With the Wii U release, Sony and Microsoft are getting challenged on the development of their next consoles: the new Nintendo product is showing the gaming world that connectivity between more peripherals is the way to go to create a truly new and different gameplay experience.
One of the industry most respected game designer, Metal Gear series creator Hideo Kojima, recently stated that there’s a need for this interconnectivity between multiple devices, not just for gaming aspects but as a way to control a console, making it a truly entertainment center with easier access.
It looks like Microsoft is ready for the challenge: a report, still to be considered as a rumor, states that Microsoft is going to release a 7 inch tablet branded as Xbox Surface, using a custom ARM and processor and high bandwidth ram, running on a customized Windows operative system.
More rumors state that together with the tablet, Microsoft will release a new smartphone, not yet named, running on a customized Windows 8 operative system, a smartphone aimed for gamers.
If the reports are true, Microsoft will probably use this interconnectivity to push their next Xbox console even further, with the aim to make it become the center of entertainment in your own living room.