Microsoft to pour even more cash into Xbox (1 Viewer)

[Kelley_B]

Even though they have already pledged $2Billion to Xbox, looks like they are going to give it even more.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/843308.asp?0dm=C1ANT

 

[Jeff Kleist]

hope it's not to try to bolster Japan. Frankly I don't think throwing more money at it is going to help

 

[Tony Whalen]

I don't see anything in that article that we didn't know already... other than John Connors saying "The fallback position is probably to double down and make it successful."

Microsoft is expected by analysts to spend more than $2 billion over five years on the Xbox machine

Which is exactly what we knew beforehand. We all knew they are in for the long haul, and that they had budgeted 2Billion over the next few years.... I'm not ever sure why this is news...
It's not like MS will go belly-up in the next couple of years if they don't turn a profit....

 

[Dave Bennett]

Unless that money is going toward bringing out some great exclusives, it'll be money wasted. The software selection is the only thing holding me back from getting an xbox. If they can improve that I'm sold.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Unless that money is going toward bringing out some great exclusives, it'll be money wasted.

Well, part of that money went to buying Rare, so I'd say that will bring some exclusives.
They were working on a deal that would have netted them Sega and Squaresoft, but it didn't work out. But that doesn't mean that no more aquisitions will happen.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

IF they actually managed to buy Sega, Square and Capcom MS would be unstoppable more than likely

 

[Masood Ali]

You have to realize that companies like Sega, Square, and Capcom have some self-respect. Being Japanese companies, being bought out by Microsoft would make them the laughing-stock in their home country, effectively limiting their potential market to a million consoles.

 

[CaptDS9E]

I agree japan is a huge market but if they dont want to play the xbox focus on everyone else

capt

 

[Benson R]

Even though they are Japanese companies they still have a bottom line and in the end that is what governs their decisions. I wouldn't be surprised at all if in the future Sega was bought out by MS. Sega has a parent company and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they sold Sega to MS.

Unless that money is going toward bringing out some great exclusives, it'll be money wasted.

I think MS already has better exclusives though maybe not more. Most of the big titles these days are on all systems and with games like Splinter Cell I think PS2 is being given a run for its money in regards to exclusives. Of course PS2 still has the juggernaut GTA but that is the only exclusive that is getting a lot of play time on my ps2 right now

 

[Dave Bennett]

correct me if i'm wrong, but splinter cell is not an xbox exclusive, it's just out on the xbox first(much like Dead to Rights). I'm sure the xbox version is the prettiest and best sounding but if I really want the game, I'll just buy it for my cube.

 

[Steven M K]

You are correct Dave, and I couldn't agree more...I am more than content playing Metroid and Resident Evil and wait a couple of months for Splinter Cell.

 

[Tino D'Voe]

I know many people think that if Microsoft takes over the video game industry that it'll be great. But wait a minute, how the f#$% would that happen? The whole business would be in the hands of a company that can turn out whatever they want, whenever they want. The whole competition between nintendo, sony and MS to one up each other would be gone! Billy Gates will do what he pleases with the whole industry. Personally I think it would suck, and I won't support it.

 

[Dave F]

I don't think anyone here wants one single Dark Lord to rule the industry. However, it is in our best interest to have MS be successful and be a worthwhile competitor to Sony, who right now is very close to complete domination.

-Dave (who apparently wants numerous Dark Lords to rule the industry)

 

[Jason Price]

You are correct Dave, and I couldn't agree more...I am more than content playing Metroid and Resident Evil and wait a couple of months for Splinter Cell.

I've heard rumors that the PS2 and GC versions were not definite. I know a recent dev chat from UbiSoft mentioned that there were no definite plans to port it to the PS2 and GC, but that could have been due to the time-limited exclusivity deal. Anyone know any concrete details?

 

[Jeff Kleist]

The game buisness really isn't big enough for 3 players. There's enough room for 1 dominar, and 2 niches. While that can be good it means if you want to play the niche you're screwed for the third parties (assuming you can only afford 1 console)

8-Bit- Nintendo Smash! Sega crawl

16-Bit- Sega stomp NEC, Nintendo Crunch! Happy balance is achieved

32-Bit- Sega wimper, Sony SMASH! Nintendo crawl
Who cares about Bits anymore- Sony SMASH! Sega crawl and die, MS murmur Nintendo crawl

 

[BrianB]

Anyone know any concrete details?

It's time exclusive, like Dead To Rights was (which, BTW, is much improved on the PS2/GC - a lot of the issues people had with the XBox version's gameplay have been resolved).

 

[Ted F]

"Which is exactly what we knew beforehand. We all knew they are in for the long haul, and that they had budgeted 2Billion over the next few years.... I'm not ever sure why this is news...

It's not like MS will go belly-up in the next couple of years if they don't turn a profit.... "

That's not exactly what we knew beforehand. The news a few months ago was that MS Corporate was growing impatient at the lack of returns from the Xbox venture. They weren't encouraged that the on-line venture wasn't supposed to turn a profit for another twenty years. They were actually talking about unplugging the Xbox if things didn't pick up. That's why its news. I don't care how much money my company was making, If I were the owner of a company and I decided I was going to make a side venture, but lost quite a bit of money doing so, I don't think I'd be very receptive to a department head coming to my desk with a plan to dump even more money in my losing venture. I might even fire the guy. It doesn't matter how much money a company has. A loss of profits is still a loss of profits, and it shows up in your earnings reports. It sure is easy to talk about blowing money down the crapper when it isn't your own. Or for those that own MSFT stock, it is your own.
That said, I'm glad they're taking a risk and doing what they're doing.

 

[Benson R]

I think we are going to have to see how the sales went after this christmas so everyone can readjust their predictions. MS has been giving the xbox a strung push this season much more than sony so we will see whether the public has warmed up to the box.

I think gamecube is also at a critical point. A nintendo flagship system will never die prematurely in the US because of their loyal following but it is possible it might not catch on with the mainstream and therefore be labeled a failure.

 

[BrianB]

I think gamecube is also at a critical point.

I think the gamecube is at a very critical point for third party support, but I don't think it's in any danger of losing games from Nintendo. It's more likely to turn (more so) into the N64-2.

 

[Ted F]

Didn't Nintendo's main development team split in order to produce twice as many games? Hence Wario World and Zelda within a month of each other?