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Well it isn't the past or present, and it's going to be made so it isn't the conditional, so XBox is the future so you better get ready for it...
How could the first ‘console’ from the software giants Microsoft fare? Will it be any good? I hope so. Maybe this new machine can change the way we play games and add a whole new aspect to the way consoles are made.
If it has internet access then that'll be great, if it can replicate all the strong qualities of the PC and combine them with the ease of use of Games consoles then maybe we'll have a PC/Console Hybrid. If Microsoft get things right, and it seems as though they have so far, then we could see the future potential winner of the next generation of Gaming hardware.
What about the competition though? Have the PS2 shortages meant that the XBox could trample all over it? No chance. Could Sega's lack of financial capital for advertising mean the Dreamcast will be easy to beat? Of course. And will the 'solely for games' Game-Cube from Nintendo just be a simple obstacle for the Mighty XBox? I doubt it. With a lot of money for advertising, and lots of developer and publisher support, it could be the best new machine of recent times.
But there is one problem: the public's perception of Microsoft, Bill Gates, and the company image overall. I think that Sony have won a lot of fans with the success of Playstation (over 70million consoles sold in 5 years) and the PS2 isn't exactly collecting dust on the shelves. And, what about the Nintendo faithful? I doubt if they'll be won over easily.
Oh no, Microsoft will have to impress - big time. Otherwise we could see the quickest failure and demise of a company ever. If Microsoft really too much on capturing console gamers then they will have an uphill struggle on their hands, but if they aim more directly at PC owners, then we could see a potential Apple Mac rival and beater.
The main ingredients for success are: Great Games - this console will have to have a huge amount of quality ORIGINAL titles, because if people see the same old Fifa and RPG clones and the bog standard Ridge Racer games then Microsoft will lose face very quickly indeed. As it is, Microsoft hasn’t got the best reputation at the moment, especially since the company was forced to break into two due to its 'monopolising' nature. With over 733Mhz of processing power (over double that of the PS2) they surely will get a lot of great looking games, hopefully.
As it stands, the most appealing console in the future market seems to be the GameCube - after a stunning E3 display, Nintendo are on for a lot of success, but Microsoft have a lot of backing. Nearly every developer in the world has signed the dotted line.
Look out for Bizarre Creations' MSR 'sequel' aptly named Project Gotham, it actually looks stunning though - from the screen shots I have seen.
EA are with Microsoft, spreading there wings, and should release some decent enough sports games on the format.
More importantly, Sega Sports along with Sega are with Xbox - and that does bode well. Anyone who's played Virtua tennis and NBA2k know why.
Microsoft of course can make their own games! Age of Empires and AOE2 are probably the best RTS games around, and the XBox is bound to get this.
Championship Manager will be on the Xbox. That my friends, is a very, very good thing.
Namco, Konami, THQ, Rareware, Activision, Acclaim, Infogrames, Ubi Soft - basically everyone will be making games for the box.
Let's hope they're good!
Microsoft will also need to advertise. A LOT. And they need to make it clear what product they're advertising by not making their adds too abstract - something that Sega didn't do too well (remember those Euro 2000 adverts about Online gaming? No? Exactly.) And so if they produce a lot of adverts and promote the XBox well, then they may stand a chance.
Well, it'll be a year before the XBox sees the light of day in Europe, but I'm sure the Microsoft XBox team have been working non stop so far to ensure complete domination of the games industry. Except, they haven't quite convinced Japan, and that is a problem. You see, our very, very distant relatives in Japan don't take too kindly to imports, especially when it comes down to gaming. Microsoft is American, and I don't think Microsoft have endeared there box of tricks to the land, of Shenmue and, of the rising sun.
Let me firstly say that they WON'T dominate the market, there IS room for 3 games consoles (GC, PS2 and X), but there is no way on earth that Mr Gate's firm won't be aiming for the top, they'll want to take the crown away from whoever wears it come the beginning of 2002. Dreamcast hasn't been squashed by Playstation 2, games companies simpy can't be bothered with it - at retail, it is dead. Game Cube will have a good Christmas I'm sure, and the PS2 and PSone will probably be doing very well, although I don't think PS2 will rule at all - plenty of Nintendo fans out there, still probably playing Golden Eye - which is a very good idea.
Forget Game Boy Advance, for the moment. We don't need a 32bit hand held in a 128bit world - well we do, but for now just concentrate on machines that were actually designed to sit on the floor (or stand, growl or scream for that matter). The XBox. It will be the most advanced machine ever released, and it will be a sure fire hit because of the way in which Microsoft have gone, and will go about marketing the console:
Game Store assistants will have a special Microsoft chip implanted in their brains (maybe it'll make them audible) so that they only recommend the XBox despite the millions of PS owners...
