Microsoft committed to Xbox 360 for long haul - Much more to come
By Dave Parrack
The Xbox 360 has had a rough ride so far this generation. There was the obvious PR disaster of the Red Ring of Death, then the Wii becoming a sales phenomenon and stealing first place from the Microsoft console in overall sales, despite being released a year later. Now, here we are with the Xbox 360 continually trailing in third place behind its two rivals in terms of monthly sales. Is Microsoft worried? The hyperbole coming from Don Mattrick says no.
Don Mattrick, the senior Vice President of Microsoft’s interactive entertainment business, recently gave an interview to Edge Online. He was asked about Xbox Live, moving to a casual market, challenges for the future, and how long the Xbox is likely to remain in the marketplace. Most of his responses are PR puff but there are at least some interesting quotes to draw from the conversation.
On the state of the industry and how the Xbox 360 is going to survive in the current marketplace, he said:
We’re seeing record levels of industry growth and success for our business and our industry, so I think that bodes really well for what we’re going to be able to achieve in future years. There’s a lot of potential in the 360 that hasn’t been realized, and that bodes for a pretty good run in the market. What we’ve achieved we‘re pleased with, but there’s a lot of runway ahead.
To create great experiences takes time, and E3 is a point in time. You’ve seen some of the things we have in development, but not all of them.
He’s right in so far as the industry is performing brilliantly at the moment. Despite a global credit crunch which is affecting other forms of entertainment, gaming as a whole seems to be doing better than ever. Whether the Xbox 360 is going to be at the forefront of the next big push remains to be seen. Microsoft has already committed to a ten ear lifespan for the console, and this seems to reiterate the intention to keep it in the marketplace for a long while.
Staying in the market for that long means the Xbox 360 will have to evolve with the market however. The current trend suggests that casual gaming is the way to go, with the Wii making more money already than anyone thought possible simply by offering easy and fun games which anyone can play. Sony has already suggested that the PS3 will be going casual in the future, and Mattrick seems to suggest the same kind of mainstream future for the Xbox 360.
I think there’s kind of a natural evolution of packaged goods, products and experiences coming to the market – this coming year we estimate there will be about 150 titles on Xbox 360, and the majority will be E-rated. And if you’re into M-rated content there will be some spectacular games. I think that breadth of titles naturally expands an audience, and I also think that we’re all finding our own sense of identity inside the market.
While the words casual or mainstream weren’t mentioned, the mere fact that the majority of Xbox 360 games due in the next year will be E-rated suggest a push to that end of the market. Even more telling is that Microsoft is aware of the shift, meaning its probably intended rather than accidental.
The Xbox 360 is a fine console (shock horror coming from DAVE PARRACK) and still has a bright future. In fact, there’s no guarantee it’ll end up in third place in this generation’s battle of the home consoles. But even it does, I think Microsoft will have done well enough to warrant its continuing presence in the games console market. I can almost guarantee a more casual future though, as Microsoft seems desperate to grab a slice of the Wii-flavoured pie.
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August 5th, 2008
wow…when sony speaks, it’s somehow a “fact”, yet when ms speaks it’s “hyperbole”.
nice fanboying….again..
btw; sony said they didn’t want the casual gamer. read your own site from time to time.
August 5th, 2008
“Now, here we are with the Xbox 360 continually trailing in third place behind its two rivals in terms of monthly sales.” - continually? only 4 out of 7 months this year.
this is why you are labeled a fanboy dave. you try to make the ps3 look better than it really is thru lies, deceipt, and hack-journalism.
August 5th, 2008
2 comments already Kev? Did it make you so angry you had to read the article twice?
August 5th, 2008
I wonder if some of you know what “hyperbole” means…? I can’t find any in those quotes… maybe I’m not looking hard enough…
-Arvis
August 5th, 2008
Kev- I want to hear what you have to say about Don Mattrick using the word “potential” when talking about the 360. You just went off in another post about Sony using that word. But I’m sure it’s just fine that your beloved 360 boys are using it huh!
August 5th, 2008
Gee, well that stirred Kevvy boy up didn’t it…
Looks like Sony is not the only one that uses the “potential” statement. Your beloved m$ executive is also using it.
“There’s a lot of potential in the 360 that hasn’t been realized”
I remember you recently making some pretty poisonous comments against ps3 in regard to “potential” comments. Shoe is on the other foot now eh Kev ??
August 5th, 2008
wylie - sony’s uses that word when the graphics of their games fail to live up to their hype. no such happenings with the 360.
you need to understand the context.
he’s talking about expandable feature sets.
