CES 2008: Bill Gates keynote

By Patrick Garratt Published 7 January, 2008

The king is dead. But he has 10m Live users to mourn him.

Despite weeks of tireless speculation about the possibility of major gaming announcements from Microsoft at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this year, company head Bill Gates and other senior executives focused on other subjects for the Microsoft chairman's swan song performance, including little related to gaming and favouring rhetoric over real substance.

Rumours of a new Xbox 360 SKU to potentially contain HD-DVD playback, a 320GB hard drive and other wish-list features were laid ignominiously to rest by Gates and the president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, Robbie Bach, as sentimentality of Gates' closing tenure as corporation boss, a slew of social networking products for Windows, Zune updates and Windows Mobile took precedent over gaming in a presentation that contained little solid detail about existing ranges and few announcements about new ones.

After a video "funny" showing how Gates' last day at the office may look before he retires as Microsoft's front-man this year and focuses solely on his charity concerns - a piece of film including the likes of Hillary Clinton, Al Gore, Barack Obama, Steven Spielberg and Bono (all 100 Courics of him) - Gates told a heaving auditorium that Windows Live now has 420 million users and that Windows Mobile is currently the handheld platform of 20 million people. A demonstration by a very nice lady called Mika of "new" Windows features such as a calendar (that looked nothing like Google's web calendar), an event and social network tool (that bore no resemblance to Facebook) and an online video search system were followed by an announcement that Microsoft will be handling all the internet video coverage of this year's Beijing Olympics. Game-coloured alarm bells had been ringing for a few minutes at this point.

Watch your Bach

'CES 2008: Bill Gates keynote' Screenshot 1

The queue to get into the queue to get in. We're not kidding.

Bach came out after about 40 minutes. We like Robbie. He's great. Tonight, though, he didn't really have the firepower to back up his traditionally bombastic performance. Xbox Live has now passed 10 million users, he said in the big reveal, and reiterated the recent announcement that Xbox 360 has sold more than 17 million consoles worldwide. Not shabby, obviously, but there was none of last year's glory at passing the ten-million-console mark. With 2007's launch of Vista, he said, Windows gaming has continued to "grow and be strong". Non-gaming entertainment - video, specifically - formed the bulk of the conference's new 360 content, with announcements that Disney and ABC are to add TV programmes for download on Live Marketplace, and that MGM is to include movies.

The other major announcements for Xbox 360 concerned "Extender devices" from Samsung and HP, allowing Windows Media Center functionality without an Xbox 360, with HP going the whole hog and actually building Extender functionality into one of its new TVs. On the media convergence tip, Bach also confirmed that BT will be the first global telecom provider to allow subscribers to use Xbox 360 as a set-top box - an echo of last year's BT trials announcement. No other details were offered.

"When you look at all this together, what we've done with Xbox and Xbox Live and what we're doing with Media Center and Mediaroom [the company's IPTV and multimedia platform - Ed], it's abundantly clear that building great connected TV experiences is not a hobby for Microsoft. This is something that we take quite seriously and we think we can build a great business with great products for ourselves."

'CES 2008: Bill Gates keynote' Screenshot 2

The royal wave. It may be the last time you see it.

Aside from that, core gaming discussion was limited to willy-waving in the face of Sony and Nintendo's US sales, with Bach claiming that up to November 2007 Xbox 360 products had accounted for USD 3.5 billion of business.

"That's a billion dollars more than Nintendo did on the Wii and 2 billion dollars more than Sony did on the PS3," said Bach. "And if you look at the spend on Xbox 360 games, it's more than the spend on Wii and PS3 games combined. So our Xbox business is in a very, very good place." There was no comparison of sales in Europe and Japan, or of how much everyone had had to spend to make those billions of dollars.

And that was it. What happened next: Zune is the "clear alternative to iPod", Zune Social looks like MySpace and iTunes combined, Ford Sync will be included in a million cars this year, "911 Assist" is a magic car thing that calls an ambulance for you if your airbag goes off after a crash and you're too mashed up to tell it not to (quite cool, to tell you the truth), Windows Mobile is outselling Blackberry and iPhone OS, TellMe is a voice-activated mobile thingy that lets you locate local services on your phone and book stuff like cinema tickets, and Gates came back on with this funny brick thing for his future-gazing bit, which could recognise faces and buildings and stored random episodes about your life without you telling it to.

