Skip to main content

LinkedIn resumes reveal new Xbox console in development

next xboxLast we heard, there was a possibility Microsoft would reveal the next-gen Xbox console at E3 2012. Now we may have reason to believe it.

A veritable handful of professionals have tipped us off by listing their job titles on LinkedIn, which Twitter user Supererogatory first broadcast. According to the professional networking site, the following people are working on the next Xbox:

Jeff Faulkner is the “Xbox Next Gen Creative Director,” Jonathan Harris, a senior creative director for Xbox says he is working on “designing the next generation of entertainment,” and Joe Langevin is an Xbox hardware intern who’s job involves developing “high speed data buses to prevent electromagnetic interference in next-gen devices.” Patrick Corrigan, who works in visual design and branding, is an ex-Microsoft employee who says he was formerly “providing groundwork and integration for branding elements for next-gen Xbox on all forms of media. Ranging from print to UI across future releases of the Xbox platform.”

All these job positions and descriptions were removed as of press time.

Microsoft’s been cagey about “Xbox 720” details, although sales numbers would indicate the company is in no hurry to produce another console. This past summer we heard the Xbox 360 was only halfway through its life cycle, which isn’t terribly clear but doesn’t exactly sound like an update is on the horizon.

An obscure leak of sorts in March revealed close to nothing except that new hardware could be on the way for 2015. And given how long these things are in development, the LinkedIn listings don’t necessarily indicate we’ll see the next-gen console at 2012. It does however mean one is in the works. 

Editors' Recommendations

Molly McHugh
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Before coming to Digital Trends, Molly worked as a freelance writer, occasional photographer, and general technical lackey…
Every key detail from Xbox’s business update: new console, multiplatform games, and more
Xbox's logo used during the Extended Games Showcase

Microsoft just released the latest episode of the Official Xbox Podcast, and it contained lots of crucial details on the future of Xbox. Microsoft addressed everything from how many games it will make multiplatform to the arrival of Activision Blizzard games on Xbox Game Pass to future Xbox hardware.

If you don't want to listen to the full 23-minute podcast and want more details than what's shared in the Xbox Wire post about the discussion, here's a quick rundown of the biggest points made during the episode.
Four Xbox games are going multiplatform
To kick things off, Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, addressed the multiplatform Xbox game rumors. "We made the decision that we’re going to take four games to the other consoles. Just four games, not a change to our kind of fundamental exclusive strategy,” he said. “We’re making these decisions for some specific reasons. We make every decision with the long-term health of Xbox in mind, and long-term health of Xbox means a growing platform, our games performing, building the best platform for creators, reaching as many players as we can."

Read more
The best Xbox Series X games for 2024
Key art for Starfield

After an uneven console cycle with the Xbox One, Microsoft's latest consoles are aimed at getting the ship back on course. The Xbox Series X is a next-generation powerhouse that rivals gaming PCs, while the Xbox Series S is an affordable stopgap for those who are curious about trying new games.

There's no shortage of games to play on either console thanks to Xbox Game Pass, which gives players immediate access to a library of titles old and new. That built-in catalog is an extra value on top of all the new games available on the system that take advantage of its impressive technical specs. When it comes to first-party exclusives, the Series X is still growing. Halo Infinite and Forza Horizon 5 gave a good boost to the console's library following a somewhat sparse first year. More games are also on the way. Microsoft's Bethesda acquisition will bring exclusives like Starfield and the potential addition of all Activision Blizzard games would further bolster that list, but the console's real strength lies in third-party support.

Read more
Xbox games on PS5? It’s not as shocking as you think
Key art for Starfield

It's been a busy few weeks for console war soldiers.

Tensions spiked last month when "Nate the Hate," an industry insider with a decent track record, claimed that Hi-Fi Rush was headed to Nintendo Switch. The rumor sparked some mixed feelings among Xbox fans, some of whom expressed dismay over one of the console's system-selling exclusives coming to another platform. Other reports at the time claimed that Rare's Sea of Thieves could also be bound for PlayStation and Switch. That rising anger came to a head this weekend when XboxEra reported that Xbox is planning to launch its biggest exclusive, Starfield, on PS5.

Read more