August 5th, 2008
spidey - you fanboys really need to learn to read in context… seriously…
August 5th, 2008
roy - naw..i hit submit before i was done… oops..
August 5th, 2008
Kev,
Expandable feature sets…. for what purpose? Perhaps they play the “potential” card when their SALES fail to live up to expectations?
-Arvis
August 5th, 2008
Kev- I love the spin you put on things. You really need to start working for MS. They could sell 10 more counsoles a month with you on their PR team!
August 5th, 2008
I have nothing to say. Goodnight.
August 5th, 2008
Bleh MS needs to stay away from ‘casual markets’, but I bet they won’t. Still at least there should be plenty of devs that create games based on wanting to make a quality title rather than fast $.
August 5th, 2008
Were talking about M$, they want a piece of whatever has the DOLLAR sign! and will do what it takes to do it! It sure is a great time to be a gamer right now, wouldn`t you all say?
August 5th, 2008
lol DAVE that was suicide on here - saying things like “x360 continually trailing in third place” without actually giving figures (i know and believe thats the truth, however some x360 fanboys wont believe you without facts).
August 5th, 2008
Again with the flamebait DAVE PARRACK. So your post about wanting to stop the fanboy wars was just fluff then?
August 5th, 2008
i just thought i’d post this, i viewed it and laughed at xbots
http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/ps3-games-using-only-30-of-systems-power/?biz=1
August 6th, 2008
arvis - sales potential? now you’re talking about market place potential. still very different than sony’s promises of performance potential.
really. you guys are hilarious.. lol.
ps… has ms failed it’s sales projections? so far i haven’t read anything from them say they have… keep reaching…
August 6th, 2008
HAHA Left 4 Dead is NOT coming on P$3!! Sorry boys, better luck next time!
August 6th, 2008
WOO!!! Brickstation 3 strikes again!!!
http://kotaku.com/5033332/users-report-firmware-242-causing-ps3-failure
August 6th, 2008
WOO!!! Brickstation 3 strikes again!!!
http://kotaku.com/5033332/users-report-firmware-242-causing-ps3-failure
August 6th, 2008
harry - using facts here is pointless. the only info used by the authors here are there “senses”…. *rolls eyes*
on topic tho; it’s hilarious watching the ps3 fanboys claim the ps3 is perfect… then this happens… funny stuff… lol..
August 6th, 2008
“i know and believe thats the truth, however some x360 fanboys wont believe you without facts)” - yeah…how dare people ask for facts… it’s so much more credible using your beliefs, w/o facts… lol… gawd..
August 6th, 2008
Of the 70+ people on my PSN friends list, only a single person had a bricked PS3, and that was because his power went out while performing an update.
This anecdotal “evidence” is as good as anything put forth by x360 fanbots about the ps3 reliability. Every update there is a wave of “Update xxx is bricking PS3s” but it never seems to be substantiated by anything more than anonymous forum posts.
Judging the senseless veracity with which the fanbots attack the ps3, I have no doubt there is a substantial % that are false claims.
August 6th, 2008
Kev- most of us admit the PS3 isn’t perfect. But I haven’t seen a console that is perfect. The PS3 has its problems and its faults, but it is still the console that provides what I am looking for.
PS- no problems with any updates for me!
August 6th, 2008
Same can be said about RROD. I’ve never had it, none of my friends have had it, but for some reason we get quite a few people saying that they’re on their 6th 360 etc. What’s to say that they’re not false claims either?
August 6th, 2008
uh oh, i’m worried, i think i still have to update to 2.42 and i’m in Canada. That wont be a great feeling when i come back off holiday, try to start up Warhawk and greeted by an error message… Of course thats IF thats the case, and not made up by jealous xbots.
August 6th, 2008
Harry,
The problem with that reasoning is that MS wouldn’t extend a warranty for 3 years based on “false claims.”
Whenever I find out that someone has a 360, the first thing I ask is “How many times has it broken?” So far, nobody has said “It hasn’t.”
-Arvis
August 6th, 2008
@Bourne - don’t worry about it. I updated to 2.42 the other day, went without a hitch as usual.
As for left for dead not on PS3. BWHAHAHAHAH.
I got the demo from xbl a week or so ago, ANOTHER overrated 360 game. I like the machine but the users need to stop hyping games like there is no tomorrow.
Coming soon! Xbots saying how unique and awesome Too Human is! (Play the demo, its a steamer.)
August 6th, 2008
And yet again I see numerous post on her by so called “sony fanboys” yet they go as far to say “PS3 is not perfect” and give some positive comments for 360.
