We want to go head to head with PS3 - Microsoft News
Xbox 360 PlayStation 3 News by Games Industry.biz
Microsoft may be happy with a second Christmas without next-generation competition from Sony, but it wants to go head-to-head with its rival so that consumers can finally compare the two console offerings.
Speaking exclusively to our sister site GamesIndustry.biz, Xbox boss Neil Thompson also stated that he only sees Nintendo's Wii as a product that will compete with 360 in the most basic sense this Christmas – as a product that may steal consumer pounds.
When asked about Microsoft's reaction to the news that the PS3 would not launch in Europe this side of Christmas, Thompson replied: "In some ways it would have been good if it had, because then people could have really made the comparison. Sometimes it's worse when you're fighting a myth, than when you're fighting reality."
"In a lot of ways we'd like people to put the system side-by-side and see whether people want a platform where they're paying for Blu-ray straight away. Is Blu-ray that important to you that you want to buy into that platform right now and spend GBP 500 doing that? Or do you want a gaming system that has more high-definition gaming content today, has a better online service and provides you the choice of whether you want to upgrade to the next-generation of DVD platform in the future?"
"We would have quite liked to have gone head-to-head on those issues because we feel very strongly that we have an incredibly compelling offering," he added.
And despite Nintendo warning retail channels its Wii console may sell out in Europe this Christmas, Thompson is adamant that the new system will not encroach on Microsoft's space.
"It has the potential of taking consumers spend and wallet share away from us in general, but at a product comparison level it's not competing with us at all. It's an innovative, low-definition product," said Thompson.
"People will make a clear decision as to whether they want that sort of product - a kid's toy - or they want high-definition gaming and entertainment and all that it brings."
"They are only a competitor in so much as they'll take consumers pounds and I'd like to have as many of those as I can," he concluded.
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gamingdave
10/11/06 @ 16:49
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"Sometimes it's worse when you're fighting a myth, than when you're fighting reality."
very true, but in the case of Sony, they will still be batteling the myth even once the machines released. They are masters at spin and publicity. |
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Canadian_Mike
10/11/06 @ 16:52
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It must be nice to just lose money for 5+ years straight and still be able to pretend you've got a sucessful product on your hands.
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SeesThroughAll
10/11/06 @ 16:53
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very true, but in the case of Sony, they will still be batteling the myth even once the machines released. They are masters at spin and publicity.
So what? So are Microsoft. And even worse at that, actually. |
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Some valid points to make, I would prefer to see the PS3 alongside the 360 too to see how it shapes up. I've heard the hype from both sides, now let's see it in action.
Whilst the Wii is something fairly different only time will tell if Mr Thompson will look very very stupid by labeling it as a "kids toy". |
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Its looking increasingly likely that Microsoft needs a third xmas to actually deliver killer titles to its console. Xmas 2007 will be the real war of the consoles, I'll be interested to see if the Wii sneaks in and whups the both of them. I certainly know a lot of people who are planning to buy that 'kids machine' this xmas.
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Eighthours
10/11/06 @ 17:06
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"Kids' toy".
Oh Neil, you were doing so well until you said that. What an idiotic comment. |
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Psychotext
10/11/06 @ 17:09
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The 360 can't beat the PS2. They're in a completely different market. Hell, the PS3 wont outsell the PS2 in the first year even if availability was there. It's one thing getting someone to pay £100... it's quite another getting them to pay £300 or more.
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 10/11/06 @ 17:09
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absolutezero
10/11/06 @ 17:24
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I hope to god the PS3 is better seeing as its coming out a year after the 360.
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The 360 can't beat the PS2. They're in a completely different market.
o_O How are they in different markets, if they're after the same consumer. Speaking of which PS3 being able to play past, present and future PS2 titles, makes the PS2 outselling the PS3 a moot point, because that means less sales for MS. So far MS hasn't done enough over the past year to make the PS2 seem like old crippled tech that you NEED to upgrade to a better console this christmas. MS needs to battle the Playstation name not the PS3 itself per se, because this PS2 - PS3 tag team is just not helping MS sell their Xbox 360 as much as they could have... and they know it. |
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JediMasterMalik
10/11/06 @ 17:30
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It may not be a kids toy, but it's hardly the most serious console coming out. It's definitely more about pure fun than the experience of a video game. Which is good, as long as they don't try to make it what it isn't.
As for the article, I think that the PS2 will still sell strong for quite a while, hell they sold quite a few thousand PSOnes in the UK alone last year, the PS2 will probably last just as long if not longer. |
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rhinoxious
10/11/06 @ 17:41
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Is that a High-Definition mountain bike?
