Next Xbox and PS4 to be unveiled near GDC, claims report

Sony and Microsoft are both preparing to unveil the PS4 and next Xbox at ‘Apple-style press conferences’ near GDC, according to a report.

Game Informer claims, as spotted by Videogamer, that the hardware reveals will take place near the Game Developers Conference in late March, in line with a number of other reports citing a pre-E3 next-gen console reveal for both console giants.

While the PS4 and next Xbox announcements may come before E3, it is expected the event will still be home to a number of game reveals.

“We hear that both Sony and Microsoft are targeting special Apple-style press conferences to unveil their platforms near the Game Developers Conference in late March,” read the report.

“E3 in June may be the industry’s biggest event, but both companies want to give their systems their own limelight. That doesn’t mean E3 won’t be without its surprises. Next-gen games will be announced at the convention in preparation for the systems’ release at the end of the year.”

The report continues on to suggest that Sony is determined not to release their hardware last again as they did with the PS3, but did not state whether it would be out before Microsoft or not.

"We hear that Sony in particular is determined not to come out last this time like the PlayStation 3 did this generation, so we’ll have to see how soon it can get the PlayStation 4 out the door, and whether Microsoft is motivated to prevent this from happening."

GDC 2013 will take place between March 25th and 29th at the Moscone Centre in San Francisco.

Develop will be out force at the event to cover all the latest and breaking stories as they happen. The March issue of Develop will also be available throughout the conference.

If you would like to get in contact with Develop at the show for a meeting, please contact Develop editor Will Freeman at Will.Freeman@intentmedia.co.uk or Develop editor-in-chief Michael French at Michael.French@intentmedia.co.uk.