MS to support 360 'into the next decade'

Xbox Live director Larry Hryb has claimed that Microsoft will be supporting the Xbox 360 until "long into the next decade".

Despite recent rumours that a successor to the home console will be unveiled next year, Hryb - also known as Major Nelson - is adamant that the Xbox 360 is not even halfway through its lifecycle.

"A few people have emailed me regarding something Steve Ballmer said earlier today about a new Xbox coming in 2010," he wrote on his blog.

"As the Xbox team stated at E3 two weeks ago, we are not even halfway through the current console generation lifecycle and believe Xbox 360 will be the entertainment centre in the home for long into the next decade."

It was previously speculated that Microsoft would launch a new console to coincide with the release of motion-sensing peripheral Project Natal next year.