ATi Comment Hints At Next-Gen Console Progress

Comments from ATi CFO Terry Nickerson, at the Smith Barney Citigroup 2004 Technology Conference in New York this week, appear to suggest that work on the graphics technology for the next generation Xbox console is almost at an end. When talking about the company’s involvement with next generation consoles for both Microsoft and Nintendo Nickerson said, “The other one that's starting to become, I think, a factor when you're looking at it from an investment point of view, are game consoles," he told the conference. "We're actually winding down development on some of the Microsoft product. Both Nintendo and Microsoft will be royalties." Although somewhat ambiguous, the comment seems to imply that the company is almost finished design work on the Xbox console. At the very least, it suggests that there have been no serious delays that would impede Microsoft’s implicit goal of a Christmas 2005 launch in the US.