Interview with Phil Spencer – new head of Microsoft Game Studios
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From oxm.co.uk : <BR><I> * You’ve got the Halo franchise, and you’ve got GOW 2… do you think you need to develop any new kind of hardcore gaming franchises? Obviously you’ve got Lips and you’ve got You’re In The Movies, do you have any other kind of new platform exclusive hardcore titles coming? Do you think that’s important? * I think it’s very important, and the next game I’m shipping is a core brand new IP franchise. The amount of new IP that we’ve brought to the market on the 360, it’s one of the things I’m proud of. Gears for me is an interesting case study. Two years ago, nobody had played a game like that, played a version of Gears of War. Now, people kind of talk about it as a franchise that’s been around forever, as if it’s an old IP or an old franchise, which I think is the strength of that brand that’s been built. Our history to date on our platform; Crackdown, Gears of War, Too Human, games that really want to focus on the core, I think our track record speaks for itself there and it can continue to be part of Microsoft Game Studios. * So you will have new exclusive IPs coming? * Absolutely, absolutely. * What will you do differently to Shane Kim for Microsoft Game Studios? * The evolution of the platform for me opens up interesting opportunities for us content creators. The new Xbox experience that we announced on Monday, Live continuing to grow, the majority of our Live customers being gold customers, allows us to push beyond just retail games, which we’ve already done with DLC and different experiences, with people continuing to buy maps or whatever we deliver… but stepping back and really thinking about that connecting gamers and the entertainment experiences that we can bring. The primetime stuff that we showed, that we announced at the briefing was a great example of that, of a new gaming experience, of this idea of programming certain timeslots, and certain experiences like the one vs. 100 game, not just for that but for all types of games, creating interesting opportunities. </I><BR><BR> Full Story: oxm.co.uk
Gamefest 2008 Presentations now Available Online
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From the Team XNA Blog : <BR><I> This year’s Gamefest included exciting announcements about Games for Windows – LIVE and Xbox LIVE Community Games . Now, you can enjoy the interesting and informative Gamefest 2008 presentations from the comfort of your own home! We’ve posted many of the presentation’s slides and audio at XNAGamefest.com Enjoy! </I><BR><BR>
Deals: Free MS points with 360 purchase, 15usd games and more
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From xbox360fanboy.com : <BR><I> If you’re going to take advantage of the new price cut, we advise heading over to Circuit City where they’ll toss in a free 1600 Microsoft point card with any console purchase. They’re also selling GRAW2, Saints Row and Dead Rising for $15 and giving away a free tshirt and $10 gift card with the purchase of Force Unleashed. </I><BR><BR> Full Story: xbox360fanboy.com
Google TechTalk: The Xbox 360 Security System and its Weaknesses
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
Here’s a video of the Google Tech Talks titled “The Xbox 360 Security System and its Weaknesses” by Michael Steil (mist) and Felix Domke (tmbinc): “After the disaster of the original Xbox, Microsoft put a lot of effort in designing what is probably the most sophisticated consumer hardware security system… ” News-Source: xbox-linux.org
Xbox 360 defects: an inside history of Microsoft’s video game console woes
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From venturebeat.com : <BR><I> Microsoft knew it had flawed machines, but it did not delay its launch because it believed the quality problems would subside over time. With each new machine, the company figured it would ride the “learning curve,” or continuously improve its production. Even though Microsoft’s leaders knew their quality wasn’t top notch, they did not ensure that resources were in place to handle returns and quickly debug bad consoles. There were plenty of warning signs, but the company chose to ignore them. The different parts of the business weren’t aligned. Microsoft’s strategy depended on beating its rivals to market. It couldn’t afford to stop and delay the launch in order to solve its quality problems, or so upper management believed. What Microsoft’s leaders didn’t realize was that getting to market first with a flawed machine would only win them a battle; and it risked the loss of the war. “They got enamored with the idea of the Microsoft army rolling everything out at the same time,” said one knowledgeable source who asked not to be identified. The quality