Last week, Ourcolony.net, connected to Microsoft began showing visitors glimpses of what looked very much like the next-generation Xbox. Curiously, though, a clock on the site, was counting down to the evening of May 12th. The date was nearly four full days ahead of Microsoft's E3 press conference on May 16, where the company had previously said it would unveil the console.

Today, the reason for the timing of Ourcolony.net's countdown clock became clear. Microsoft announced that it will give US gamers their first look at the "next-generation Xbox" on MTV on the evening of May 12.

The unveiling of the still officially unnamed console will be done by Lord of the Rings star Elijah Wood, whom Microsoft describes as "a seasoned gamer and Xbox fanatic," on the appropriately named special MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed. The show will air at 9:30pm EDT in the US and at various other times on May 13 on MTV's international channels.

According to a joint statement from MTV and Microsoft, MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed "will feature never-before-seen, action-packed gameplay of future Xbox games, a peek into the future of the Xbox Live online gaming service, backstage celebrity interviews, and exclusive insider footage on the making of the next-generation console." In order to further woo music-loving gamers, it will also feature live performances by the rock group The Killers, whose gaming prowess was not divulged as of press time.

Though short on information about the next-gen Xbox, the MTV/Microsoft statement did reveal a few details on the console. "Just as MTV revolutionized the way the world experiences music, the next-generation video game console from Xbox will spark a revolution in how consumers experience games and other forms of digital entertainment," said Microsoft corporate vice president Peter Moore, indicating that the platform will indeed have home-entertainment functionality beyond games.

The international showtimes for 'MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed' are as follows:

North America:

Thursday, May 12, at 9:30pm (21:30)

Japan/Asia:

Friday, May 13, at 11:30

Europe:

France: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Germany: Friday, May 13, at 19:00
Italy: Friday, May 13, at 23:30
Netherlands: Friday, May 13, at 19:30
Poland: Friday, May 13, at 21:00
Portugal: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Romania: Friday, May 13, at 20:00
Scandinavia: Friday, May 13, at 22:00
Spain: Friday, May 13, at 21:30
UK: Friday, May 13, at 20:00

Australia:
Friday, May 13, at 19:00