And will I need a high-definition mountain to ride it on? |
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Buying decision of PS3 Top 10 things to know
Public has to go through the process of decision making in the next short period. Interesting times ahead for electronic gaming entertainment.Here is good one to help the public http://ragusivanmalai.blogspot.com/2006/... |
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Salubrious_K
10/11/06 @ 17:49
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He made some valid points, although I thought his respect for the Wii was a little lacking.
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JediMasterMalik
10/11/06 @ 17:53
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What? His respect for Wii? What is this a cult?
"He does not love Wii enough, BURN HIM!!" |
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Psychotext
10/11/06 @ 17:53
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Steroyd: The answer is so simple you need to understand it. Poor people. The price of the PS2 is down in the impulse buy range and pretty much affordable for all. This is why the 360 isn't in the same market... same goes for the PS3. This has nothing to do with people wanting the latest and greatest, it's got to do with what people can afford.
(Which incidentally is why the Nintendo will do so well.) |
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numptyboymatt
10/11/06 @ 18:05
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"It's definitely more about pure fun than the experience of a video game."
Isnt that a bit presumptious? - Surely an "experience" is pretty much what the individual involved makes of it whether they are sat on their fat ass pressing buttons on a controller of waving a remote at the screen like a lunatic. |
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GrandpaUlrira
10/11/06 @ 18:51
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I think the general population will see the Wii as being quite technologically advanced. When I explained to my mother how the Wii worked, she was incredulous, like something that advanced shouldn't be possible. Crazy, I know, but I wonder if the general non-gamer sees all the difference between the graphics of this gen (in which I'm bundling the Wii) and the next; the controller might seem more revolutionary.
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el_pollo_diablo
10/11/06 @ 19:01
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I've decided to opt out of it all this christmas and play with my hairy beanbag instead.
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That was actually a realistic and easy to digest message.
The "kids toy" comment will probably get some Nintendo fans upset, because it can be enjoyed by adults, but is more targeted at a younger demographic and casual gamers. He did admit it would take pounds away, but not be a direct competitor and I'd say that's pretty much the consensus from the industry. |
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Let's be fair though, it is a BIT of a kids toy compared to the 360. It's no surprise Nintendo get labelled as a 'kids' console manufacturer if they persist in using a fat cartoon dude with a moustache for, not just their own identity, but over half of their bloody games.
Looking forward to Metroid though. |
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Psychotext: Don't give me that poor people BS the only poor people who won't get a PS3 for definite are those without a home, people these days are armed with credit cards and christmas and debt
Saying they're not in competition with each other because of the price difference with that logic means no console in the "next generation" are competing with each other. PS2, Xbox and GC are in as much competition as the Xbox 360 and PS3 because they're aiming for the same demorgraph (known as competition), the Wii's unique input might put itself on a tangent but that remains to be seen.
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most recently on 10/11/06 @ 19:26
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Psychotext
10/11/06 @ 19:44
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Pointless arguing with you, but the sales at specific price points speak for themselves... and not everyone is an idiot with a credit card.
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Pointless arguing with you, but the sales at specific price points speak for themselves... and not everyone is an idiot with a credit card.
The main question is did they want a games console at that certain price or did they want a playstation at that certain price. Dreamcast was $100 cheaper than the PS2 if i'm not mistaken. And no not everyone is an idiot with a credit card, but there seems to be alot of them to bring christmas to their kids. interest rate going up to 5% if that doesn't deter parent getting spoilt brat from getting what he wants this christmas i don't know what will. !!! Is this still on? |
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alimokrane
10/11/06 @ 20:05
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Of course the PS2 is outselling the Xbox 360 DUH! £100 against £300...
Let's see how The PS3 and Xbox360 will do next year when the Premium Xbox 360 is at £200 and the PS3 will still be at £400 when they will be offering the same experience unlike the PS2 and Xbox 360 comparisons.
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most recently on 10/11/06 @ 20:12
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Psychotext
10/11/06 @ 20:18
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"And yet no one seems to remember the PSP costs almost twice as much as the DS when discussing sales figures for those machines."
Which is why you never listen to fanboys. =) I aint a fanboy (I own all from last gen and will eventually get all the current gen consoles 360 etc) |
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Oh please!
Nintendo will steal sales because we all (well most of us) love mario and zelda and smash brothers games end of story! The PS2 still selling well is precisely the reason that sony themselves are not too keen to have the PS3 out at this time. The sales prove that the general public simply will not pay for the next gen consoles at their current prices. If anything this puts the PS3 in even worse shape than the 360. When a kid explains to their parent that the much more expensive PS3 plays PS2 games. The parent naturally says well why not get a PS2 for a quarter of the price? From there on it's a loosing battle to try to explain that the PS2 doesn't play the 60 quid game you want... Microsoft did the right thing in dis-continuing the xbox so that there isn't any confusion about which console you should be buying. Nintendo you will notice, also do this every generation. |
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