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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The “Xbox 720” was the name used in an alleged early Microsoft planning presentation, not the name of the console that reached stores. The 56-page document, described in 2012 coverage as dating from around 2010, sketched a 2013 launch, a $299 price and a broader living-room entertainment role. Those were reported ambitions, not confirmed final Xbox One specifications or proof that Microsoft had approved every proposal.
What was the Xbox 720 presentation leak?
A 56-page presentation surfaced online in June 2012 and was described by contemporary reports as nearly two years old. It used “Xbox 720” for a future console. The Guardian cautioned that the material could have been an internal proposal or messaging exercise rather than an approved roadmap, and said Microsoft did not comment on rumor or speculation. Windows Central later reported that its sources verified the documents’ authenticity. That supports treating the presentation as reported internal material, but not as evidence that every slide became company policy or a final product decision.
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The Guardian’s June 18, 2012 report set out the uncertainty; Windows Central’s January 29, 2024 account later described its source verification.
What did the slides reportedly propose?
A living-room entertainment hub
The presentation reportedly positioned the future console as more than a games machine: a device for games, TV, DVD and Blu-ray playback, music and video streaming, and connections with phones and tablets. The Guardian said the slides named Apple, Google and OnLive as competitors in connected living-room entertainment. That language reflects the document’s reported framing, not proof of Microsoft’s final strategy. Windows Central reproduced the pitch line: “the ONLY box you need for premium living room entertainment.”
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Console, Kinect and companion-device ambitions
Contemporary coverage attributed a target 2013 launch and a proposed $299 price to the slides, with a second-generation Kinect included. Other reported ambitions included Blu-ray playback, native 3D, improved Kinect voice and tracking, and a DVR concept. A SmartGlass-style companion experience was meant to connect the console with phones and tablets, moving interactions across devices. These are descriptions of proposed features, not a checklist of confirmed Xbox One launch capabilities.
Processor options and augmented reality
The reported roadmap considered a six-to-eight-core ARM or x86 processor approach and made claims of substantially higher performance than Xbox 360. It did not establish the retail Xbox One’s final specifications. The slides also reportedly referred to augmented-reality glasses under the name Project Fortaleza. TechRadar’s June 16, 2012 article spelled it “Fortazella,” while The Guardian used “Fortaleza”; the naming variation is another reason to describe this as a reported concept rather than a confirmed product.
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TechRadar’s June 16, 2012 report covered the hardware and Kinect proposals, while The Guardian and Windows Central reported on the broader product pitch.
How the proposal compared with the Xbox One that launched
The console ultimately launched in 2013 as Xbox One, not Xbox 720. Windows Central reports a $499 launch MSRP, compared with the presentation’s proposed $299 target. The available reporting does not establish why the price differed, so the figures should be read as a plan-versus-launch comparison—not as evidence of a particular cause.
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| Item | Reported presentation proposal | Reported Xbox One outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Name | “Xbox 720,” as used in the alleged circa-2010 presentation | Xbox One, the console that launched in 2013 |
| Price | $299 target attributed to the presentation and reported by The Guardian in 2012 and Windows Central in 2024 | $499 launch MSRP in 2013, as reported by Windows Central in 2024 |
| Kinect | Second-generation Kinect proposed as part of the $299 bundle | Windows Central’s comparison supports the launch-price figure; it does not establish a directly comparable final bundle from the material cited here |
| Broader ambitions | Entertainment hub, companion-device interactions, and other proposed capabilities described in the reported slides | The sources cited here do not provide a comprehensive feature-by-feature comparison with the final console |
What the sales and lifecycle numbers mean
Windows Central reported that the presentation set out a ten-year lifecycle ambition and a 100-million-unit sales target. Both are targets attributed to the leaked slides, not actual sales, an independently audited result or a forecast Microsoft publicly endorsed. The Guardian’s contemporaneous caveat—that the slides may have been a proposal rather than a settled roadmap—also applies to these ambitions.
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How to read the leak
- “Xbox 720” identifies the future system in the reported planning material; it was not the retail console name.
- The presentation is useful as a snapshot of an ambitious connected-living-room pitch, combining gaming, media and companion devices.
- Its price, hardware alternatives, features and sales ambition should be attributed to the slides and reporting. They should not be presented as final specifications, achieved outcomes or confirmed corporate commitments.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
