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SALT LAKE CITY -- Rumors continue to spin about the next generation of consoles as the Electronics Entertainment Expo, or E3, looms closer.
Running from June 5 - 7, E3 will inhabit the Los Angeles Convention Center in downtown LA, while simultaneously inhabiting the minds of nearly every gaming enthusiast on the planet.
With the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) underway in Las Vegas until Friday, many members of the media present expected to hear at least a tease towards a new Sony Playstation console or new Microsoft Xbox console during the companies' respective keynote presentations.
Neither has been mentioned.
Certainties like the Wii U -- Nintendo's new console featuring a tablet-esque controller -- and expected coverage of blockbuster titles such as Halo 4 and Diablo 3, draw little concern from speculative techies who will fill the show floor at E3.
The real stories are surprises, the biggest of which may come from current console giants Sony and Microsoft.
While many reports contain merely speculation, one report recently surfaced that claims a "100% concrete, ultra-high level" source has assured the presence of both a new Playstation console and a new Xbox console.
A contradictory report, however, appeared shortly thereafter.
Kaz Hirai, executive deputy president of Sony Corporation, deflated hype quickly with a very direct response, speaking at a "roundtable with reporters" at CES.
The probability of seeing an announcement from Sony, then, appears to be next to none. Yet, there has not been a definitive statement by any representative of Microsoft to either confirm or deny rumors of a new console of their own.
But this wouldn't be the first time Microsoft has had a leg up on its rivals. The original Xbox 360 enjoyed a practical monopoly on the seventh generation of consoles (Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360) with a November 2005 release -- one full year ahead of the release of the Playstation 3 and the Nintendo Wii, both of which were released in November of 2006.
Of course, with new consoles come new innovations in technology, in an effort to make products as future-proof as they can get.
The discovery of [a patent](<http://www.computerandvideogames.com/331038/xbox-720-to-be-a-dvr-too-patent-suggests/ >) has turned heads to what could be an exciting new DVR feature for the new console model, as well. This would correlate well with newly released Xbox TV features, which are currently limited to Verizon FIOS customers.
Hopes are high, but still remain just that. If and when further developments appear, they will likely serve to connect the dots, instead of filling holes. What remains a certainty is that all eyes will be on Los Angeles come June.
