Microsoft's decision to create a 'skinny' version of Xbox 360 has raised some eyebrows amongst industry watchers - as the E3 announcement comes just under a year after Sony revealed their own lean PS3.
But the Redmond-based platform holder has insisted that Sony's sleek 'Slim' console - announced in August 2009 - didn't influence the creation of the new 250GB Xbox.
Microsoft took the wraps off its new hardware SKU at the end of its E3 conference last week - to plenty of applause and whoops from the crowd.
When CVG asked Microsoft's worldwide product marketing manager for Xbox, Ryan Moore, if Sony's latest console had inspired the new 360, he replied:
"I think the decision to do this was made before their announcements last year. It's part of the natural generation of a console to refine the components and make it sleeker and quieter and all that.
"I wouldn't say it was directly related [to PS3 Slim]."
The current slim Xbox 360 model comes with internal Wi-Fi, a 250GB hard drive and retails for $299 (£199) - but it's reported that Microsoft will release a cheaper SKU later in the year.