XBox Tidbits

Kurt from Joystick101 sent in linkage to a report of a presentation on the XBox which shows things like the molding process, hardware layout, involved developers and more. idcmp sent in something a little stranger: its a letter allegedly from nintendo talking about an un-named company (obviously microsoft) and the affect they are having on the industry. No clue if its real, but it sure looks like it might be.

Comments

Re:Nintendo's Letter

[Kismet]

When IBM was in trouble with the government for violation of anti-trust law, one of the remedies that was put in place was that no marketing could be done for products that did not exist.

A common anti-competitive practice is to strangle a market by hyping up a "future" product. It's easy to make it look like a killer-product when it's still vapor. Unfortunately, when the time comes to release, it is delayed or shipped with fewer features than promised.

In the meantime, everyone has stopped buying the real products in anticipation of the promise of things to come. And when they fail to deliver, nobody is forced to buy it, but the damage has already been done.

There's a difference between promoting a product that is a month or two from hitting the market ,and promoting one that has a year or more left before anyone can get their hands on it. I think it's fine for Microsoft to allow rumors and speculation about their Xbox, and even advertise on their own turf. But they shouldn't be seeking disciples on Nintendo's turf until they have something to follow.

ign had an interview....

[geek_77]

read this. explains everything (as much as they can)

http://cube.ign.com/news/32525.html

Nintendo's Letter

[Xenex]

Yes, that Nintendo letter is legimate, but it says what it says with good reason.

Microsoft currently have a 0% share of the video game console industry, and no product on offer at all, and will not until next year*. Yet, they are still sending out advertising aimed at consumers telling them not to buy products avalable NOW but to wait for their eventual product. What do you think the impact of this will be on stores that sell only video games? In displaying the Xbox advertising a retailer is trying to strangle their cashflow for the following 10 or more months. Obviously it would stop people buying products now, and of course that would be a bad thing for the industry.

But do Microsoft care if that would be bad for the industry now. Hell no! Why not? Look at their current market share: 0%. Do you think Microsoft care if they make 20% less profit from a market share ok 0%. Of course not. 20% of nothing is still nothing. Microsoft are attempting to rape the industry now so things are good when they finally get in.

Yes, Nintendo are somewhat biased, yes they have 2 consoles out trying to make profit at the moment. Yes Nintendo have a next generation console and a new handheld coming up that will be out before the Xbox. Yes it IS in Nintendo's interest for stores not to advertise the Xbox. But Nintendo are the old men of the industry, and they can also see that this will cause it serious damage if sales in consoles, not only theirs but the PS2, grind to a halt due to Microsoft FUD advertising. Nintendo don't want some new compnay just strangling the industry.

Back in 1984 with the NES, Nintendo brought the video game market back from the death Atari had caused it, and turned home video games from a fad into an international multibillion dollar industry. Something tells me that they might have SOME idea about what they are talking about.

Before you tell me that this is all bullshit, just ponder this: In the 'Linux Myths' Microsoft said that Linux did not have USB support at a time when their current business operating system was Windows NT 4.0 (also USBless), but said "Windows 2000 will have it, it'll be out soon". They wanted to stop people using Linux because of a product they had not shipped yet. Now they are doing the same to the video game industry.

Also, have a look over at IGNcube here for an interview with Nintendo's vice president of marketing George Harrison all about this very letter. He states that Nintendo won't being in-store advertising of the GameCube until August- two months before it's release. Much better then a year.

Microsoft Xbox: Bringing the blue screen to the living room. With a FREE copy of Photoshop for those post-game touch-up...

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* The Xbox will be delayed, the thing doesn't even have final dev kits out yet. People say that Nintendo's GameCube will delay even though 3rd parties have had final dev kits for months, but have blind faith in Microsoft shipping on time, a company well known for delays and FUD in the past ("Don't get a PS2 or GCN, look what will be out... eventually...").

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Re:Nintendo's Letter

[jayhawk88]

OK, let's get some perspective, shall we?

-Microsoft is making a console, currently scheduled for release end of this year/beginning of next, depending on who you read.
-Microsoft wants to promote their upcoming console, as any manufacturer would.
-The target market for console gamers are around the 14-25 year old range for the most part, an age group that, on average, can't afford to buy ever console released.

It's in Microsoft's best interest to try and convince gamers to wait for their console. They have every right to try and promote this idea. It's Nintendo's responsibility to try and convince gamers otherwise: that the N64 is still a good purchase, or they should hold off for the Gamecube.

You seem to think that Microsoft has some sort of responsibility to not advertise this way, that they shouldn't try and get gamers to wait for the good of the industry. Baloney. It's a free-freakin-market economy: survival of the fittest. And like you say, Nintendo's not exactly a fly-by-night company here; if anything, they have an advantage over Microsoft going in thanks to their character lineup.

We all hate MS for what they did to the OS market, but I don't see the same thing happening here. Microsoft pushed Windows by tying it with another product everyone wanted: namely, computers. It's not the same in the console market. Sure, they can spend billions on hype, advertising, etc, but in the end, it comes down to what I as a gamer want: the Xbox, the Gamecube, or the PS2. My decision will be based on factors like which console has the best games, which has the best graphics, which has the coolest peripherals. In short, which is the better console.

Of course, if MS starts giving away Xboxes with minivans or something, then you can worry ;)

Re:Suitable host.

[Xenex]

Yeah, that huge handheld market they have and the profits there, and the money they make on first party games like Zelda on the N64 (the huge sales of that one game show that a console hardly needs to be #1 to make alot of profit for it's parent company) shows how fucked Nintendo are.

Of course, profits and a huge bank balance aren't enough to be 'non-fucked' for you? How about the fact that Nintendo have shown that they can be pratically self-sufficiant, almost single-handedly supplying software to the N64 (well, the best of it at least). If all 3rd parties were to dump the GameCube tomorrow (which won't happen) the thing would be successful with Nintendo and the 2nd parties supporting it on their own.

Nintendo are not fucked. Sega didn't fuck them. Sony haven't fucked them. Microsoft won't fuck them. Nintendo are the constant in the industry, it's Nintendo's competition that changes, let it be Atati, Sega, Sony and Microsoft. Microsoft are Sony's replacement this generation. Those 2 are competing for all the 3rd parties they MUST have to survive. Nintendo will keep making their games and bringing in the profit.

Nintendo ain't going to be gone for a LONG time yet....