'CES 2008: Bill Gates keynote' Screenshot 3

He'll be back. Bill won't.

Just to be clear, until the last few minutes, the only actual game footage on the stage had been some clips of Madden '08, Halo 3 and Guitar Hero III during the Bach gaming section. Game titles simply hadn't been mentioned apart from this. As a finale, Bach and Gates played some Guitar Hero III with some girl who was clearly very good at it, then Slash (the actual Slash) came out and played the solo from Welcome To The Jungle [and not Sweet Child o' Mine as we originally said - we promise never to let Pat write anything ever again - Ed]. Then Bach said something along the lines of, "That's it. I'll be back next year. He won't." And off they all went.

Shut the Gates on your way out

This was Bill Gate's last CES keynote, his eleventh and his ninth in a row, and there was something just a little sad about the movie poking fun at his departure from Microsoft proper. Lack of gaming content aside, there really wasn't that much solid detail about any of the new products shown during the presentation, and that alone left a distinct "meh" on the lips of the exiting crowd. Not having many games to show from a company involved in the console hardware race happens from time to time, as you'll know if you follow the global gaming event roadshow, but to have no games to show at all? CES is a show dominated by Microsoft, the great American tech company, so no mention of titles for end-of-year 2008 here is surprising, if not confusing.

'CES 2008: Bill Gates keynote' Screenshot 4

The real, actual Slash. He's British, don't you know.

At CES 2007, Microsoft showed AOE III The WarChiefs, Supreme Commander, Shadowrun, Alan Wake, Spinworld, Luxor 2, BioShock, Flight Simulator X, Bliss Island, a new Train Simulator, The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar, World in Conflict, Hellgate: London, Company of Heroes, a PC version of Geometry Wars, Lego Star Wars 2, Halo 2, Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures and Crysis during its keynote. At CES 2008, Microsoft didn't show a single new game.

There's no denying Bach's figures are impressive. Xbox Live usage has doubled in the past year, and console sales have risen a similar amount: it's laudable. PC gaming growth figures, however, were conspicuous by their absence.

But last year they felt like fighters, with executives like Peter Moore - since departed for EA - and Chris Satchell lambasting Sony for an insipid launch and mistakes made with online PlayStation 3 services on the showfloor after the keynote. Tonight's performance felt off the boil, and with no confirmation yet of a GDC showing from Microsoft next month - Sony ruled the roost in San Francisco last year with LittleBigPlanet and the first Home demo - are we really going to have to wait until E3 (assuming there is an E3) to find out what Xbox 360 owners are going to be playing this Christmas? Maybe Gears of War 2 and Banjo at the Moscone Center in February?

We sincerely hope so. It's what Bill would have wanted. God rest his soul.

Picture of Patrick.

About Patrick Garratt

Read more articles from Patrick by visiting the Patrick Garratt archive page.

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Comments (89) Latest comment 4 years ago

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  • RAAMRUUTER #1 4 years ago

    hahahha first!!!!! go NZ......
    so what was the article about??

  • Wyrm #2 4 years ago

    Slash! :D

  • bioreit #3 4 years ago

    Good. No built-in HD-DVD drive with 320GB hard disk means I can buy my second 360 now, rather than wait for the '360 Ultimate'.

    Was waiting to see if the rumours were true or not before getting a new one for the HDMI port, as well as the HD-DVD add-on. Now I know, just have to wait for payday :-)

    Bye Bill - you were an awkward, whiny kind of geek; you certainly made an impact (like the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs), but you give as much to charity as several small nations, so that makes up for a lot.

    /holds hand out for alms to the poor. Well, it's worth a try...

  • RAAMRUUTER #4 4 years ago

    ok just read the last page.. and hell yeah Slash!!!

  • gamerbunny #5 4 years ago

    Slash.

    That is all.






    (Seriously, thats all. What else was there? Bill's last day?)

  • LeD #6 4 years ago

    No games on show because there aren't any new ones to be shown. Simple as. With the Blu-Ray imminent victory, PS3 sales boost over Christmas, and the gaming industry shifting its focus onto Sony's platform, it seems over for the 360. I really enjoyed it while it lasted.

  • frod. #7 4 years ago

    he doesnt hold the record, he IS the record

  • bioreit #8 4 years ago

    @ LeD

    I seem to recall you saying that it was over for the 360 and Microsoft all throughout 2007. But apparently reports of their demise had been greatly exaggerated and have presently been postponed to the next financial year.

