We have some interesting news for you regarding the Next Xbox and what Microsoft is planning. As you know the Wii U is slated to launch next year, so it looks like Microsoft won’t give them any room to breathe as the rumors are that they will be unveiling the next Xbox at CES next year.

Microsoft, unlike Sony or Nintendo, usually releases their products a few months after the announcement, so it is expected to launch in Holiday 2012. Considering Sony has been piling on the R&D expenses, it looks like PS4 won’t be that far behind as well.

Sony executives have made it clear that they don’t intend on allowing Microsoft to get the jump on them with the next generation of consoles, but if the next Xbox announcement is made at CES 2012 will Sony have the drive to push a product out in time to match the Microsoft product?

Everyone seems to know that the Xbox 360 is tapped out. Developers are struggling to meet the hardware limitations set forth by the current gen Xbox and the PS3 is looking more and more attractive when it comes to the production of console exclusives. Games like Uncharted 3 would have to be spread over several DVD’s as opposed to the one Bluray that the game is manufactured on. We’ve already seen this with games like Final Fantasy XIII.

I suspect the next Xbox will be announced at CES 2012

Currently the codename for the project is TEN. The primary focus is all about Metro, embedded Silverlight and an Apple-like integration with Windows and Windows Phone. The goal is to have the ability to envelop yourself in the Microsoft product world similar to what Apple has done with the iPhone, iPod, AppleTV, iMac, and iPad.

Below are a few artist renderings of what the latest Xbox may look like:

Windows Weekly (a podcast that covers any and all things Microsoft) broke the major news, so skip ahead to 1:28 in the video if you’d like to hear the discussion.