Reports are coming in about the fate of the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4. Apparently, the new Microsoft video game console could have a significant head start over Sony's next console if all things go according to plan.

According to the site SemiAccurate, the Sony PlayStation 4, which is codenamed Thebes, won't be hitting the market until summer of 2014, while the Xbox 720 should be out in time for the 2013 December holiday season. If this has any truth to it, then Microsoft would have a huge lead over Sony and could potentially repeat the same events of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 battle for supremacy.

The claim also pegs Microsoft as planning to unveil the Xbox 720 at the E3 2013 gaming event. What's also important in this report is that the Xbox 720 is codenamed Kryptos and not Durango. However, it could mean Microsoft is using multiple codenames to easily identify the source of leaked information; companies play this card many times over.

Sony is in no condition to allow Microsoft a sizeable lead this time around. The company is better off launching first or closely after Microsoft. If for some strange reason, Sony is unable to get its next generation console out of the gates early enough, then hanging up its gloves would be a better move than a plan to continue on with its pursuit of happiness.

In the end, no one knows for sure when to expect the Xbox 720 and PlayStation 4 to hit the market. However, it is difficult to ignore recent signs. For example, the Xbox 360 at the time of writing has only one announced exclusive video game coming out in 2013 in the form of Gears of War: Judgment. The PlayStation 3 has 4. This could definitely mean Microsoft is focusing its resources elsewhere and might be planning a big splash of surprise next year.