problem negated much of the advantage of going first, and it has delayed the company’s plan to aggressively market the console and slash its prices. (Microsoft disputes this point; it cut the price of all three versions of its Xbox consoles by $50 to $79 on Wednesday. And the company believes it will sell more boxes than Sony will. But prices ought to be lower still during this stage of the console life cycle). That has stopped the company from reaching the broader market of consumers that Nintendo has won over. It has lowered its ambitions, hoping instead just to get a clear edge on third-placed Sony. The future profits that the company once hoped for are now likely to wind up in Nintendo’s pockets. “Fundamentally, their thinking shows that they are a software company at heart,” said one veteran manufacturing executive. “They put something out and figure they can fix it with the next patch or come up with a bug fix.” </I><BR><BR> Full Story: venturebeat.com (6 pages)
The Red Carpet Rolls Out for ‘Xbox Live Film Club’
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From the Microsoft press release <BR><I> Xbox today announces a unique initiative that will enable entertainment fans to see some of the most anticipated new movies before their theatrical release. The “Xbox LIVE Film Club” will be delivering a number of sneak preview screenings to a select group of Xbox fans in an exclusive setting, giving them the chance to see brand new movie titles before anyone else. Commenting on the new programme and the films lined up, James Houlton Xbox LIVE Marketing Manager, Microsoft UK said: “We’ve got some truly compelling blockbuster titles and HD content on our Xbox LIVE Video Store service, with recent smashes Cloverfield, Stardust, Beowulf, The Kite Runner and I Am Legend all resonating extremely well with our audience. Now with the launch of the “Xbox Film Club”, Xbox fans will be able to get the jump on their friends and see some of the biggest films of the year before anybody else.” But it’s not just the lucky Xbox LIVE Film Club winners who get see great movies, as a raft of new films are being constantly added to LIVE Video Store. The past couple of weeks have seen the addition of No Country For Old Men,10,000BC,The Bucket List and crime classic Bullitt to name a few. For more information on how to win the chance to get involved with the Xbox Film Club, head to www.xbox.com/filmclub </I><BR><BR>
Tokyo Game Show – John Schappert Keynote Address Details
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From gamerscoreblog.com : <BR><I> Tokyo Game Show 2008 is quickly approaching, and we wanted to take a moment to let you know that Microsoft Corporate Vice President of LIVE, Software and Sales, John Schappert will host a keynote address, Thursday, October 9 at 12:00 p.m. Titled “A Canvas for the World,” Mr. Schappert will provide an in-depth look at how Xbox 360 will bring more people together than ever before to enjoy the next wave of interactive entertainment experiences. As a reminder, we will not take RSVPs for the keynote this year in accordance to TGS regulations. Keynote attendance will be determined on a first-come, first-serve basis, depending on when you register for the conference. For more information on registration, please visit TGS Keynote Address with John Schappert When: Thursday, October 9 at 12:00 p.m. – 12:50 p.m. Where: Makuhari Messe International Conference Hall </I><BR><BR>
Rumour: Intel wants Larrabee in Xbox 720
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From tweaktown.com : <BR><I> Intel is pulling out all the stops to get its Larrabee GPUs inside Microsoft’s next-gen Xbox (Xbox 720) or another console, according to The Inquirer citing unnamed sources. As rumours go this doesn’t sound too off the mark. MS needs a graphics chip for the Xbox 720, and Intel, along with NVIDIA and AMD, will have suitable parts available. The bigger surprise would be that MS refused to even hear Intel’s sales pitch. But the Inq has gone further to say that Intel is doing everything it can to table an deal MS can’t refuse, going so far as offering to do the engineering work on thermal design (hopefully ensuring we won’t ever see a repeat of the RROD nightmare), and is even prepared to hand over the rights so that MS can get the chip manufactured at any fab it chooses. The main motivation behind all this for Intel is developer support. The PC graphics card installed base is dominated by NV with around 60% and AMD with 30% (according to the Valve Hardware Survey), and it’s just basic economics that games developers will devote most of their resources to design and test their new titles on these two families of cards. </I><BR><BR> Full Story: tweaktown.com
Can Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Hold its Second-Place Ranking?