The Coca-Cola advertisement at Christmas will be interrupted by special arrangement - courtesy of Microsoft, and the voice will change just before the words 'Holidays are coming, holidays are coming' (you know the one) replaced by a drone style voice 'XBox is coming' 'XBox is coming' and then we'll all be brainwashed by this obviously...
Every prime time television soap, commercial and news report will be sponsored by Microsoft, with semi commercials happening during every single TV with a robot dog shouting 'XBox'. Everything will turn X-shape - we'll be buying X-shape cars, TV's, mobiles, fast food and all sorts!
But seriously now (for a change), Microsoft could not only become the dominant force in the gaming industry, but they will convert loyal and dedicated PC owners over to the world of style and compact ability - XBox will reach out to you, ask you what you desire and it will happen as long as you buy one. Bill Gates is one of the most 'envied' and perhaps, somewhat 'resented' people in the world, simply because he is the most successful living being on our planet, but he will have the most powerful weapon up his sleeve, and it won't be the XBox.
$500million is what the company has pledged for the promotion and advertising campaigns alone for the XBox. This is a huge amount of money, when you think how much the Dreamcast cost to develop (the same amount) you'll understand!
The gaming industry is about to be set alight with new entries and intense competition - it'll be exciting for onlookers, but for those competing it'll be ugly, and possibly even fatal...
The final ingredient is Timing. When will they console launch? Will it be too early? Or, perhaps it’ll arrive too late? Could the market be in the hands of Sony and Nintendo in the mean time? Well, if they want to bring their console out after the Game Cube, then they can forget it. The XBox really needs to be released in time for this Christmas, preferably sooner. It won’t be and 2002 beckons…
Game Cube will be released first. Let's see what happens.
The console will not be a true console – welcome to the first true hybrid. They’re here, they’ll do well, and it'll be a very interesting time for the games industry!
I'm off to make some money - I need a GBA game to go with my GBA!
How could the first ‘console’ from the software giants Microsoft fare? Will it be any good? I hope so. Maybe this new machine can change the way we play games and add a whole new aspect to the way consoles are made.
If it has internet access then that'll be great, if it can replicate all the strong qualities of the PC and combine them with the ease of use of Games consoles then maybe we'll have a PC/Console Hybrid. If Microsoft get things right, and it seems as though they have so far, then we could see the future potential winner of the next generation of Gaming hardware.
What about the competition though? Have the PS2 shortages meant that the XBox could trample all over it? No chance. Could Sega's lack of financial capital for advertising mean the Dreamcast will be easy to beat? Of course. And will the 'solely for games' Game-Cube from Nintendo just be a simple obstacle for the Mighty XBox? I doubt it. With a lot of money for advertising, and lots of developer and publisher support, it could be the best new machine of recent times.
But there is one problem: the public's perception of Microsoft, Bill Gates, and the company image overall. I think that Sony have won a lot of fans with the success of Playstation (over 70million consoles sold in 5 years) and the PS2 isn't exactly collecting dust on the shelves. And, what about the Nintendo faithful? I doubt if they'll be won over easily.
Oh no, Microsoft will have to impress - big time. Otherwise we could see the quickest failure and demise of a company ever. If Microsoft really too much on capturing console gamers then they will have an uphill struggle on their hands, but if they aim more directly at PC owners, then we could see a potential Apple Mac rival and beater.
The main ingredients for success are: Great Games - this console will have to have a huge amount of quality ORIGINAL titles, because if people see the same old Fifa and RPG clones and the bog standard Ridge Racer games then Microsoft will lose face very quickly indeed. As it is, Microsoft hasn’t got the best reputation at the moment, especially since the company was forced to break into two due to its 'monopolising' nature. With over 733Mhz of processing power (over double that of the PS2) they surely will get a lot of great looking games, hopefully.
As it stands, the most appealing console in the future market seems to be the GameCube - after a stunning E3 display, Nintendo are on for a lot of success, but Microsoft have a lot of backing. Nearly every developer in the world has signed the dotted line.
Look out for Bizarre Creations' MSR 'sequel' aptly named Project Gotham, it actually looks stunning though - from the screen shots I have seen.
EA are with Microsoft, spreading there wings, and should release some decent enough sports games on the format.
More importantly, Sega Sports along with Sega are with Xbox - and that does bode well. Anyone who's played Virtua tennis and NBA2k know why.
