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Found this article at www.plaentxbox.com
What do you think?
Xbox: Pluses and Minuses
by: Fragmaster | June 7, 2000
Many an industry expert has already speculated on how successful the Xbox will be. Some have even said that they believe the Xbox is vaporware and simply a red herring to distract PC developer's attention away from the PS2, and it'll never see the light of day. Stranger things have happened, I suppose.
I'm not an industry expert, I'm just some dumb schmuck who likes games. And here are my current opinions on the Xbox, subject to change since this sucker won't be out for awhile:
It's Made By Microsoft
Pluses:
In case you haven't noticed yet, Microsoft is huge. Monopoly huge. They're the biggest PC software company in the world. Their operating systems power the vast majority of the world's desktop computers. Internet Explorer is used by more users to view World Wide Web pages than any other browser.
Microsoft can afford to spend money and market the hell out of Xbox. They can buy up developers, they can sell the consoles at a loss, they can use their billions of dollars of assets and influence to their advantage.
Minuses:
Anybody remember Microsoft Sound System? Microsoft Bob? Microsoft has their hands in a lot of things already, and their success is hit and miss. Anybody remember how MSN was supposed to rule the world and topple AOL? It didn't even come close. Oh, and there's that little tiff the government of the United States has with Microsoft that may cause Microsoft to go splitsville. Xbox just could get lost in the shuffle.
Microsoft Has No Previous Experience with Consoles
Pluses:
That's not totally true, since Microsoft did work with Sega on the Dreamcast and some other minor console-related things in the past, but the fact Microsoft hasn't released a console per se isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sony had never released a traditional console before it released the Playstation, and it went on to outsell both the Atari 2600 and the NES.
Minuses:
Microsoft is being thrust into an industry it, historically, has had absolutely nothing to do with. On the development side, this means that it's probably been difficult getting some developers to support the system, since they've already pledged allegiance to an old ally. Also, gaining mindshare in the hearts of consumers isn't easy. When you say "Nintendo," "Sega," and "Playstation," you think of videogames.
The Architecture of the Xbox is Basically a Stripped Down PC
Pluses:
While the architecture of the Xbox is PC based, its design gives it several advantages over PC's. First of all, it's a standardized platform. PC games have to be designed to work on a variety of machines with different sound, video, and processor capabilities. Thus, Xbox games will be easier and cheaper to develop (in theory) because less technical problems will arise and less time will be needed for Quality Assurance. And since developers are already familiar with PC development to begin with, the transition to Xbox development should be an easy one. Plus, there's the potential to draw upon the huge library of games released on PC's over the years: early Xbox games may simply be big collections of older PC games. The Xbox may even be a better platform than the most decked out PC because the Xbox is optimized for gaming. If games are designed with the Xbox's capabilities in mind, you'll probably see games with gameplay and graphics that even the most powerful PC can't match. And the built-in broadband support opens up some exciting opportunities for online games.
Minuses:
One problem with the Xbox sharing a common architecture with PC's is that there's potential for a lot of bad PC ports. Many PC games, even the good ones, just don't translate well to consoles. Look at Red Alert: cool PC game, but RTS's don't work nearly as well without a mouse and high resolution.
Microsoft Isn't Japanese
Pluses:
Microsoft, as a North American company, may be in a better position to judge the needs of the American gaming populace and produce games appropriately. OK, that's kind of reaching, but since the majority of PC games are developed in America (PC's aren't very popular for gaming in Japan, remember), the Xbox has the potential to draw upon a vast talent pool of developers already familiar with the architecture.
Minuses:
While Americans invented the videogame, the videogame industry has traditionally been dominated by the Japanese. The last North American designed console to dominate the industry was the Atari 2600, and that was twenty years ago. After the fall of Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and Sony became the big players. Any North American company that tried to go head-to-head with the big boys fell on their faces (See: 3DO, Atari Jaguar). And even back in the days of the 2600, some of the most popular games of the era were designed by the Japanese: Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders were all imports, just to name a few.