What do we hear from 360 crowd…….not a single negitive 360 comment or positve ps3 comment.
Still waiting for a single positive comment from Kev about ps3……here’s the chance to prove you are NOT such a absolute 360 fanboy. You can do it Kev…you may even have a warm fuzzy feeling afterwards.
August 6th, 2008
Arvis,
Perhaps you are right, but everybody I know who has a 360 has not had the RROD. Maybe we were the 67% who bought the launch console and were lucky?
August 7th, 2008
spidey - okay..here goes.. the ps3 is a nice game machine..
i….feel…so……dirty….
August 7th, 2008
P$3 has blu-ray. I would like it if 360 brought out a blu-ray add-on similar to the HD-DVD add on. I would buy it because DVDs look like crap on a big screen tv.
August 7th, 2008
http://kotaku.com/5034113/swedish-plant-destruction-blamed-on-grand-theft-auto-apparently
I thought id share this because as gamers in general, we can all laugh together.
August 7th, 2008
I dunno Harry, my PS3 upscales my DVD’s quite nicely thank you very much.
August 7th, 2008
Harry,
Who knows? Maybe different regions were shipped 360s with different, more reliable motherboards, making the RRoD a regional thing? I couldn’t tell you. But there’s no doubt that you and your friends are quite a lucky minority.
Now, pardon me while I gape in astonishment at Kev…
*gapes in astonishment at Kev*
-Arvis
August 7th, 2008
Love my 360. Didn’t drink the coolaid on the supposed supperiority of the PS2 and was very satisfied that I jumped to the MS camp after the PS1. Never regretted not having the PS2.
The ps3 looks like it will develop into a powerful machine and I am interested in games like MGS and Resistance. But I’ve been playing over 30 triple a titles over the last 2 years on the 360 and they don’t look like they are slowing down. In my opinion the console war is like Ferrari vs. lambo debate. Buy the one you want or think makes you look good with your friends. They are both unbelievable powerhouses.
Full disclosure, I am on my 3rd xbox after two rrod, my buddy is still on his first and has never had any problems. The rrod WAS very real but I believe anybody at this point can buy a 360 with confidence, if you still have an early model… well you may be making a replacement purchase at some point. Course I bought the replacement plan from Gamestop for 20 dollars so I ended up spending 40 dollars on replacement consoles and have enjoyed much better gaming over the last 2 years then what has been available on the PS2 or PS3 IMO.
August 7th, 2008
SW,
And I could go out and pick up a HDMI upscaling DVD player for $45, but that’s not my point.
August 7th, 2008
Kev and Harry……………
WELL DONE GUYS…..YOU HAVE MADE ME PROUD
Cmon Kev, you’ve been wanting to say that for a loooong time (just between me and you)
And Yes, I do agree, upscaled DVD is ok, but still not up to par with blu-ray (or HD-DVD for that matter) Nothing like HD movies on a big screen.
August 8th, 2008
Arvis, how is 67% a minority by the way?
August 8th, 2008
spidey - not really. the ps3 is a nice game machine while the 360 is a GREAT game machine.
August 8th, 2008
lol kev! Nice one.
August 8th, 2008
heck..even kuturagi (the ps3’s designer) thinks the 360 is a better gaming machine…
http://www.thebosh.com/archives/2005/05/kutaragi_playst.php
August 8th, 2008
Harry,
*laughs* I’m bad at math, but I’m not THAT bad. I was just saying that you and your friends are in the minority because NONE of you have had the RRoD. Usually at least one in any given group of gamers has had it personally, in my experience.
Speaking of which, my friend came and took back his 360 he was letting me borrow before I could get to playing Lost Odyssey. I am sad beyond expression…
-Arvis
August 8th, 2008
That’s a shame Arvis, Lost Odyssey is a great game. A little slow to start, but once the story gets rolling you’ve spent 6 hours playing it before you realised. I’ve had more than one incident where I was playing it till 3am and didn’t realise the time.
August 8th, 2008
harry - gawd i love when a game does that to me.. Oblivion used to carry me waaaay into the night/morning…making the next day unbearable… buy hey, a great game will do that…
August 10th, 2008
Quick question to Kev, do you touch your xbox 360 like some sort of pedo pervert? You know its not right to whack off over electronic goods (you may get the RRoD) try finding yourself a girlfriend or boyfriend, i think its for the best.
August 11th, 2008
dan - your pathetic attempt at humor would be funny.. if not so very sad…
and you actually took time out of your life to write that…lol… loser…