Microsoft Corp. will not unveil the next generation of its Xbox video game console at the Game Developers Conference in March, the company said on Monday.

Citing a conversation with Microsoft management, American Technology Research analyst P.J. McNealy said the company was more likely to take the wraps off its new console in May at the broader Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.

A Microsoft spokeswoman confirmed McNealy's report that the new Xbox would not be shown off at GDC.

As opposed to E3, which takes in publishers, marketers and retailers, GDC is aimed more narrowly at game developers. It was at GDC five years ago that Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates unveiled the original Xbox.

The new Xbox, code-named "Xenon," is widely expected within the industry to launch later this year. Microsoft has said little publicly about it, though, and on a conference call last week suggested there would be little news until E3.

Last week Microsoft cited strong sales of its "Halo 2" video game for the Xbox as one of the key drivers of its financial results for the December quarter.