Xbox 720 News: Skype Could Be Integrated Into The Next-Gen Console, Exec Hints

An article in TechRadar implies that Microsoft plans on integrating Skype into the future of the Xbox. Skype's head of mobile marketing Derek Snyder is quoted as saying that he feels the company will have a big role to play in the console's future.

"If it's an Xbox we're trying to connect to - it's probably not that hard to believe we're looking at that - what does that mean for gaming?...How does Skype enhance the gaming proposition? Of course Xbox has things with voice and messaging chat at the moment, but does video make sense for that case?"

Microsoft now owns Skype, so it makes sense that Microsoft would try to use the popular video call service to it's advantage, especially now that the next-gen consoles will increasingly incorporate social media. The PlayStation 4 will have a share button that allows users to instantly share their experiences with their friends, so this may become part of Microsoft's counter to that.

The Xbox 720 has yet to be revealed, so speculation about the system and Skype is hard to pin down until the system makes its official debbut. But if rumors are to believed and the next Xbox ships with a Kinect, then there will already be a camera for Skype to broadcast with.

Is the next step in peer-to-peer communications on the Xbox video messages? Will gamers have to broadcast messages to their friends instead of a simple click on the invite to party button? Indeed, will you have to look at all your party members as you play a game? This could be a very intriguing possibility for the future, as further heightens the anticipation for any sort of official information Microsoft can give us on their newest system.