  • crozon #9 4 years ago

    10Million user is that it???? now its not bad, but i thought xbox live would be bigger since they go on about how small the PC market is.

    World of warcraft has 9million active subscribers and steam has 12million users.

  • LeD #10 4 years ago

    @bioreit

    Don't get me wrong, I don't want them to go away, I'm a happy 360 owner. But I find this lack of excitement for 2008, no major games lined up or announced, highly worrying.
    In 2006 and 2007, MS really drove their 360 venture, and as you can see financials results are impressive as a result. But where is the drive for 2008? 2007 was all about the games, and we 360 owners need more of those. And please don't list Fable 2, Halo Wars and Too Human.

  • seasidebaz #11 4 years ago

    erm.... hang on a min, apparently (according to eg) slash played sweet child o' mine.

    joytiq reckons he played welcome to the jungle.

    who is correct here?

  • bioreit #12 4 years ago

    @ LeD

    Fair enough.

    Can I mention Alan Wake? Also, I kinda need to pee - may I be excused?

  • Max_Powers #13 4 years ago

    @LeD

    Why not list Fable 2? Or GTA IV, which is probably going to be the biggest gaming event in 2008. These are significant releases.

    And I think 10 million Xbox Live users is very impressive, and their US presence is very strong.

    Biggest MS challenge the coming year is to release quiter and non-broken 360's and get a better foothold in Europe.

  • Dizzy #14 4 years ago

    MS doesn't show new games because atm Sony is no threat in the US. It is easy cruising atm for the 360. This is CES... normally not a very game oriented show. Last year they showed a lot because the battle was hot and they expected some real competition.

  • themorganator #15 4 years ago

    @LeD,

    I can't say I agree with you mate, to say its over for 360 because of one weak conference it's a little short sighted IMO. It's entirely possible that the marketing geeks decided this show would be more about Bill because its his last year? Yes, PS3 may have made better sales this year and yes, Blu Ray seems to winning the format war. Does this bother me? Nope. I've still got a superior Live service (although it is still broken at the mo) and I've got cross platform games! Furthermore, we can likely expect a Blu Ray drive to be added as a peripheral if they do go on to win the war. This means we didn't have to fork out at launch in the same manner as our PS3 owning chums.

  • bad09 #16 4 years ago

    @ themorganator

    Blu-Ray is winning the war if you mean the BDA can afford to throw desperation money at Fox and Warner. Both had decided to go HD DVD only (like Paramount/Dreamworks). Warner would not go without someone else on board and Fox were just about to switch (apparently). Fox took a bribe to stay so Warner stayed and took $500 million to go exclusive. Stand alone player consumers are choosing HD DVD but these studios are not following sales like they say they are following bribes at the moment.
    They are all being dragged into Xbox vs Playstation which hurts real movie fans, the real casualty of this stupid war.

    Good luck to Bill though, you can't knock someone who gives half his money to charity and is gonna do more charity work now he has stepped down!

  • ruttyboy #17 4 years ago

    Looking at this picture, I'd say the real reason he's stepping down is that he's pregnant.

  • nickthegun #18 4 years ago

    Also showcasing the latest line in MS branded pastel Jumpers.

    "We believe that by 2010 we will have passed benetton and have 5 million users of our slightly insipid pullovers, with 28 different, slightly garish, SKUs"

  • lambtron #19 4 years ago

    "and farewell to bill, you ruined most of my hobbies during your tenure, you wanker."

    Eh?

  • lambtron #20 4 years ago

    Its doing alright in Europe (and well in the UK) I would say, nothing more, nothing less.

    Its Japan that's the kicker for MS - they just ain't interested, apart from a very, very minor hardcore.

  • Genji #21 4 years ago

    "That's a billion dollars more than Nintendo did on the Wii and 2 billion dollars more than Sony did on the PS3," said Bach. "And if you look at the spend on Xbox 360 games, it's more than the spend on Wii and PS3 games combined. So our Xbox business is in a very, very good place."

    Could someone with some knowledge in economics explain to me how spending more than the two competitors combined puts them in a better position? I'm not really clear on what he means here.

  • Carlo #22 4 years ago

    The best news they could come up with was MS sold more than Sony and Nintendo (That's sold, not profit obviously), in the US only of course.

