Rumor: Xbox 360 slimming down in 2009 [update]
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ May 13th 2008 at 11:00PM }
Since it won't go anywhere near the Wii Fit balance board and is extremely likely to die during a heated workout, your obese Xbox 360 isn't going to get thinner in its lifetime. No, that's what the "Xbox 540" replacement is for, claims TG Daily. The site reckons that Microsoft will release a "mid-cycle refresh" of the system in Fall 2009, one built around a new and more compact "Valhalla" internal chipset. (Have we introduced you to Jasper yet?)The shrinking of innards will reportedly allow a redesign of the system's exterior, much like the PlayStation 2's second iteration. Our fancy next-gen games may be getting bigger on the screen, but much like our Wiis, it seems we'll end up with something smaller to play with. On. Play games on. Multiplayer games. Curses! is there any way out of that one?
Update: Microsoft says it has "no plans to release a new console in 2009."
[Via X3F]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Yourself @ May 13th 2008 11:03PM
Alright, I hate to do this, but... Engadget has not only already posted about this rumor, but officially dispelled it as well.
Yourself @ May 13th 2008 11:05PM
Here it was posted this morning, not that that matters: http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/13/xbox-360-to-get-a-smaller-case-revision-in-2009/
And here they confirmed its non-truth: http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/13/microsoft-says-no-new-xbox-360s-in-2009/
Spartacus @ May 13th 2008 11:33PM
There is no conclusive evidence either way. MS, like every other company out there isn't going to unveil a new product until the proper time- which would be the day before they release it in this case as to to not harm current sales.
Pan @ May 15th 2008 6:33PM
Oh sweet, a cheaper and more efficient + a possibly better looking exterior? Sounds good to me.
David Hinkle @ May 13th 2008 11:08PM
Once again, Ludwig proves he's the master of the witty internet post. :)
noskillbassist @ May 13th 2008 11:09PM
Looking at the titles for thoe links "Yourself" posted, I can say I'm glad this isn't true. I've finally decided to get a 360 around fall time and I'd feel cheapened if a "new" model came out only a year later.Kinda hard to describe, but I hope you understand what I mean.
Playboy X - My Avatar Actually Changed @ May 13th 2008 11:10PM
Seeing that Xbox in that bag is making me feel uncomfortable and hot...
hey_big_dck psn:fuliano626 @ May 13th 2008 11:16PM
eh the xbox isn't that big if it just didn't have hardware problems it would be fine ( wich i think has been fixed).
Ninjakamster (PSN: Chin-Poh) @ May 13th 2008 11:25PM
Anyone know why MS never slimmed down the original Xbox?
Well, it did use a 3.5" HDD vs 2.5" in the 360.
The Gamecube was already compact itself.
noskillbassist @ May 13th 2008 11:45PM
Or because the power brick was inside the system...
Cesaria (MKW:2621-2994-1376) @ May 13th 2008 11:29PM
Ludwig, you kill me, you witty bastard! One of the few bloggers on the net that consistently makes me LOL.
busydoingnothing @ May 13th 2008 11:33PM
How about QUIETING the 360 down? That fucker sounds like a jet engine. Completely unacceptable.
Worst Review Ever @ May 13th 2008 11:43PM
Seriously? Yeah, it's loud if you're not playing with any sound, but a jet engine? Maybe a mouse-sized jet engine, like the ones used by the mice of the 125th Limberger Division of the Royal Critter Army. Why do they have jets, you ask? Well...they're trying to stop the invasion led by Squeakers Von Trappenstein, Duke of Verminy. Hold on a second, I gotta write this down...
hey_big_dck psn:fuliano626 @ May 14th 2008 12:11AM
are you sure you weren't playing a a game with jets that's probably what you were hearing.
John McPoop @ May 14th 2008 12:53AM
@Worst Review Ever
I now this is going to sound crazy but maybe his system is louder than yours. Quality control and consistentcy has not been Microsoft forte with the 360. I had a couple of 360's that were loud out of the box. The most recent one I have is pretty quiet in comparison. Its like a game of craps.
Tim The Enchanter @ May 14th 2008 12:46PM
You're right John, that does sound crazy... crazy like a fox!
A friend of mine has a 360 that's much more quiet than mine.
Superstar90 @ May 14th 2008 6:40PM
Ace Combat 6 is SUPPOSED to sound like that.
DemonGSides @ May 13th 2008 11:34PM
I don't believe it. What will we do without faceplates?
