A new rumor suggests that Microsoft may be planning its Xbox 720 unveiling event in May. An anonymous source has reported to Game Informer magazine that Microsoft will be announcing the new console at an "intimate" event at its Redmond, Washington headquarters.
According to the source, the event is set to take place on May 21. It is corroborated by a previous report by Windows blogger Paul Thurrott that stated Microsoft will reveal its next-gen console on that same date.
The Game Informer source added that the unveiling will be streamed live on Xbox.com, Xbox Live, and Spike TV in the United States as well as Canada. Invitations to attend the event in person will be going out to select members of the press and publishing partners very shortly.
We'll find out soon enough if this report has any weight to it, as it will be very hard for Microsoft to keep this under wraps once the invitations and broadcasting announcements start to leak. If nothing else, it is somewhat interesting that the company is opting for a much smaller affair, as opposed to the grand, elaborate reveal event that Sony utilized for the PlayStation 4 announcement.
While not much of the Xbox 720, codenamed the Durango, is known right now, previous rumors pointed to a built-in, updated Kinect system, cable set-box functionality, and the possibility of an always-on connection requirement. Rumored launch titles include a Crytek Kinect game called Ryse, which we haven't heard much about in a long while, and a new Forza game. Additionally, it wouldn't be a long shot to guess that a new Halo and Gears of War might also be undergoing development.
Microsoft has obviously not made an official comment on any of these topics, but hopefully some light will be shed on its next-gen efforts in a few weeks.