So why are people looking for an excuse to blast the Xbox? (1 Viewer)

[BrianB]

These few weeks are the most critical for the x-box. That is the indicator to software companies about whether people want games for it.

Nope, not at all. I've said it before and I'll say it again - the launch period is NOT an indicator for the longterm health of a console. Every console launched since the PSX has had a 'record breaking' launch - the N64, the DC, the PS2, the GC & the XBox. It's the months afterwards that matter, it's the next holiday period. That's the time where the sales start to gather critical mass and it's easier to tell who is going to survive and who is going to 'fail'.

 

[Masood Ali]

It's the months afterwards that matter, it's the next holiday period. That's the time where the sales start to gather critical mass and it's easier to tell who is going to survive and who is going to 'fail'.

Exactly. Another reason why Nintendo was saving their big guns for Summer-Winter 2002.

 

[Neil M]

Brian, i agree with you about the long term thing and i should have been more clear. I'm talking about the short term. X-box sales could pick up and then everyone would want to make games for it. But for the time being, companies would be reluctant to make games for a system that doesn't have stellar numbers, unless they're offered a lot of money.

 

[Camp]

Xbox is doing fine in the US... I think Microsoft can offer that to Japanese developers.

They can offer them an entry into the lucrative US market if they support Xbox in Japan. We'll take your game to the states and give it a chance to sell...thus giving you a chance at millions of potential fans.

 

[Dave Falasco]

I think the Xbox is an overwhelming success. Wanna know why? Because I have enjoyed the hell out of playing it from (literally) Day One. Halo, Gotham, JSRF, Genma Onimusha, and THPS3 have been incredible gaming experiences, and Brute Force, Buffy, Hunter, Rallisport Challenge, Blood Omen 2, Project Ego, and a whole slew of other titles look to continue that trend. I have never been happier with a gaming system, and I've owned quite a few. MS has an incredible console that delivers incredible games, period. Some people on the other side of the world are missing out? So what. Their loss.
If you can sit down with Halo for an hour in a true home theater and tell me with a straight face that the Xbox is a failure, you're either crazy or a liar. So I guess I am trying to say what Camp already said...it really is all about the games. I have a console with quite a few games that I really enjoy, and the prospect of many more on the horizon. So to me, the Xbox is a success no matter what happens in Shinjuku or Tokyo.
What I honestly don't understand is the glee with which people proclaim the doom of the Xbox. It's already been demonstrated several times over to deliver a unique gaming experience...why would it be such a good thing if it ultimately failed? I understand brand loyalty, but damn! Look, I drive a Toyota, but that doesn't mean I want Nissan to fail...

 

[Romier S]

What I honestly don't understand is the glee with which people proclaim the doom of the Xbox. It's already been demonstrated several times over to deliver a unique gaming experience...why would it be such a good thing if it ultimately failed? I understand brand loyalty, but damn! Look, I drive a Toyota, but that doesn't mean I want Nissan to fail...

Three words. SECURITY OF PURCHASE. People would prefer a console they DIDN'T buy or just dislike for sill reasons to fail so they can be secure in the purchase that they DID make. Lord knows no one ever wants be wrong:rolleyes

 

[Todd H]

*sigh*
I think we all know the REAL reason a lot of people want to see the X-Box fail. The only problem is everyone is afraid to say it for fear of getting flamed. So I will step up to the plate and say what everyone is thinking.
[flamesuit]
The reason people want to see the X-Box fail is quite simple. After watching Microsoft get found guilty of unfair business practices in order to maintain their monopoly, a lot of people want to see them take it on the chin. They feel Microsoft is just trying to bully its way into another market by slapping together a game machine using PC parts and marketing the hell out of it. They feel that if they themselves were to be found guilty of breaking the law and purgery, they would have the book thrown at them. Yet Microsoft will probably get a slap on the wrist. This implies a double standard to them.
[/flamesuit]
NOTE: The above does not represent my opinion on the subject. Please bear this in mind when you begin flaming away!

 

[Lou Sytsma]

From my perspective the arguments I'm seeing for and against for the XBox are exactly the same ones the were made when the PS1 was introduced.

The PS1 succeeded because Nintendo stuck with cartridges when it was clear that CDs were the way to go and Sega's Saturn was designed with 2D gaming in mind. Sega only added 3D capabilities at the last moment making the Saturn difficult to code for.

Sony has built on the success of the PS1 and nicely leveraged of that with the launch of the PS2. They have a big lead built up over their competitors.

This go around I see all 3 companies sticking around for the long haul. Sony has the great software library, Nintendo has the games people of all ages want to play, and Microsoft has the deep pockets to allow them to build up their library of games and offer games people want to play.

We probably won't get a true ranking of the companies until the next generation of consoles are released.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I've said this before: if I say anything bad about the X-Box, its not brand loyalty or protecting my purchase, its about the X-Box having some negative quality(ies). It has very few games that I would ever consider purchasing (even with spare cash), does not offer me much that I could care about having right now in a console (DD5.1 is great, but if the game sucks, the game sucks--not saying that all of them do, though), and overall is not what I think people are cracking it up to be. $300 is a lot of money, especially for something that I could care less about having. I can think of 2, maybe 3, games that I would get for the X-Box, and $400 for 2 games, no matter how good, is not worth it.

That is why I "bash" the X-Box. I "bash" it on the merits, not my loyalties.

PS- I want an X-Box, though. I know it will have a lot of good, if not great, games in the future, and I REALLY want Halo, but I still can't justify $350 for one excellent game.

 

[Mike LS]

I too, think there is alot of Microsoft bias in some peoples "reasons" for not giving the Box a chance.

