New Microsoft Xbox unveiled on May 21 2013

The first real glimpse of the next generation of Xbox console will take place at Microsoft headquarters on May 21, the US software giant has announced.Invites were sent to industry insiders yesterday with the slogan 'A New Generation Revealed', stating that the launch would be hosted on Microsoft's Redmond, Washington campus in the US.The third incarnation of the Xbox, the latest since the 2005 release of the Xbox 360, has been accompanied by a haze of rumours around its capabilities, including an interface that will overlay TV viewing and disagreement over whether an internet connection will be required to play games.Xbox Live's Larry Hryb, who blogs under the name "Major Nelson", wrote yesterday: "We’ll mark the beginning of a new generation of games, TV and entertainment," implying a greater scope for the new console to be integrated into users' regular television viewing.The event will be live-streamed on Xbox.com, Xbox Live, and on Spike TV, and will act as a "preliminary unveiling" before a full launch at the E3 tech conference in Los Angeles in June, which will "continue the conversation and showcase our full lineup of blockbuster games."