By James Brightman

Even though this generation of consoles have resulted in a much longer than usual console cycle, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are all preparing for the next generation. Several job listings were uncovered today that point toward Microsoft hiring for the development of the next Xbox.

The postings on LinkedIn show that Microsoft is hiring to put together a group "responsible for defining and delivering next generation console architectures from conception through implementation."

The Interactive Entertainment Business is hiring an Audio/Video Hardware Architect, Audio Architect, and a Graphics Architect. These listings all mention the next generation console architecture. Furthermore, a listing for Wireless DV Engineer, mentions that the person will play "a key role in the development and verification of the Xbox and future platforms."

It will be quite interesting to see what form that "future platform" takes. We hope that Microsoft has gained enough experience in hardware now that their next attempt won't be riddled with platform failures. The company lost over a billion dollars because of the hardware malfunctions and "red ring of death" associated with the original Xbox 360 design. The new slim model seems to have addressed most of the issues plaguing the console.