With GDC opening, it was expected that Microsoft would at least be talking about its next Xbox offering, but instead we hear that the company has left its Xbox team at home. Instead, Microsoft will be talking about Windows PC titles and Windows Phone titles and development on those platforms. Sony, on the other hand, is at GDC promoting the PlayStation 4.

It is difficult to say what Microsoft’s strategy is here or why they would elect not to promote their next console. It is also difficult to measure how the decision will impact developers; but as one developer told us, “We already know what we need to know about the next Microsoft console, so I am not sure that it is going to have any real impact.”

So, what now? Is it for sure an Xbox Next reveal at E3 later this year, or will the company have something planned before then? Once again, Microsoft keeps everyone guessing; but if they do plan to release the console this year, they are going to have to reveal it at some point, and one can only think they will not want to wait much longer than E3 to do so if they are going to release yet this year. June isn’t that far away now, and we would expect to see some sort of a sign soon.