    And Live has 10m users? How many on gold?

  • bad09 #23 4 years ago

    @ lambtron

    In the UK yes it's very strong, but the rest of Europe is more PS3 friendly apparently. MS wanted Japan badly, they are not interested now because it been a disaster yet again for them. For some reason they don't like xbox in Japan. Mind you, I remember reading that western games are not really liked in the east so it would make sense.

    @ frod
    Not out of my ass but out of leaked reports from Warner, although I don't work at Warner so I can't be 100% sure it's true!
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 10:26

  • Rodney #24 4 years ago

    Genji

    I think he meant consumer spend

  • miiiguel #25 4 years ago

    LeD: must I sell my 3 360's ? you know better, plz tell me! plz! Is Live going to shut, and we're all going to play mighty PSN, now that PS3 has 2 games that sold 1 million copies ?
    Microsoft is doomed...~

    And Live has 10m users? How many on gold?
    7 million. Microsoft is bankrupting nevertheless..., shutdown your Windows. Now!
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 10:20

  • adamamosa #26 4 years ago

    On the games front, maybe they are just trying to avoid the mistake they made last year. They showed ALL their games really early on and had little new to shout about throughout the rest of the year. They had to try very hard to maintain interest at the later shows.

  • Charroux #27 4 years ago

    Crikey, that was underwhelming. You'd think they'd try a bit harder, considering 2008 is likely to be the hardest year for MS's games division since the 360 came out.

  • JediMasterMalik #28 4 years ago

    @miiiguel - Why the fuck do you have 3 360s?
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 10:20

  • miiiguel #29 4 years ago

    Too much money, too litle time (too spend it wisely, of course).

    I predict, Microsoft to disapear completly of entertaiment market, and OS (Vista is da shit), and do only keyboards (sinf Blu Ray is wining some war... or something). Sony is going to win the most gold medals in the Beijing Olympics, and we'll live happily ever after.
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 10:26

  • Trane #30 4 years ago

    '@miiiguel - Why the fuck do you have 3 360s?'

    Maybe he has a 1080p television and got confused.
    /maths

  • miiiguel #31 4 years ago

    Trane, oh man, stop please, you're killing me, you're so funny!

  • bad09 #32 4 years ago

    @ miiiguel

    Isn't Mario,Sonic and Nintendo gonna win everything at the Olympics?

  • Trane #33 4 years ago

    Miiiguel, you do realise that by saying something is 'da shit' is basically touting is as being great....




    ..don't you?
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 10:33

  • miiiguel #34 4 years ago

    I was joking, but here we are saying MS is not "doing games" nor "HD something", but from the article they didn't talk about anything. I must show this to my boss because it's reaching that time of year when we must sign for another Select contract again. But if this article is true, they aren't giving a shit to anything, not just games. And mind you this is not a games convention. Take a quick "google" on what said in last years GDC of Sony (oh! oh! they don't have games to show!).


    Or maybe they just wanted to say goodbye, on a very light tone to the boss ?

    Trane: didn't know that, I took a mental note. Thanks.
    Edited by 3 at 07/01/08 @ 10:36

  • Bumhug360 #35 4 years ago

    "No games on show because there aren't any new ones to be shown. Simple as. With the Blu-Ray imminent victory, PS3 sales boost over Christmas, and the gaming industry shifting its focus onto Sony's platform, it seems over for the 360. I really enjoyed it while it lasted. "

    Sony held a press conference as well last night, they didnt even mention the PS3 and only mentioned the PSP once. The W760 Walkman mobile phone was the only gaming thing they talked about. Does that mean its over for the PS3 as well or just highlight the fact that CES main focus isnt games?

  • miiiguel #36 4 years ago

    PS3 is doomed too.

    Let's wait for Nintendo..., Nintendo is coming to the "doom party" isn't it?

  • ruttyboy #37 4 years ago

    You didn't know what "da shit" means? Did you skip your Ghetto classes again? ;-)

  • miiiguel #38 4 years ago

    "You didn't know what "da shit" means? Did you skip your Ghetto classes again? ;) "

    Portugal is a 3rd world country, we still don't have "Ghettos".

  • Kryon #39 4 years ago

    Yes, the 360 is dead. Funny but world wide it's still completely raping the PS3, it still has the best games too...How odd?!

