Xbox 720 rumors continue to persist, and while it's still unclear whether Microsoft will announce a next-gen console this year, what is clear is that the company is looking more and more to transform its Xbox business into a full entertainment business. Microsoft is looking beyond games with its new dashboard and apps focus, and now we've gotten an even stronger indicator, as Microsoft has confirmed that Dave Cutler, father of Windows NT, has joined the Xbox group.
As reported by ZDNet, Cutler specifically joined the ISS group working on Console Development research and development. This is the Interactive Entertainment Business Software and Services group headed by Microsoft Corporate Vice President David Treadwell. The team's objective is build out “connected entertainment experiences for consumers," and ZDNet's report notes that Cutler's new role mainly deals with "moving Xbox beyond a gaming platform."
It's also worth noting that Cuter was part of Microsoft’s core team working on public-cloud operating system, Windows Azure. Putting all the pieces together, it would appear that Xbox 720 will have an even greater entertainment, set-top box approach and it will leverage cloud technology for both games and general entertainment.
As for Microsoft, a spokesperson said the following: "Dave is one of our brightest minds and is currently working on projects that will help advance our goals in the consumer space as we continue to grow the Xbox from a game-centric console to a complete home entertainment device."
