Xbox 360 to get a new name next year?

Regardless of whether the rumours about a new console are true or not, Microsoft seriously needs to consider some changes if Project Natal is to be successful, writes Gameplanet.

THERE HAVE BEEN A stack of rumours swirling over the last couple of weeks about Microsoft’s plans for a revised Xbox 360. It all started with a 1UP article which claimed their "sources" had told them that Microsoft would be launching a new Xbox 360 next year. The revised console would not only feature a built in Natal camera, but would also have some hardware upgrades. It would "be considered a new platform and carry a new name."

Microsoft moved swiftly to try and pour cold water on that rumour, but their response was somewhat ambiguous.

My take is this: when Microsoft launches Project Natal, it will come bundled with a redesigned Xbox 360 with a new name. There won’t be any significant upgrades to the hardware, but it will get a visual refresh and it won’t be called Xbox 360.

Make no mistake: Project Natal is about reinventing the platform, and that’s going to require doing more than just releasing a peripheral.