Microsoft of course can make their own games! Age of Empires and AOE2 are probably the best RTS games around, and the XBox is bound to get this.
Championship Manager will be on the Xbox. That my friends, is a very, very good thing.
Namco, Konami, THQ, Rareware, Activision, Acclaim, Infogrames, Ubi Soft - basically everyone will be making games for the box.
Let's hope they're good!
Microsoft will also need to advertise. A LOT. And they need to make it clear what product they're advertising by not making their adds too abstract - something that Sega didn't do too well (remember those Euro 2000 adverts about Online gaming? No? Exactly.) And so if they produce a lot of adverts and promote the XBox well, then they may stand a chance.
Well, it'll be a year before the XBox sees the light of day in Europe, but I'm sure the Microsoft XBox team have been working non stop so far to ensure complete domination of the games industry. Except, they haven't quite convinced Japan, and that is a problem. You see, our very, very distant relatives in Japan don't take too kindly to imports, especially when it comes down to gaming. Microsoft is American, and I don't think Microsoft have endeared there box of tricks to the land, of Shenmue and, of the rising sun.
Let me firstly say that they WON'T dominate the market, there IS room for 3 games consoles (GC, PS2 and X), but there is no way on earth that Mr Gate's firm won't be aiming for the top, they'll want to take the crown away from whoever wears it come the beginning of 2002. Dreamcast hasn't been squashed by Playstation 2, games companies simpy can't be bothered with it - at retail, it is dead. Game Cube will have a good Christmas I'm sure, and the PS2 and PSone will probably be doing very well, although I don't think PS2 will rule at all - plenty of Nintendo fans out there, still probably playing Golden Eye - which is a very good idea.
Forget Game Boy Advance, for the moment. We don't need a 32bit hand held in a 128bit world - well we do, but for now just concentrate on machines that were actually designed to sit on the floor (or stand, growl or scream for that matter). The XBox. It will be the most advanced machine ever released, and it will be a sure fire hit because of the way in which Microsoft have gone, and will go about marketing the console:
Game Store assistants will have a special Microsoft chip implanted in their brains (maybe it'll make them audible) so that they only recommend the XBox despite the millions of PS owners...
The Coca-Cola advertisement at Christmas will be interrupted by special arrangement - courtesy of Microsoft, and the voice will change just before the words 'Holidays are coming, holidays are coming' (you know the one) replaced by a drone style voice 'XBox is coming' 'XBox is coming' and then we'll all be brainwashed by this obviously...
Every prime time television soap, commercial and news report will be sponsored by Microsoft, with semi commercials happening during every single TV with a robot dog shouting 'XBox'. Everything will turn X-shape - we'll be buying X-shape cars, TV's, mobiles, fast food and all sorts!
But seriously now (for a change), Microsoft could not only become the dominant force in the gaming industry, but they will convert loyal and dedicated PC owners over to the world of style and compact ability - XBox will reach out to you, ask you what you desire and it will happen as long as you buy one. Bill Gates is one of the most 'envied' and perhaps, somewhat 'resented' people in the world, simply because he is the most successful living being on our planet, but he will have the most powerful weapon up his sleeve, and it won't be the XBox.
$500million is what the company has pledged for the promotion and advertising campaigns alone for the XBox. This is a huge amount of money, when you think how much the Dreamcast cost to develop (the same amount) you'll understand!
The gaming industry is about to be set alight with new entries and intense competition - it'll be exciting for onlookers, but for those competing it'll be ugly, and possibly even fatal...
The final ingredient is Timing. When will they console launch? Will it be too early? Or, perhaps it’ll arrive too late? Could the market be in the hands of Sony and Nintendo in the mean time? Well, if they want to bring their console out after the Game Cube, then they can forget it. The XBox really needs to be released in time for this Christmas, preferably sooner. It won’t be and 2002 beckons…
Game Cube will be released first. Let's see what happens.
The console will not be a true console – welcome to the first true hybrid. They’re here, they’ll do well, and it'll be a very interesting time for the games industry!
I'm off to make some money - I need a GBA game to go with my GBA!
Page:
SonicRav wrote:
> Wilmaaaaa wrote:
> X box has still gat to prove its
> self,gamecube has done so,looks
> great.X Box hmmmmmm very
> worrying
Hmmmm... GC.... Well! Read my last post, and u will
> realise the disaster that was E3! Also take into account that the
> big games there (of which Zelda and Mario were not 2!), were pretty
> poor! Metroid has lots of frame rate glitches, whereas Luigi's
> Mansion just seems... boring! Walk round a house sucking ghosts into
> a vacuum.
