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Xbox 2 - Scaling Down Size, Evolving Live, Xenon-ize
Thanks to IGN Xbox for its coverage of an interview with Japanese Xbox boss Yoshihiro Maruyama, in which he discusses the release timing of the next-gen consoles, suggesting: "If asked if the [Xbox sequel's] release will happen next year, I'd say that no, it won't be next year", and predicting: "We foresee the next generation PS2 hardware arriving some time after 2006." He also mentions that a smaller-sized console is "something that we'd like to do" for the Xbox's sequel, which GameGossip are claiming may be called the 'Xenon', according to a job posting on Microsoft's website. Elsewhere, Microsoft's Robbie Bach has been discussing the evolution of Xbox Live at CES, mentioning, via GameSpot, that "...he wants to turn Xbox Live, the trash-talking meeting ground of testosterone jazzed gamers, into a kinder, gentler realm reminiscent of Microsoft's other online playground, the Zone.com." Finally, GameInformer provides clarification that the previously mentioned Xbox Media Center Extender Kit "will not recognize media on PC's not running Windows XP Media Center Edition" - it appears upgrading your PC to this edition may be tricky/impossible for some.
Obviously, he's never played Chess on Zone. They trash-talk like nobody's business on there!
Seriously, I'm not so sure this is a great idea. One of the main appeals of the XBox to me is that it really, really, really tries to cater to the 18-44 year old male gamer who otherwise would do all his gaming on a PC.
To that population (which, of course, I'm a part of), videogames are an escapist pursuit - you tend to dissociate from the real-world a bit. Some of the nicest people I know have totally different, hyper-competitive personalities when playing videogames. The person who works out his agression on Xbox Live doesn't want it turned into My Little Pony Meets Rainbow Brite in The Land Of Cotton Candy.
People trash talk on Xbox live because the games and the environment are conducive to it - it's semi-anonymous, and you're playing games like Madden and Wolfenstein. You pop someone from all the way across the map, you want to brag about it. That's what the Xbox Communicator is for...
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I hope Microsoft have checked with the Bitmap Brothers regarding that name, otherwise they're likely to get shuned by anyone with any respect for vertically scrolling shooters.
Looks can be deceiving. Or CAN they?
he wants to turn Xbox Live, the trash-talking meeting ground of testosterone jazzed gamers, into a kinder, gentler realm reminiscent of Microsoft's other online playground, the Zone.com.
Please don't. The best thing about Xbox Live is that you can get on there and talk trash while fragging people. In fact, that's part of the reason I got Live in the first place.
I don't think the Xbox demographics would like these kind of changes.
Xenon is simply a poncy name. Having built up the brand they'd be a bunch of numbnuts not to call it XBox 2.
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Restricting the extender media playback to just PCs running Windows Media Center seems asinine, and I can't see any good technical reason for it.
"some" guys have all the luck.
I hope I didn't brain my damage.
Microsoft has been very serious about building up this image about how bad-asses use the XBox. Their XSN Sports lineup shows this to a T: "dominate anyone, anywhere, at any time" (with online stats updates, challence notifications, etc).
The big, black box with a whole word of competition where you destroy opponents and feast on their still-beating hearts is what Xbox Live! and the Xbox has been advertised as for over 2 years now. To neuter that seems silly.
Or, perhaps, MS has realized that Nintendo's made a lot of headway being accesible to all age groups, not just white males age 18-35.
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The best thing about Xbox Live is that you can get on there and talk trash while fragging people. In fact, that's part of the reason I got Live in the first place.
That is why I don't play Xbox Live.
xbox-live is surprisingly similar to the rest of internet gaming. the communities form on a per-game basis.
all MS has to do is release a game that is little more than a collection of live-enabled popular card games, and they'll have the community they want.
it will be no more reflective of the 'community' you find in xbl cstrike, than yahoo games is of the PC fps 'community'.
the primary difference between xbl and regular internet gaming, is that MS is the controlling authority in a pseudonymous (not even remotely annonymous) online environment. in the rest of internet gaming, banning one asshat simply means he'll crop up somewhere else with very little hassle to him and he'll continue annoying people.
with xbox-live, at the very least an asshat has to shell out another $50 for another live account, and there's some discussion that MS blocks the credit card used to register a banned account, and possibly all cards issued to that individual.
xbox live is much more suited to actually delivering a community of reasonable people than anywhere else. If you'd ever tried playing a game that doesn't appeal to as many kiddies (ghost recon has many fewer kiddies than cstrike) you'd realize how easy it will be for them.
the only trick to for MS is figuring out how to get enough people online and playing, say, their card games. perhaps allowing people to play between xbox live and the MSN Zone.
and despite your assertion, the xbox communicator exists simply because you need to communicate to enjoy multiplayer games. and if you hadn't noticed, there's no keyboard.
// "Can't clowns and pirates just -try- to get along?"