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Xbox Chief Robbie Bach on Cross-Platform Gaming, More
securitas writes "The Seattle Times' Kim Peterson interviews Microsoft Xbox chief Robbie Bach about cross-platform gaming, recent Microsoft game developer layoffs, the lack of profitability of the Xbox division, the threat that Sony PSP poses to Windows Portable Media Center devices, the lack of a portable Xbox gaming device, competition from Sony, mass market games, and Halo 2. It's a long interview but worth taking time to read." S!: Also, GameSpot's two-part interview with Yoshihiro Maruyama and Mike Fischer of Microsoft Japan discusses "how they plan on leveraging the hardcore gamer and cultural nuances to increase [Xbox] awareness, loyalty, and sales."
Microsoft should drop Japan
They could do that sure, and save money. But there is a catch: If they don't court 3rd parties they are never going to even begin to catch Sony. If they ditch the Japanese market then a lot of Japanese 3rd party companies are not going to bother producing for the X-box, meanwhile the PS2 is everywhere so producing a game on it would hit every market with only a little bit of localization and some fresh box-art.
Staying out of the handheld market is a good idea at this point, Nintendo is going to be a tough one to budge and only Sony is strong enough to try it with a realistic expectation of success.
On Wall Street they say "buy low, sell high" On the pad we say, "buy high, sell high" Isn't that somehow better?
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