There has been much talk that Microsoft CEO Bill Gates is finally going to unveil the Xbox 2 in a keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January. At CES, we’re hoping to discover the very first official details about the console, whether or not rumors concerning multiple versions of the platform are true or not, and if the console will indeed launch in fall 2005. Although, due to the popularity of the Xbox currently, one questions if whether or not the Xbox 2 is launching too early for its own good.

While I may not worship the game, or even like it much, no one can deny that Halo 2 is the biggest home console videogame of the holiday season. Because of the game’s stunning visuals and extensive online multiplayer modes, it has managed to captivate casual gamers unlike any Xbox game has before it, and because of it, the Xbox is more popular than it has ever been. It’s no longer unusual to hear random people on a college campus or at a mall express their interest in the Xbox and Halo 2 (opposed to the usual PlayStation 2 and Grand Theft Auto conversation), and recent hardware and software sales charts have been showing that the popularity of the Xbox is indeed on the rise.

Many would believe that thanks to the recent popularity of the Xbox, it would be wise for Microsoft to ride the success of Halo 2 for quite some time. The game will do great things for both hardware and software sales on the platform and with this said, if there is any company that should rush to focusing on their next generation efforts, it’s not Microsoft. At the current time, Microsoft is at a great position in the market and it is seemingly getting better. What could possibly benefit them from rushing first to the market with their next gen home console?

Actually, launching the Xbox 2 in fall 2005 may indeed be a wise move. There isn’t a gamer on this earth who notices the lack of excitement during the transitional time period where game developers move their focus from the current consoles available, to the next gen. With the early launch of the Xbox 2, Xbox fans will be hyped and ready for their newer more powerful Microsoft console, and the sooner it comes, the better. The Xbox will have satisfied their gaming wants with a slew of killer games; gaming wants that should continue to be satisfied on the Xbox 2.

With all of this said, it’s quite possible that the Xbox 2 is launching right on time and while it’s still debatable that the next generation of videogame consoles is coming too soon, nothing can be done to prevent its arrival. Of course, launching before its competitors may be a disadvantage (because of the possibility of it being an "underpowered" machine compared to its competitors) but it’s too early to analyze that situation until some official details about next gen consoles are revealed.