E3 2010 - Microsoft - Page 2

**Slime Slayer** · 06-14-2010, 09:37 PM

Yeah, that's been my dream since I first heard of their invasion.

**Dudebro** · 06-14-2010, 09:39 PM

Well you guys can keep dreaming. Microsoft has no reason to pull out of the console market, even if Natal fails hard.

**Winnebagel** · 06-15-2010, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudebro

Well you guys can keep dreaming. Microsoft has no reason to pull out of the console market, even if Natal fails hard.

Agreed. I don't get all the Xbox hate. MS has done more to revitalize online gaming than any other company ever. I don't care what anyone says, Xbox Live rocks! Also, 360 still have the best selection of hardcore gaming titles of any console.

Sure Nintendo has the fun cutesy games (which I like as well), but they can't touch the sheer volume and variety of what is offered on 360. Wii will never have games like Alan Wake, Elder Scrolls, or Fallout 3.

Having said that, comparing 360 to Wii is apples to oranges anyway. The real comparison should be drawn between the 360 and PS3 as they are trying to reach the same market. In that comparison, 360 wins hands down in every area other than Blu Ray. System wise, if anything, I want the PS3 to fail hard since Sony is a crappy company.

**Slime Slayer** · 06-15-2010, 10:27 AM

Okay so how would you feel if the new walmart system came out, and all the sudden 80% of game development were games about rolling back prices?

**Winnebagel** · 06-15-2010, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevencassidy13

Okay so how would you feel if the new walmart system came out, and all the sudden 80% of game development were games about rolling back prices?

What are you referring to? Are you saying all 360 games are the same or all Nintendo games are the same?

**jim5cents** · 06-15-2010, 04:50 PM

Ok, I finally got around to watch the Xbox Press Conference. I'm sure I'll check out Sony and Nintendo later this week.

I'm really with DB on alot of this.

I'm not going to give my opinion about individual game titles because they are what they are. I will mention certain things about certain games that I do think is interesting.

MS has entered into an agreement for the next three years with Activision for release all COD DLC prior to it's release date on PS3. This process has already begun with the two maps packs that have been release for MW2. If you are a huge fan of the series, then that gives you a little more incentive to play on XBL rather than PSN.

MGS Rising on Xbox. When MGS4 came out, a lot of the hype was one, how it was PS3 exclusive and two, a MGS game would not be playable on the 360. That is obviously wrong. This is the second big name franchise in as many years to jump off the exclusive Sony list and land on the 360 (Final Fantasy being the other)

Concerning a comment that Seahawk made. Xbox is indeed attempting to make the 360 a true, multimedia device. The addition of the ESPN partnership is great. When I first heard about it, I thought it would be something like a score ticker at the bottom of the screen. I am totally pumped about the streaming video. I already utilize Netflix, so this adds another dimension to the online capabilities, plus at no extra charge. I have always and continue to believe that XBL is the premier online service among the consoles.

Ok...time for the Kinetic stuff. I definately agree at a lot of the footage look scripted. For some strange reason, I really want to skin Skittles and use him as a throw rug.
I do see the potential in this. When we were kids, I think the eventual dream was for video games to be in VR, I think this is a step in that direction. The key will be that MS has to get it to work with precision, not just with a bunch of flailing around. I'm sure they want to have it out by Christmas, but if that means not putting out a product that is perfect, I really hope the delay to get it right. For the Natal/Kinetic thing to be a success, price point is going to be a big issue. I know I can't justify buying it if it cost the same as a console.

All and all, I wouldn't come close to saying that MS is a fail, as many gamers seem to indicate. I think I also have a different expectation of what 2010 was going to offer. I thought it was going to be a slow game year anyways. Prior to E3, there were only 3 or 4 titles coming out that I knew about that I wanted to play, SMG2, Halo:Reach, Crackdown 2, and Fallout:New Vegas. I guess you can add MGS:Rising to that list now.

---------- Post added at 09:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:20 PM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Me

I'm really with DB on alot of this.

Sorry, I meant Bagel.

I also forgot to mention the new box. That thing looks slick. The 250 GB is a huge plus. The price and the features are right as well. Built in Wi-Fi, plus Kinetic ready.

**Winnebagel** · 06-15-2010, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim5cents

Sorry, I meant Bagel.

No problem Steven. I know what you meant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim5cents

I also forgot to mention the new box. That thing looks slick. The 250 GB is a huge plus. The price and the features are right as well. Built in Wi-Fi, plus Kinetic ready.

I agree. The new sleek design with a better modem looks great. I wish Sony would get with the program and make a better router. The PS3 one is one of the worst I have ever seen, and seems to have a range of about 2'.

**jim5cents** · 06-15-2010, 05:12 PM

Low blow, at least I mistook you for a fellow American. You blatantly called me a dirty, moose kissing, Canadian.

**Winnebagel** · 06-15-2010, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim5cents

Low blow, at least I mistook you for a fellow American. You blatantly called me a dirty, moose kissing, Canadian.

Hey at least I didn't call you a Bear Wrestling Croth Bareing Russian as your avatar would imply.

**jim5cents** · 06-15-2010, 05:15 PM

Thank your brother for that. Speaking of which, where is he? I figured he would have come up with a new avatar by now.

