Microsoft and Sony will both have pre-E3 events on the 16^th of May, 2005, where, as various media believe, the next-generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles will be officially unveiled for the very fist time. But some other sources suggest that Microsoft’s console will be first showcased on the 12^th of May on a show at MTV channel.

Sony’s pre-E3 conference will be held in Sony Picture’s building in Culver City near Los Angeles, California, and will begin at 3PM. Microsoft’s pre-E3 event is scheduled for 6PM and will be held somewhere in downtown Los Angeles. Microsoft’s event will be held three hours after Sony’s, thus, the consoles will be unveiled practically at the same time – on the 16^th of May, 2005 – provided that the information about the introduction timeframe is correct.

Brandweek.com web-site reports that Microsoft next-generation Xbox 2 console will make its first appearance on a yet-untitled half-hour special that will be broadcast globally across all MTV stations on the 12^th of May, 2005.

“It doesn’t make sense to unveil the product behind a closed door, at a trade-only event. We wanted to talk directly to the consumer first,” Peter Moore, corporate VP-worldwide marketing and publishing for Microsoft Xbox, is reported to have said.

Sony Computer Entertainment earlier this year said that the company’s next-generation console would be premiered before the E3 at an event. The company’s representatives were quoted as saying that the next PlayStation will be announced in late March, what did not happen. Some spokespersons from Sony also said that the PlayStation 3 would be playable by the E3 show, but did not elaborate whether “playable” meant readiness of actual titles, or availability of technology demos.

Microsoft Corp. was expected to discuss its Xbox 2 console at Consumer Electronics Show in January, 2005, but did not reveal anything about the machine.

No officials for Microsoft or Sony confirmed announcement dates for the next-generation consoles. Neither of representatives for the companies also revealed actual brand-names for the forthcoming consoles.