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From schaeffersresearch.com : <BR><I> According to an interview with The Wall Street Journal, a Microsoft exec noted that about 75% of hardware sales take place following a price cut below $200. What’s more, GameStop (GME) has boosted its expectations for Xbox 360 sales following the price drop, telling BusinessWeek that it expects sales to jump “anywhere from 1.5 times to 3 times current levels” as a result. But while MSFT expects to continue to outpace Sony’s PS3 sales, Nintendo may already be untouchable. In an interview with BusinessWeek, Don Mattrick, senior vice-president of Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business, said “I’m not at a point where I can say we’re going to beat Nintendo.” </I><BR><BR> Full Story: schaeffersresearch.com
Microsoft says no Xbox 360 ‘price drop’ in the UK
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From pocket-lint.co.uk : <BR><I> Microsoft has said that it won’t be passing on the price cuts in the US to its Xbox 360 console to the UK Pocket-lint has learnt. “Pricing is handled on a region-by-region basis. We do not have a price drop in this region to announce”, was the official word. The news means that the Xbox 360 Arcade official price is now ?48 more expensive in the UK than the US. </I><BR><BR> Full Story: pocket-lint.co.uk
US Xbox 360 Price Cut Official! Arcade 199, 60GB 299, Elite 399 USD
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From majornelson.com : <BR><I> It’s official: We’ve got an Xbox 360 price cut coming to the US. Our friends in Japan announced their price cut earlier this week, but now it’s time to roll one out here. As of September 5th, the new prices will be as follows: Xbox 360 Arcade $199 Xbox 360 $299 Xbox 360 Elite $399 </I><BR><BR>
Analysts: Japan Xbox 360 Price Cuts Precursors To North American Cuts
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From gamasutra.com : <BR><I> Though Japan has traditionally been a weak market for the Xbox 360, Microsoft recently applied price cuts of about 30 percent there, following a complete sellout thanks to the launch of popular RPG Tales of Vesperia. The basic Arcade SKU was discounted to to ?19,800 ($183), the 60GB Pro to ?29,800 ($276), and the 120GB Elite to ?39,800 ($368). Says Sebastian, “We believe the Japan announcement is a likely precursor to more aggressive pricing of the Xbox 360 in the U.S, and we continue to expect a lower $199 price point on the base Arcade SKU (below the $249 Wii price point), as well as lower $299 and $399 prices for the 60GB and 120GB versions, respectively.” Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter says comparisons to previous console generations show “room for significant sales growth” this year if price cuts are implemented. Pachter currently sees “relatively stagnant demand” for Xbox 360, and pegs September 7 as the date speculated for Microsoft to reduce prices. </I><BR><BR> Full Story: gamasutra.com
Xbox Japan Honcho Says Price Cut Leak Was ‘Disappointing’
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From kotaku.com : <BR><I> Yesterday’s big announcement at the Tokyo Xbox Media Briefing 2008 was across the board Xbox 360 console price cuts. But that news was leaked early! Whoops. Microsoft was left with announcing, hrm, what exactly was Microsoft left with? After the event, we tracked down Xbox Japan honcho Takashi Sensui: * Was it disappointing that the console price cuts leaked before you could announce it? “It was disappointing. Very unfortunate.” * That was your only big announcement today. “That was one of our big announcements.” </I><BR><BR> Full Story: kotaku.com
PAX 08: A few fresh New Xbox Experience tidbits
Xbox Scene :: Monday, September 08, 2008
From xbox360fanboy.com : <BR><I> What exciting dash goodness? Check the list below: * Holy beautiful transitions! This latest Fall update build included never before seen transition effects including nifty fades, smooth sweeps and (our personal favorite) the guide pop up animation. We can’t explain the transition effects, but trust that their addition definitely enhances the overall dashboard experience. Yum! * Dashboard themes will now instantly load a preview when hovered over. And, as an added bonus, the preview loading effect is sexy as hell. * While in a party, each person’s gamer picture is placed on the top right hand side of the dashboard. When alone and party-less, only your gamer picture and gamercard are displayed. * Your overly Wii-like Avatar’s comic-style text balloon displays your gamercard’s motto. * EVERY Xbox 360 game’s Xbox.com information (including game description, features and screenshots) is pulled into the dashboard while browsing the Xbox Live Marketplace. </I><BR><BR> Full Story: xbox360fanboy.com | bootleg recording of presentation