  • ruttyboy #40 4 years ago

    Neither do we, but it's cool to pretend you're from one. Apparently.

    Oh, also playing music from your phone on the bus is in too. It's cool to be a cunt.

  • bad09 #41 4 years ago

    @ Ruttyboy

    "Oh, also playing music from your phone on the bus is in too. It's cool to be a cunt."

    Yeah, they don't need headphones in da ghetto!

  • penguin_overlord #42 4 years ago

    @Kryon - "Yes, the 360 is dead. Funny but world wide it's still completely raping the PS3, it still has the best games too...How odd?! "

    Actually, weekly worldwide sales for the PS3 have been higher than the 360's for many weeks now and that is unlikely to falter now that the PS3 is at a sensible price and has some good games for it. Plus, the Devil May Cry pack in Japan will sell shedloads.

    The PS3 will likely also see a big increase in sales as a result of the recent Blu-Ray announcements as it is actually a superb player.

  • jlaakso #43 4 years ago

    I do imagine that they put so much effort into last year that they're just caught a little unprepared now and have decided to put the game division's energy towards other venues. It's not like the CES is a major game event anyway.

  • Moz #44 4 years ago

    @kryon"Yes, the 360 is dead. Funny but world wide it's still completely raping the PS3, it still has the best games too...How odd?!"

    Ermm where you figure that? IF publicly availble figure are correct then the PS3 has been out selling the 360 world wide throughout Decemeber.

    The 360 is far from being dead but the predictions of a more even race between MS and Sony look to be coming true. Though in each teritory it will look like one is poneing the other but globably they are pretty much even sales wise.

    But 2008 is going to be very telling it could swing in favour of either company by the end of the year.

  • miiiguel #45 4 years ago

    rutty, don't really understood what you meant..., sounded agressive though. I didn't say any lie, Portugal isn't has developed as England; France; Germany..., and therefor is not as apelative. Anyway if I was younger I'd moved to London, I've spent 3 months there and I loved it.

    Picking fights is not my thing, and I really dislike the word "cunt", is ulgy and asexual.

    edit: I have a Zune..., and a car.
    Edited by 2 at 07/01/08 @ 11:18

  • ruttyboy #46 4 years ago

    @ miiguel - I wasn't having a go at you matey! Hope you haven't misunderstood. I was just poking a bit of fun at the chavs and people who say things like "da shit" in a non-ironic fashion :D

  • miiiguel #47 4 years ago

    I gotta stop coming here, I do get confused. Damn lost in translation. I'm having a cup of cofee.
    I'm sorry.
    Later.

  • CRE #48 4 years ago

    > no confirmation yet of a GDC showing from Microsoft next month

    ?

    [link url=http://www.gdco nf.com/expo/floorplan/
    ]http://www.gdco nf.com/expo/floorplan/
    [/link]
    http://ko taku.com/339991/gdc08s-floorpla...

  • space_ace #49 4 years ago

    apparently it's "welcome to the jungle", from 2 other sources?

  • Moz #50 4 years ago

    being on the floor plan isn't confirmation, that will be MS's assigned slot, but if they haven't confirmed it themselfs could meen they haven't actually accepted the invite.

  • Dizzy #51 4 years ago

    "Yes, the 360 is dead. Funny but world wide it's still completely raping the PS3, it still has the best games too...How odd?! "

    That is kinda the opposite of necrophilia? A dead console raping the one on the floor with its ass in the air ;)

  • SeesThroughAll #52 4 years ago

    A demonstration by a very nice lady called Mika of "new" Windows features such as a calendar (that looked nothing like Google's web calendar), an event and social network tool (that bore no resemblance to Facebook) and an online video search system

    hehehehe

  • CRE #53 4 years ago

    Moz:
    Did you r e a d the kotaku post?

  • miiiguel #54 4 years ago

    "Moz:
    Did you r e a d the kotaku post?"

    No..., and he wont. 360 must, must, must, be dead.

    Just read Sony keynote... lol. They did say the word PS3... twice. They talked a lot more about PS2 though..., movies is their thing aparently. Come on lads, let's all buy us some Nintys, PS/XB are so doomed.
    Funny, they didn't seem to mention a single freakin game! Not one! Movies a plenty, oh loadsa movies and Blu-Ray. Oh boy, those Sony suits really love that Blue Ray.
    Edited by 2 at 07/01/08 @ 12:50

  • neuroniky #55 4 years ago

    I don't know if it was less informative to read the article or the comments on it. Well, at least I've added another name to my ignore list.

