cyhm3112]

really funny, some stupid xbot fanboys can't face the truth and make up stuffs to make themselves feel better, really clever idea.

[xbox720don]

1 of all when sony found out wht microsoft up to they went back in da lab n went to work to catch up wit microsoft so microsoft went back in to da lab n did sum tweakn n did sum thing special call ray tracing light technology now i want u to tell sony to catch up on dat n by da way wht u heard was da sdk of microsoft last year n here is da web site www.gamesthirst.com it begin: xbox 720 will be more power then ps4, says report

[Belking]

Awesome! The controller is close to perfect anyway. No need to change it that much. Next xbox is gonna rock!

[xbox720don]

Www.gamesthirst.com it begins : xbox720 will be more powerful than ps4 says report to all u sony funboy!!! Xbox is here to stay will believe in bill gates