Whilst it's no secret that Microsoft are poised to release Halo 4 later this year for the benefit of millions of Xbox 360 owners, could they also announce the game for a new Xbox console as well? Before your minds go into overdrive it would make sense to release this killer game as a launch title for Xbox next whilst keeping the current user base well and truly happy with what they have. That said, Halo 5 could be released two years after, making a new Xbox release in the predicted 2014 period, which for some is perhaps too far into the future to be of any merit, despite some camps believing the current Xbox still has the legs to go that distance. We're probably more cynical of this release and would favour a 2013 period, so where would Halo 4 fit in on Xbox next if it did?

Looking at the evidence, the release window for Halo 4 is holiday 2012 which would also be a great time to launch a new console - the Xbox 360 launched in October 2005 just ahead of Black Friday and Xmas holiday shopping sprees. Releasing a new console at this time or shortly thereafter would follow the same pattern.


It's likely the Xbox Live service will offer cross compatibility so that Xbox 360 and Xbox next gamers will be able to play together - the same happened with the original Xbox and Xbox 360. So although gamers might be somewhat fragmented, if they can play the same game with the same friends on different consoles it wouldn't cause an expected divide.


What's also interesting is the expectations of gamers and what they desire from new hardware. For the die hard early adopters the most significant selling point lies in the improvement in graphics. This has been the mainstay of new hardware since consoles began, so a visual upgrade for the Halo 4 version on Xbox next would be feasible. It's even possible that Halo 4 could include a standalone multiplayer mode which would tailor itself to suit those playing.




Is it safe to say that the people who rush out to buy a new console will be content with the same version as the Xbox 360 but with more polished looks? If you look at multi-format games and the PC versions compared to console, the graphics seem to be the most striking differences where there's little else to distinguish the PC version from console counterparts.


Lastly, the Xbox 360 has evolved completely with its Live service, integrated TV and social features, laying the foundations for a similar UI for the next Xbox. There's really little else for it to go to right now, so the only thing left for improvement is things like storage and graphics capabilities. In terms of releasing a new console into the market, the foundations are already laid, and so anyone making the transition should be able to do so with relative ease. With this in mind, releasing two versions of Halo 4 is feasible, even if the Xbox next version is months after the Xbox 360 offering. Food for thought or wishful thinking. You decide.

Posted: Jan 02, 2012 11:05 am

Source: http://www.msxbox-world.com/features/article/941/could-halo-4-become-a-multi-format-release.html