**Winnebagel** · 06-15-2010, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim5cents

Thank your brother for that. Speaking of which, where is he? I figured he would have come up with a new avatar by now.

He's had a busy week gigging (busier than me this week). I think he is preparing something special for you, though.

**jim5cents** · 06-15-2010, 05:17 PM

Oh yeah? Is he cleaning up the bus for a new cross-country summer family band tour?

**Slime Slayer** · 06-15-2010, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudebro

Well you guys can keep dreaming. Microsoft has no reason to pull out of the console market, even if Natal fails hard.

You do realize how much money their gaming division has lost right?

**jim5cents** · 06-15-2010, 05:37 PM

@Cassidy

About 125 clams per Xbox sold. Or since the launch of Xbox, about 7.5 billion. So what? The yearly revenue of Microsoft is about 45 billion. So the 750,000,000 per year average is pocketchange to these people. PS3 is losing about 260 per console sold and has already erased the profits of the greatest selling console of all time. Of course, Nintendo trumps all, actually making about 40 bucks per sale.

**Slime Slayer** · 06-15-2010, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim5cents

So what?

So Microsoft doesn't care to make money? News to me.

**jim5cents** · 06-15-2010, 05:58 PM

I'm sure they want to, but the situation is that there are two direct competetors(sp), one of which is unbeatable. So, the best course of action is to everything in its ability to force the other one out. Everyone basically agrees that Sony is the direct competator to MS, so their goal is to attempt to get Sony to close the door. The margin is actually closing for MS, albeit slowly. In the 5 years of life for the Xbox, it lost 4 billion, in the 5 years of 360, even with the well documented problems, it has lost 3.5 billion. Something I'm curious about is the new box. What will be the profit margin per each one of those sold?

**Slime Slayer** · 06-15-2010, 06:04 PM

So your suggesting that their idea is if they can get sony's customers, it will be enough to warrant sticking around?

Because I doubt that, with this kinect thing and their poor showing at e3, I'd put my money on the situation working in reverse. (Sony grabbing Xbox's customers) I honestly wouldn't be surprised if outta the blue Microsoft decided to cut their losses.

**jim5cents** · 06-15-2010, 06:26 PM

Yes to the first question.

I want to wait until I see Sony's presentation first before I start spouting off about whose presentation was weak.

**Slime Slayer** · 06-15-2010, 06:43 PM

Fair point.

**Kugyince** · 06-15-2010, 06:53 PM

Xbox 360 Slim “Destroys Discs If Moved”

It has not taken long for the Microsoft’s glittering new Xbox 360 “Slim” to be tarnished by yet another hardware problem – this time the long-running problem of the console scratching DVDs into oblivion if subjected to motion whilst loading resurfaces with a vengeance, as the below video demonstrates.
The video apparently comes by way of E3 journalists who were bribed with consoles for going to the trouble of attending:

(Video here: site NSFW Xbox 360 Slim “Destroys Discs If Moved” | Sankaku Complex )

This is not actually a new problem, but supposedly previously only affected a minority of users – Microsoft has been repeatedly investigated and even subjected to legal action over the issue, but denies responsibility and blames the problem on faulty users.
The issue is covered in detail on the unsurprisingly lengthy Wikipedia article on Xbox 360 technical problems – Microsoft apparently claims that “bumpers in the disk tray would cost 25 cents per console” and so naturally had to be left out.
Just whether it will affect all the new models is not clear.

**Demon-Mask** · 06-15-2010, 06:57 PM

Disks being destroyed by bad design. If the bumpers would only cost twenty-five cents, then why not add them?

**Dudebro** · 06-15-2010, 06:58 PM

@Steven- Do the figures you're quoting take into account the money spent on DLC, accessories and consoles or just games? Even if they are taking a small hit in profits they can brush it off, it's Microsoft. I think they are in it for the long haul so they can keep their brand in one of the most lucrative markets around. Pulling out of the console market and just focusing on PC gaming and PC software would be a very stupid move.

@Tensers post- Just install the game to the harddrive and it will never scratch. Not that hard.

**jim5cents** · 06-15-2010, 06:58 PM

Because there is the hope that the user won't shake their 360 while the game is loading.

**Kong** · 06-15-2010, 07:18 PM

I'm sure losing money on each console sold was premeditated plan. They got into the business knowing that would be required. Just because they lose money on each console doesn't mean the Xbox division as a whole loses money. There are many other ways to make money - software, licenses, subscriptions, the future.

If Sony or MS pulled out then the other would raise prices.

---------- Post added at 12:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 AM ----------

Going by Jim's #s MS sold 60 million Xboxes. If they lost one more quarter on everyone that would be 15 million dollars.

There is a sticker on the front of the Xbox that says "do not shake while disk is loading". I don't have a console system but I never shake my computer when I play a game.

**Dudebro** · 06-15-2010, 07:20 PM

Quote:

If Sony or MS pulled out then the other would raise prices.

Also worth point out is the 360 being so affordable caused the PS3 to have to come down in price. If there was no competition then Sony could set any ridiculous price they wanted to.

About the disc scratching thing, it's not just shaking. If you move the system while the disc is spinning it cuts into it. They added the option to install the game to the HD to prevent that and to make the system last longer since less parts are moving and less heat is being generated.