Sonic
Sonic you can see he's no Nintendo fan!
> Wilmaaaaa wrote:
> X box has still gat to prove its
> self,gamecube has done so,looks
> great.X Box hmmmmmm very
> worrying
Hmmmm... GC.... Well! Read my last post, and u will
> realise the disaster that was E3! Also take into account that the
> big games there (of which Zelda and Mario were not 2!), were pretty
> poor! Metroid has lots of frame rate glitches, whereas Luigi's
> Mansion just seems... boring! Walk round a house sucking ghosts into
> a vacuum.
Sonic
Sonic you can see he's no Nintendo fan!
The Xbox is certainly going to have a tough time when it is released. I mean, the PS2 is going from strength to strength, with some superb games heading it's way, and of course, there is the Gamecube, which also has a good range of launch games coming out for it. To really know about the Xbox's future, you need to know the competition.
Sony and Nintendo. Both companies have a lot of experience in the console market, Sony having the PSOne, one of the most successful consoles ever, and Nintendo, having the most experience, with the popular SNES, the very popular Gameboy, and the consoles that is home to some of the greatest games ever, the Nintendo64. I mean, come on, let's face it, these two are certainly going to be tough to beat. Can the Xbox pull it off? Well let's take a look at the two consoles.
Firstly, the PS2. The only 128-bit console available at the moment, and although it had a rocky start, with a quite unimpressive launch lineup and not as many must have games that everybody hoped at the moment, the PS2 is finally taking off. Sony have dropped the price of their console by £30 and there are more deals out there too chose from now. Sony are certainly pulling off all the stops trying to make the PS2 a success, and getting it off to an early start, which could be very important. On the game front, those must-have games are just around the corner, and some of these games could also be very important, as games such as GT3 and MGS2 could really help the sales of the PS2. Add to this the fact that Sony will probably drop the price again at christmas or nearer the launch of the Xbox, and the fact that PS2 will be online by the end of the year (in the US at least anyway), the Xbox, and the Gamecube, will certainly have tough competition when they are released.
Then there is the Gamecube, Nintendo's very own 128-bit console. With a lot of new information about Ninty's new console being released at the E3 show, the Gamecube is certainly proving to be popular, even at this early stages. One of the major announcements was that the Gamecube will be released 3 days before the Xbox and 100$ cheaper (in the States), this certainly won't help the Xbox. It will give people the choice, one which does not favour the Xbox. This choice being: Do I wait and pay 299$ for the Xbox, or but the cheaper Gamecube and PS2, which can both produce games that are just as good as the Xbox's. As I said, this doesn't favour the Xbox.
The launch line up for the Gamecube certainly looks promising, with a host of titles that are certainly getting Nintendo fans all hyped up, and are also impressing non-Nintendo fans, like me.
So, the Xbox certainly has a fight on it's hands for console supremacy. I am not saying that it will not be successful, I am just saying, it will be a tough, but good fight.
It is a little bit too early to start saying that this will be the best, that this is the future of console gaming. But, we will have a better idea closer to release, and, obviously, when the Xbox and the Gamecube are released.
Sony and Nintendo. Both companies have a lot of experience in the console market, Sony having the PSOne, one of the most successful consoles ever, and Nintendo, having the most experience, with the popular SNES, the very popular Gameboy, and the consoles that is home to some of the greatest games ever, the Nintendo64. I mean, come on, let's face it, these two are certainly going to be tough to beat. Can the Xbox pull it off? Well let's take a look at the two consoles.
Firstly, the PS2. The only 128-bit console available at the moment, and although it had a rocky start, with a quite unimpressive launch lineup and not as many must have games that everybody hoped at the moment, the PS2 is finally taking off. Sony have dropped the price of their console by £30 and there are more deals out there too chose from now. Sony are certainly pulling off all the stops trying to make the PS2 a success, and getting it off to an early start, which could be very important. On the game front, those must-have games are just around the corner, and some of these games could also be very important, as games such as GT3 and MGS2 could really help the sales of the PS2. Add to this the fact that Sony will probably drop the price again at christmas or nearer the launch of the Xbox, and the fact that PS2 will be online by the end of the year (in the US at least anyway), the Xbox, and the Gamecube, will certainly have tough competition when they are released.
