There are a ton of rumors concerning the next version of Microsoft"s Xbox game console and this week the newest one popped up on Gamesindustry.biz. The Digital Foundry section of the web site claims that Microsoft is developing two versions of the next Xbox console for a possible launch in the fall of 2013.
One of the versions, according to the report, would be a lower cost machine that would be designed like a set-top box for streaming games and media. The other would be more expensive and would have hardware features like an optical drive, a built in hard drive and backwards compatibility with the Xbox 360 game line up. Both versions would have the Kinect motion sensor technology built into the console box, rather than as an add-on device.
The article adds that, according to its source, Microsoft held a secret event for game developers at Disneyland in California just after E3 2011 was held in LA in June. Microsoft reportedly got some input from the assembled game developers on what kind of issues that they had occurred on the current Xbox 360 hardware and where they would like to see improvements in the next generation console.
The article adds some speculation about what might be inside the next Xbox. Specifically there is some talk that the next Microsoft console could have dual graphics chips, which is becoming common among PC gamers who own rigs with NVIDIA"s SLI set-up or AMD"s CrossFire X feature.