The Xbox-PC hybrid?

Can it be true? Is a Xbox-PC gaming machine coming? We've known all along that it's just a fine line between PC and Xbox games but would a hybrid machine reach the store shelves so soon?

The B/R/S Group, a California-based market research company that lists Microsoft and the Xbox division specifically as clients, has been gathering consumer feedback on a device it refers to as Xbox Next PC – "a videogame console system with a hard drive and a built-in fully functional PC."
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One slide describes the unit, which would require a PC monitor or high definition television, as being backward compatible with current and next-generation Xbox titles. It would also play PC games and include a fully functional version of Windows, CD burner, DVD player (with remote control), built-in access to Xbox Live and a hard drive. Control-wise, the system would come with both a keyboard and mouse and a standard Xbox controller. The price point this particular study tested was US$599.
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As for when we'll see next generation Xboxes on store shelves - officially, Microsoft isn't commenting, but it has been giving publishers guidance to plan for a 2005 launch.

From the CNN story, it seems like the days of having to deal with errant PC games installsations will be a thing of the past, and perhaps so will all the upgrading, the tweaking of frame rates, and all other fun activities that comes with playing games on a desktop. Then again, most hardcore gamers may just want to keep console- and PC-gaming separate. After all, many would prefer seeing Thief 3 in its full glory on a PC than settle for a slightly inferior version on the Xbox.

As for the next-gen Xbox to be launched in 2005... we'll just have to wait and see.