Then there is the Gamecube, Nintendo's very own 128-bit console. With a lot of new information about Ninty's new console being released at the E3 show, the Gamecube is certainly proving to be popular, even at this early stages. One of the major announcements was that the Gamecube will be released 3 days before the Xbox and 100$ cheaper (in the States), this certainly won't help the Xbox. It will give people the choice, one which does not favour the Xbox. This choice being: Do I wait and pay 299$ for the Xbox, or but the cheaper Gamecube and PS2, which can both produce games that are just as good as the Xbox's. As I said, this doesn't favour the Xbox.
The launch line up for the Gamecube certainly looks promising, with a host of titles that are certainly getting Nintendo fans all hyped up, and are also impressing non-Nintendo fans, like me.
So, the Xbox certainly has a fight on it's hands for console supremacy. I am not saying that it will not be successful, I am just saying, it will be a tough, but good fight.
It is a little bit too early to start saying that this will be the best, that this is the future of console gaming. But, we will have a better idea closer to release, and, obviously, when the Xbox and the Gamecube are released.
Did you not see Casper???
Bonus wails with laughter as grown men own up to seeing this and then claim allegance with the childish GC.
How did I know about that?? Emm, well, my little brother told me, silly!!
Bonus wails with laughter as grown men own up to seeing this and then claim allegance with the childish GC.
How did I know about that?? Emm, well, my little brother told me, silly!!
Wilmaaaaa wrote:
> X box has still gat to prove its self,gamecube has done so,looks
> great.X Box hmmmmmm very worrying
Hmmmm... GC.... Well! Read my last post, and u will realise the disaster that was E3! Also take into account that the big games there (of which Zelda and Mario were not 2!), were pretty poor! Metroid has lots of frame rate glitches, whereas Luigi's Mansion just seems... boring! Walk round a house sucking ghosts into a vacuum.
Sonic
> X box has still gat to prove its self,gamecube has done so,looks
> great.X Box hmmmmmm very worrying
Hmmmm... GC.... Well! Read my last post, and u will realise the disaster that was E3! Also take into account that the big games there (of which Zelda and Mario were not 2!), were pretty poor! Metroid has lots of frame rate glitches, whereas Luigi's Mansion just seems... boring! Walk round a house sucking ghosts into a vacuum.
Sonic
Resevilfan wrote:
> The Xbox crashed at E3,juddered to high heaven and looked
> graphically identical to a standard pc,I wouldn't buy this thing for
> £20. I think PC owners are looking into it but just have a
> think, why is the xbox topic always at the bottom of the list here
> at SR.
I think you'll find that the GC had farrrrr more crashes and glitchs in Ninty's pre-E3 show! Metroid is meant to suffer horrible frame rates!
It's just an unrealible PC in disguise with joystick
> support and TV output.
Clearly you don't knwo anywhere near enough to comment! Have u seen the console specs? It's basically a DC style console with far more powerful processors!
Nintendo have a sure winner on their
> hands.
Well... after the glitches at E3, the lack of Zelda or Mario there, the lack of a huge fan base like sony, the domination of Sony in the industy AND the Xbox's parallel release. Also, Xbox have about $500 million to advertise with!
Sonic
> The Xbox crashed at E3,juddered to high heaven and looked
> graphically identical to a standard pc,I wouldn't buy this thing for
> £20. I think PC owners are looking into it but just have a
> think, why is the xbox topic always at the bottom of the list here
> at SR.
I think you'll find that the GC had farrrrr more crashes and glitchs in Ninty's pre-E3 show! Metroid is meant to suffer horrible frame rates!
It's just an unrealible PC in disguise with joystick
> support and TV output.
Clearly you don't knwo anywhere near enough to comment! Have u seen the console specs? It's basically a DC style console with far more powerful processors!
Nintendo have a sure winner on their
> hands.
Well... after the glitches at E3, the lack of Zelda or Mario there, the lack of a huge fan base like sony, the domination of Sony in the industy AND the Xbox's parallel release. Also, Xbox have about $500 million to advertise with!
Sonic
Anyone want to see a game worth buying a console for???
Check out Herdy Gerdy for the PS2, what an innovation in originality, well done to whoever are making it!!!!
Check out Herdy Gerdy for the PS2, what an innovation in originality, well done to whoever are making it!!!!
You don;t have to have played games to see that they are not going to be much cop. So far, I haven't seen any drop-dead, must-own Xbox titles, none worth buying a console for anyway. Still, pot pourri, pot pourri.
a very very very good point.
Dan2K1 wrote:
> One sentence:
"$500million on advertising"
money that could be better spent on making games/peripherals/console better.
> One sentence:
"$500million on advertising"
money that could be better spent on making games/peripherals/console better.
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