    And I learned what is da shit.

    Whatever it is.

    Oh, and we're all so doomed...

  • Moz #56 4 years ago

    ""Moz:
    Did you r e a d the kotaku post?"

    No..., and he wont. 360 must, must, must, be dead. "


    I just looked at the floor plan, i'm guessing the kotaku post has a confirmation from MS.

    And the 360 is far from dead and i've never suggested as such, in fact i currently buy all my multiplatfrom games for 360 cos they tend to run better then the PS3 version.

  • miiiguel #57 4 years ago

    Moz, don't take me serious (I don't even know the foruns used language proprely) :)
    I'm just a bit pro-360, but I have a reason for that (I don't "do brands";), I had a pretty good lonely year with my 360 and its games, when my gf left me all alone to do a "post-something" in NY (I won a NTSC Elite though, and a Zune - a successful atempt to keep me at home I should say). Lovely, lovely games - the best, like ever since MegaDrive.
    And don't like the Zune, though. Rubish.
    Edited by 2 at 07/01/08 @ 13:10

  • Moz #58 4 years ago

    miiiguel does anyone like the Zune?!! lol, don't think i've even seen one in the shops in the UK, but that could me just being blind.

    The 360 is a lovely piece of kit just a shame it's been mard by loud cooling fans, RRoD and now Live outages!

    I'm just hoping that stay with the 360 for another 3 to 4 years, would like to spend a little more time test the next console iteration but i guess it will depend on how well 360 sells over the next couple of years.

  • drumm23 #59 4 years ago

    I love the way the SDF seem to think Sony is a comparable company to MSFT.
    You do realise that Bill & Co. could buy out Sony tomorrow, easily..?

  • SeesThroughAll #60 4 years ago

    I don't get what's with some people reading this lack of emphasis on games as the end of the line for the 360. ffs, it's the Consumer Electronics Show. It's way more oriented to hardware and services than videogames. And you know, Microsoft did do other things, such as operative systems, a long time before they ever started making consoles...

    You do realise that Bill & Co. could buy out Sony tomorrow, easily..?

    Yes he easily could, if it was for sale. And you think that's a good thing?

  • kangarootoo #61 4 years ago

    @bad09

    "Blu-Ray is winning the war if you mean the BDA can afford to throw desperation money at Fox and Warner. Both had decided to go HD DVD only (like Paramount/Dreamworks). Warner would not go without someone else on board and Fox were just about to switch (apparently). Fox took a bribe to stay so Warner stayed and took $500 million to go exclusive."

    What is your point exactly. I thought initially you were saying that bluray is NOT winning the (fictional) platform war.

    However, you go on to say that "Blu-Ray is winning the war if you mean" followed by a statement of all the things you say Sony ARE doing....... so you appear to be saying that Sony ARE winning? Right?

  • king_skins #62 4 years ago

    @ Moz,

    The Zune hasn't been released outside of the US yet. I have an imported one and I quite like mine...
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 13:34

  • SeesThroughAll #63 4 years ago

    Good luck to Bill though, you can't knock someone who gives half his money to charity and is gonna do more charity work now he has stepped down!

    Not sure about that, although all help to those who need is of course more than welcome. But I'm not going to go any further on the subject.

  • Moz #64 4 years ago

    "You do realise that Bill & Co. could buy out Sony tomorrow, easily..?

    Yes he easily could, if it was for sale. And you think that's a good thing?"

    /looks into crystal ball to a MS dominated console market/

    In the news: Today Microsoft release their XBox 1080 games console, retailing at £1000

  • miiiguel #65 4 years ago

    I really, really hope that MS release a new games device in less than 10 years, I don't own a museum. I find it weird how some fellow gamers get excited to think PS3 is going to live for 10 years. I get bored way faster than that. I love the smell of new stuff (that's one reason why I have 3 360s...).

    Zune is US only, for now. I don't realy like Zune, but that's a bit my fault as I don't use native Windows (I just have a VM one, and USB virtual devices + Zune isn't a cool mix, I tell ya).
    There are some shady Linux support for it, but the ones I tried are a mess. My gf's iPod (the one that look like a brick) works perfect. Strangely, its quality seems to be quite solid. Oposite of 360, I guess.
    Edited by 2 at 07/01/08 @ 14:20

  • Machetazo #66 4 years ago

    "But where is the drive for 2008? 2007 was all about the games, and we 360 owners need more of those. And please don't list Fable 2, Halo Wars and Too Human."

