Codename for Next Xbox Confirmed in Screenshot: Xenon
- May 16, 2005 13:37 PM PST
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A leaked screenshot confirms the Xenon code name and also reveals some interesting tidbits about the next Xbox.
No matter what you call it, "Xbox Next," "Xbox 2," "the neXtbox," etc., there is no shortage of hype surrounding Microsoft's next game machine. While the system specs were allegedly leaked to the online community in late April, there were conflicting reports about the document's authenticity. Thankfully the latest news is a bit more concrete.Xbox news site Xbox-Scene.com was able to provide GamePro.com a single screenshot from an Xbox Next development kit, codenamed Xenon. Although the source is anonymous, we can confirm that this screen is authentic.
Although the screen is of the development kit launcher and not a game, it does reveal a few interesting tidbits about the upcoming system. The launcher is used to configure the system as well as start up game programs.
This is what a Xenon developer sees whenever the development kit boots up.
The most obvious bit of news is the confirmation of the name Xenon. While this has been bandied about before, it was never in a confirmed source. The name may change before the system officially launches, but for now the next Xbox system is being referred to as Xenon.
Of secondary note is the "106.79 GB FREE" listed in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Those who have attended gaming expos such as E3 will no doubt have seen a similar launcher screen on Xbox dev kits -- that number refers to the amount of free hard drive space on the system. This does not guarantee that the final, retail form of the Xenon will have a hard drive (rumors have been flying that it may not) but it would seem to indicate that if the system does not have a hard drive, it will have some form of mass storage.
The program listed on the screen, Dolphin.exe, is a demo program that shipped with the development kit in order to give developers a starting point when creating new code. A similar demo shipped with the original Xbox development kit. (Trivia buffs will recall that one of the original PlayStation development apps was a T-Rex demo.)
At this point it doesn't mean much, but it is worth noting the ".exe" extension on the end of the name. This is the same as a standard PC application. Xbox software all uses a ".xbe" extension. It could be nothing (as the file name is just a name) but it could mean that Microsoft is seriously toying with the idea of a combination PC/console in addition to a standalone video game unit.
