Xbox 720 out in time for Christmas 2013, say tipsters

The sequel to the Xbox 360 will be with us this time next year, according to reports that tip a Christmas debut for Microsoft's next console.

The follow-up will take advantage of shoppers' deep pockets around the Thanksgiving and Chrimbo season, anonymous sources reportedly told Bloomberg, asking not to be named because Microsoft's plans are still secret.

That release date would make a steaming pile of sense, as Christmas is traditionally the time we see new games consoles lining shop shelves -- Nintendo's new Wii U is out today, for example. With rumours of the so-called Xbox 720 already hotting up, it's looking more and more likely that we'll see Microsoft's next system unveiled soon.

The latest rumours suggest that Microsoft's console will be simply dubbed 'Xbox', just like the 360's predecessor. Perhaps Steve Ballmer and buddies have been peeking at Apple's big book of confusing nomenclature.

E3 snubbed?

Apparently Microsoft is still pondering when to unveil its new system, and hasn't decided whether to lift the lid at the E3 trade show in June, or host its own private party.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Microsoft throwing the new console a bespoke bash -- the tactic works for Apple, and Samsung this year ditched a major mobile trade show, instead revealing its Galaxy S3 smart phone at a separate event.

It seems the Xbox 360 is still selling well in the meantime -- the company behind Clippy shifted 750,000 consoles in Thanksgiving week, which Bloomberg reckons is twice as many units as the brand-new Wii U managed to shift.

Are you saving up for the next Xbox console, or would you rather wait and see what Sony has up its voluminous, plastic sleeves? Tell me in the comments or on our Facebook wall.