    Why ever not? I'm amazed at the amount of people that are ready to kick the new IP TH in the 'nads before it's even out of the stalls. Flabbers fully ghasted, in fact. I don't claim to know what it'll play like, but I do think that the people at SK have put in the work to make a winner. Or at least to deserve it that opportunity. We've been burned by good ol' billy-goats hype recently, in Mass Effect (a similar project in terms of scale - and one that doesn't appeal to me) and Halo 2.5 (which I've played and really tried to enjoy, and couldn't, despite enjoying strongly the previous two editions.)
    The Silicon Knights team haven't just cooked the game up overnight but have had the project waiting in the wings for a long while, building on it steadily. The first time in recent years that they showed it, and with reaction less than positive, they realised there and then, what people wanted, nay expected to see...Where that bar was set. They haven't shown much of the game since as they continue to prepare it.

    I see no reason why Too Human shouldn't be a wide success on the platform this year (judging by the descriptions I've read, and coverage seen). It's not a GoW clone, or MS answer to Kratos, and I'd suggest its plenty accessible enough. If it was that, or even gave off those shallow signals, I'd dismiss it, but there appears to be a good deal more than that still to be shown, and eventually discovered. I've been stung before by games I've eagerly awaited that largely failed to deliver, so I can't dismiss the slight nag that this could be another of those; but as it stands, the game's one of my most anticipated, across any platform, for 2008.
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 14:19

  • Kryon #67 4 years ago

    "In the news: Today Microsoft release their XBox 1080 games console, retailing at £1000"

    £1000 you say? Wow, that'd be double what the last Sony console was priced at! Then again, wasn't the last Sony console (y-know the one with worse games and forced video format) double the price of a core 360 (even though the core 360 GAMES console had better GAMES?)

    Give it up SDF boys, Sony is the only company who's disappointed the consumer this gen and it shows, Sony used to be the kings, now they struggle in third place, akin to a homeless vagabond picking at an old KFC bucket he found in the gutter.

  • Moz #68 4 years ago

    Kryon, i'm refereing to MS's general business stratagey in other markets, in the past the have gone to market ahead of other with a cheap and good product and as soon as they get the manopoly they crank up the prices.

    Now don't get me wrong I think the 360 is great I just don't trust MS not to screw us all if they gain market dominence, which isn't looking like it happen so all is good hopefully MS will end this gen with a bigger market share then last gen which will nock Sony down a peg or two so they don't try to screw people with an over priced system again.
    Edited by 2 at 07/01/08 @ 15:25

  • Madder-Max #69 4 years ago

    Not exactly good times for M/S (Vista, creaking gaming network, focus shifting to Sony...). Gates is doing a Blair and jumping ship at the right time!

  • Rodney #70 4 years ago

    Blair jumped ship at the right time?

  • Kryon #71 4 years ago

    @Moz

    Fair play, I'm just glad MS have done well this time around, I'd hate the gaming scene to be without MS (I know people will ridicule me for that last statement but it's true). If the only systems available were PS3 and Wii, I would no longer be a console gamer. I owned a Wii, I thought it was crap and sold it, My bro owns a PS3, I think it's crap and he's a nob (sorry bro). The last two years have been PS2 & 360 for me and it's been a damn good two years of gaming imo.

  • Kryon #72 4 years ago

    @Madder Max

    The right time for Blair to jump ship was 1997 (when most people still liked/respected him).

    But I'm sure you're right about MS being doomed, I bet Bill is crying right now....Yeah, and wiping away the tears with a 100 dollar note because his product was so rubbish that it has pissed on the former gaming giants Sony. It must be really hard knocking your arch rival off the top spot, poor guy....

  • ronuds #73 4 years ago

    The PS2 outsold the XBOX nearly 5-1 over their lifetimes and the 1st month in over a year the PS3 "purportedly" outsells the 360 worldwide we're calling for the 360's doom?

    L-O-L
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 17:06

  • Madder-Max #74 4 years ago

    @ Kryon. parlez-vous-englais sil vous plait?

