Sounds like Teen Spirit

Peter Rojas seems to lament this break with tradition:

It sounds like your worst Gen Y marketing nightmare: rather than wait until E3 to launch the Xbox 2/Xbox 360, Microsoft is going to break with game industry tradition (at least as much as the industry even has a tradition) and take the wraps off their next-gen console via a half-hour MTV special airing on May 12th that’ll be hosted by Elijah Woods and feature a performance by the Killers as well as plenty of cameos by the usual round of athletes and celebs. Hardcore gamers might not like it (no one likes to feel like they’re falling trap to some lame teen marketing machine), but Microsoft obviously believes that this next console is too big to be launched at a trade show event—they want to start building buzz on a global level from day one.

[ Microsoft unveiling the Xbox 360 on May 12th…on MTV - Gaming - gaming.engadget.com. ]

I think Sony and Nintendo should take note. Microsoft clearly sees that the consumer, and not the industry, is king, and will make the difference in which console rules the next generation release. And I tend to agree.

Of course Microsoft better bring more games, I still haven't had the need to pick one up (though Jade Empire may change that...)