Zeus.:God @ May 14th 2008 12:05AM
Nothing... The world is lost without interchangeable faceplates.
Cephas @ May 14th 2008 12:06AM
Hey, as long as it doesn't red ring.
nick @ May 14th 2008 12:09AM
My response would be... F-I-N-A-L-L-Y !
I think Microsoft has to slim down the 360 to achieve any sort of sales in Japan. And I think it'll spur sales elsewhere as well.
The original 360 design was nicer than the Xbox, but still bulky, and I thought overall they could have done a better job.
The only problem with a redesign, would be the faceplates. But, I'm not wedded to them.
PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ May 14th 2008 12:32AM
yea cause a hardware redesign will get the 360 games that Japanese gamers want to play.
that isnt the answer to succeeding in Japan. they need to steal some big name Japanese devs to do that. if they could get Monster Hunter or something on 360, it would sell like hotcakes over there.
a hardware revision will certainly re-spark sales, but it wont fix their "outside the US" problems.
BPM [SSBB: 5026 4120 1186] @ May 14th 2008 2:07AM
360 already has quite a few games that would appeal to the Japanese market... They just aren't buying them. Even Mistwalker's games didn't do too well in Japan.
It could be a few issues related to MS's relative failure in Japan:
1) With the first Xbox, they didn't try as hard in Japan as they are now.
2) Marketing failure. The Japanese 360 ads have been just... dumb.
3) RRoD... Seriously. While we Americans are (mostly) willing to put up with replacements/repairs, I don't know if that'd fly over in Japan. And if the hardware's reliability has hit the news over there (dunno if it has), that would severely hurt its credibility.
But a redesign could give the 360 quite a push in Japan. It worked for DS and PSP.
Tim The Enchanter @ May 14th 2008 12:48PM
! Achievement unlocked: pulled a Jared, lost weight.
nick @ May 14th 2008 4:32PM
See, but I think Microsoft has made a great effort to court Japanese developers
But you can't get wide developer support if the hardware sales are abysmal.
The problem is more than just the hardware design. I've always said the cost should be subsidized more greatly there UNTIL a sizable base occurs. I don't think they have enough of a base in Japan. It almost seems as if Microsoft is content with their sales in Japan, but I think it's more of an indicator of a problem they've failed to address.
PSN: KillaKornbread (the shirt is a lie!) @ May 14th 2008 12:35AM
i could see this happening eventually. everyone else does it, so why not? hardware revisions are proven to spark sales. so if the 360 gets into a slump sometime in the future, i wouldnt be surprised if they revised it.
Hala Madrid!!! @ May 14th 2008 1:25AM
I agree my friend
lee @ May 14th 2008 12:36AM
i cant wait till they do it!!! but i dont know if its in microsofts best interests to redisign it. people are going to look at a 360 and then look at the ps3 and because the ps3 will be 3 times larger than the xbox, they might think its 3 times as powerful. hopefully also the ps3 gets a facelift too cause that thing is a beast!
Ariel @ May 14th 2008 1:35AM
Now who's stuck in the gutter? Hmmm?
Hala Madrid!! @ May 14th 2008 1:45AM
Anything can happen, Sony is probably gonna do it with the PS3 like they did with the previous PlayStation's
BIGGEN @ May 14th 2008 5:41AM
i like her just the way she is. slim, curvy, choice of ethnicity, mmmmmmm, 360. yeeeaaaah.
seriously tho, i could see the same exact design, only smaller. kinda the size of the hd dvd add on. which was a little bigger then the wii.
theo @ May 17th 2008 1:08PM
how can mircosoft slim it down when the 360 now has overheating problems. think of it the 360slim-complete hardware failures. they should try to lower failure rate in the current consle before they go and redesign it.
LubaLub @ May 14th 2008 8:36AM
Yea, but if this comes to fruition and existing 360 owners want (or are forced to buy due to 360 failure) this new, slimmer console, how would we attach our existing HDDs?
PeteL @ May 14th 2008 8:40AM
They need a reliable and slightly different looking box, so you know you're getting a new improved system instead of the old lemon.
method of payment @ May 14th 2008 9:21AM
if this is just a 360 slim like the ps2 slim, then they can feel free to come out with it. It'll still be the same system, play the same games, and use the same accessories.
Just put the power brick inside, give us a transfer cable if the HDD is different, and go from there. I'd gladly throw my 360 from 2006 on ebay for $150 to go towards a better quality slim 360. I did the same with the slim ps2, even though my fatty ps2 was just fine.