    1. How is he an arch rival?
    2. he got out at the right time which means he is not crying....just like Blair.
    3. Think better.

    That is all

  • Kryon #75 4 years ago

    "1. How is he an arch rival?"

    Who is 'he'? I'm talking about 360 vs PS3 (I think it's pretty fair to call them arch rivals, is it not?)

    "2. he got out at the right time which means he is not crying....just like Blair."

    WTF? What do you mean 'got out' ? It's not like he's sold MS off, is it... My dog is called Max btw, nice name and FYI he is more intelligent than you.


  • Madder-Max #76 4 years ago

    My dogs poo is more intelligent than you, which menas you think I am more intelligent than you.

    Thanks.

  • Kryon #77 4 years ago

    "which menas you think I am more intelligent than you. "

    I'd agree Max but I do know how to spell 'means' where as you don't, hence your comment doesn't hold much water, unlike your nans colostomy bag that you drink from.

    PS. No need to thank me, it was my pleasure. ;0)

  • SeesThroughAll #78 4 years ago

    That's too much, f3rrari. Stop that shit.

  • Kryon #79 4 years ago

    @f3rrari

    BluRay is all good and it does seem that it will probably win the HD-movie format war, it's no surprise, history shows that movie formats with the lower quality output always seem to win. It's just a shame the PS3 is still in third place with crappy ports and a host of lost exclusives, mmm, can't wait for GTA with 360 exclusive DLC, or what about DMC4 (with anti-aliasing) lol

    The PS3 is a great cheapo no frills BluRay player, we all know that, it's not much of a games machine as of yet though is it....Oh wait, sorry, I forgot, it hasn't been "untapped" ;-)

    Enjoy your DVD's (it's not like you have many games to play,eh)

    PS. You're starting to sound as cretinous as Apologie with your half price cut 'n' paste bonanza...

  • captain-future #80 4 years ago

    The video from Bill's last day at the office is actually... pretty cool. ;)

    http://ww w.thatvideogameblog.com/2008/01...

  • smelly #81 4 years ago

    @captain-future : Quite cool

    I actually feel like buying another 360 now.. :-)
    Edited by 1 at 07/01/08 @ 22:26

  • smelly #82 4 years ago

    "it's no surprise, history shows that movie formats with the lower quality output always seem to win."

    Now you're just trying to make yourself look retarded arent you?

  • Kryon #83 4 years ago

    What's up smelly? You just get in from the pub again, no wife to beat so you come and take your drunken fury out on internet people who won't hit you?

  • slickster #84 4 years ago

    so if the elite 360 is the same price as the ps3 then the new 320gig 360 is going to be alot more.and its still the same console but biger hard drive i cant see the pont in this.MS should bring out just the hard driver in stead.i dont think people will pay about £400 for the same console with a biger hard driver it will be cheaper to buy a ps3 with blu-ray not DVD9

  • jaywalker3010 Verified Mastering Manager, Square Enix #85 4 years ago

    Hmm wonder when the Blu-Ray drive will be announced/launched for the 360 ;)

    Since MS state the drive wont be `built in` to any future 360's as its just an `add on` for movie playback, i dont see why they cant develop a Blu-Ray device

  • Madder-Max #86 4 years ago

    "which menas you think I am more intelligent than you. "

    I'd agree Max but I do know how to spell 'means' where as you don't, hence your comment doesn't hold much water, unlike your nans colostomy bag that you drink from.

    PS. No need to thank me, it was my pleasure. ;0)"

    it was an intelligence test which you passed for some reason and in that context, your comment does not hold much weight, unlike your bra.

    Oh and my dogs name is Kryon funnily enough. Isn't that a coincidence! Many of my neighbours have dogs called Kryon too. Its a popular name for smelly animals in our neighbourhood! ;oD


  • Kryon #87 4 years ago

    @Maiden Max

    "smelly animals in our neighbourhood!"

    Oh dear, smelly animals in your area you say? Yes, well I suppose people don't look after their pets very well on council estates, after all it must be hard giving your dog a bath in between shifts at Burger King. :0(

    /flicks Max a penny

  • soviet_ #88 4 years ago

    SLASH!

  • Madder-Max #89 4 years ago

    /butler catches penny ans places in solid gold penny tin.

    "One has gained another penny from another poor person sir"

    /smiles self indulgently

    /sells land that BK leases from me