I think if the PS2 had released and a game like GTA3 had been the only really good release game (not counting the backwards compatibility), it still would have sold well regardless.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

For the record, I intend on having an XB by the end of the Summer. My Sega loyalty and the pluses of it supercede most of the negatives.

Am I still going to get a PS2 after the price drop? Yup.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I think if the PS2 had released and a game like GTA3 had been the only really good release game (not counting the backwards compatibility), it still would have sold well regardless

With the companies that Sony had signed on already and the reputation of the PSX, the PS2 could have launched without any games and have sold well.

 

[Chris Bardon]

Interesting side note to this whole discussion-Future shop now has the Ps2 and Xbox at the same price-so much for a lower price point. Still haven't decided on whether I'll get a Ps2 after the price drop-depends on the status of Xbox GTA3 I suppose...

 

[Masood Ali]

GTA3 will hit the PC before the Xbox; a viable option if you have a decent PC.

As for the lower price-point, some retailers are partially lowering their prices. Overstock.com has new PS2s for around $240 shipped.

 

[Dave Falasco]

Morgan, after thinking about your post for a while, I can appreciate your point. In my opinion, the Xbox has lots of fantastic games, not just one. But I know from your previous posts that you are a big RPG fan (and especially Square's offerings), and you have stated that you don't like driving, fighting, or sports games (mostly during the Dreamcast discussions a few months ago). And since there aren't any good Xbox RPG games and many of the Xbox's strongest titles fall into the latter genres, I can see why you aren't a big X-fan. I think you can appreciate, though, that for fans of games in those genres, the Xbox is a pretty good choice. Especially if those people have home theater systems.

Just as the Dreamcast didn't have many games that appealed to you (in your own words), I can understand if the Xbox's library also isn't to your liking.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

No offense, but you got me wrong.

First of all, I LOVE fighting games (in fact, that was probably the best aspect of the DC--all the Capcom 2-D fighters). The X-Box only has DoA3 (I could care less about the multiplayer fighting type games on XB) and the gameplay for it is just like DoA2:H, which I have, so its not really worth buying.

I don't like sports games (unless its an extreme thing, like Tony Hawk, SSX, or NFL Blitz--and even so I probably wouldn't buy it but rather ask for it as a present or something). I also don't like racing games unless there is some sort of appeal to it (like Diddy Kong Racing having all the additional stuff to do). So pretty much I don't like traditional sports/racing games.

If you take all the X-Box games that aren't spinoffs, ports, sports, racing, or bad, then you will see what games would make me want to purchase an XB (I don't like ports or spinoffs factoring into my decision because its less on the merits of the console but on the developers or the series' success, but sequels are OK as long as they are exclusive). As I see it, the only game I would like (based on the info I have read) is HALO. If you can think of any others, I wouldn't like them because of disinterest, not being to my tastes, or just not thinking of them as real reasons to buy an XB.

 

[Chris_Anders]

Morgan: What the heck did you just say? That whole last post didn't make a whole lot of sense. I really have no idea what you're trying to say in this thread, or where you're going with it.

On a different note, I am an owner of an Xbox (obviously) and I can tell you right now, that I am EXTREMELY happy with my purchase. I have never had so much fun playing games, granted i have a 27in WEGA TV with Dolby Digital surround. To each their own I say, but damnit....let me be happy with my freaking system. I too get tired of all the console war crap that gets slung around.

I will someday get a PS2 when the price drops drastically. And by that point I'll probably be playing Xbox online extensively. So only when I get tired of that will I really play the PS2, but it will be worth it. I'll save it for when I have kids someday maybe.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I was responding to Dave's post. Should have noted that...

Am I the only one who thinks online gaming is overrated? Yes, there are cool things to it, but I would much prefer one amazing single player experience to one online experience. It costs money per month(most do, anyways), will probably be slow because of the low amount of broadband users, and putting it on consoles will draw inexperienced annoying idiots to the games, which will ruin the experience completely. The only positives I see is a near endless replay value (you will eventually get sick of the game).

Plus, some online games will be out of date and unplayable after a certain time because the servers made to run them will be down. Single player games will always be playable (unless they change all the standards for television and consoles suddenly stop working).

All IMO, anyway.

Oh, and be happy with your X-Box. I'm sorry to say it, but right now I'm probably more happy with my PS2 than I would be an X-Box. I have a sneaking suspicion that the same would go for most people (unless they hate good games). Not trying to be personal, but its almost universally agreed upon that the PS2 right now is the superior system.

But only time will tell, and I hope the X-Box catches up quickly. I want more reasons to get one.

 

[Joe michaels]

but its almost universally agreed upon that the PS2 right now is the superior system.

I think we would universally agree that the PS2 has more games. That is it the "SUPERIOR" system is another issue.

Are the XBOX a bit slow in coming? Probably but by Christmas this argument will be over.

 

[MikeM]

I see any Xbox "bashing", or people who want it to fail, much the same as those people out there wanting the Macintosh to fail.

People see anything new (and in the minority) as a threat to their mainstream PCs/Consoles. They want it to fail so that they can selfishly feel they made the right "choice" in gaming/PC use, etc. No one wants to be the last guy asking where he can still rent Beta video tapes.

The true irony in this all is that big ol' Microsoft (with the Xbox) is now the minority platform, and the shoe is on the other foot.

I recently had the choice between buying my first PS2 or an XBox. The choice was easy, I went with the PS2. It's all about the games for me. However, I would like to have the Xbox do well. It can only help push the PS3 to new heights, and possibly have it roll out quicker. If there's a delay, then maybe by then the Xbox will have a better library of games, and I'll jump boat and buy one.

Either way, it's all about the games.