Rumor(s): Ubisoft working with next-gen Xbox hardware, Sony studio focusing on PlayStation 4

Rumors regarding development of a next-gen Xbox and the PlayStation 4 have been going on since.. well, not longer after the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were released. Over the past year, however, the rumors have been piling up, with reports of all kinds that suggest both manufacturers are gearing up to announce their respective next-gen consoles.

The latest in the string of rumors come from Edge, which reports that a source from within Ubisoft says that the developer already has access to “target boxes” for Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox. While not an actual dev-kit, the source says that Microsoft is getting ready to release full-on dev-kits to developers by the end of the year.

The report goes on to say that Microsoft may be aiming for a release of the next Xbox just in time for the 2012 holiday season, which falls in line with similar rumors that have popped up over the past few months.

Additionally, Edge reports that a “major” Sony studio has ceased development on PlayStation 3 titles, and is now focused entirely on developing for the PlayStation 4 hardware. Not only that, their source says that the studio has been involved in the development of the console’s graphics technology.

As usual, take both of these rumors with the appropriate grain of salt. We all know that both companies are working on their next console, but how far along in development they are is unknown for certain.

Source: Edge