That trend continues today, as nearly all of the most popular console games are designed and produced in Japan. Getting the support of Japanese developers will probably be important to the long-term success of the Xbox. Microsoft knows this, and has already taken steps to make sure the Japanese support the platform. Whether everything will pan out remains to be seen.
There's Already Too Much Competition! And it Won't be out until 2001!
Pluses:
The biggest advantage with shipping the latest is that you'll have the best technology… at least until somebody else one-ups you a couple years later. Yes, there is a lot of competition right now, especially considering the PS2 and Dolphin on the horizon, but you could argue that your chances are better when you're duking it out with a bunch of new consoles rather than going against one firmly entrenched super-system. And beside, doesn't competition breed innovation? Won't all this fighting for market share lead to better games? After all, that's what sells consoles.
Minuses:
With all the other consoles on the market, Xbox might just get lost in the shuffle. Consumers, unsure of what console to buy, may stick with the "name-brand" Playstation2 instead of buying anything new. Developers and publishers, unsure of which console to support, may end up only porting PS2 or PC games to the Xbox and not devote resources to devoting Xbox-only titles. Blah!
Will The Xbox Make It?
Nobody knows! It's really to early to tell even what the system's final specifications may be, let alone what kind of cool games you'll be able to play for it.
When most people talk about the next generation system wars, they talk as if there will be one clear winner and the other guys will just fade away and die quickly. That's almost never true. The N64 and PSX co-existed, and each system was a success in its own way: the PSX sold better and was more popular among your average gamer, but the N64 had its share of great games and was far more popular than the PSX among younger gamers.
So… while it's too early to tell whether or not the Xbox will be a resounding success, beating the competition into submission or a miserable failure that nearly bankrupts Microsoft (or something in between), it's always fun to speculate and make guesses. I could ramble on and on, but we won't truly know if the Xbox will be the next big thing until we actually get it in our hot little hands and in front of our televisions at home.
"I know no way of judging of the future but by the past." - Patrick Henry, 1775.
"Who knows, Robin? This strange mixing of minds may be the greatest single service ever performed for humanity! Let's go, but, inconspicuously, through the window. We'll use our Batropes. Our job is finished." - Batman, 1966.
What do you think?
Xbox: Pluses and Minuses
by: Fragmaster | June 7, 2000
Many an industry expert has already speculated on how successful the Xbox will be. Some have even said that they believe the Xbox is vaporware and simply a red herring to distract PC developer's attention away from the PS2, and it'll never see the light of day. Stranger things have happened, I suppose.
I'm not an industry expert, I'm just some dumb schmuck who likes games. And here are my current opinions on the Xbox, subject to change since this sucker won't be out for awhile:
It's Made By Microsoft
Pluses:
In case you haven't noticed yet, Microsoft is huge. Monopoly huge. They're the biggest PC software company in the world. Their operating systems power the vast majority of the world's desktop computers. Internet Explorer is used by more users to view World Wide Web pages than any other browser.
Microsoft can afford to spend money and market the hell out of Xbox. They can buy up developers, they can sell the consoles at a loss, they can use their billions of dollars of assets and influence to their advantage.
Minuses:
Anybody remember Microsoft Sound System? Microsoft Bob? Microsoft has their hands in a lot of things already, and their success is hit and miss. Anybody remember how MSN was supposed to rule the world and topple AOL? It didn't even come close. Oh, and there's that little tiff the government of the United States has with Microsoft that may cause Microsoft to go splitsville. Xbox just could get lost in the shuffle.
Microsoft Has No Previous Experience with Consoles
Pluses:
That's not totally true, since Microsoft did work with Sega on the Dreamcast and some other minor console-related things in the past, but the fact Microsoft hasn't released a console per se isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sony had never released a traditional console before it released the Playstation, and it went on to outsell both the Atari 2600 and the NES.
Minuses:
Microsoft is being thrust into an industry it, historically, has had absolutely nothing to do with. On the development side, this means that it's probably been difficult getting some developers to support the system, since they've already pledged allegiance to an old ally. Also, gaining mindshare in the hearts of consumers isn't easy. When you say "Nintendo," "Sega," and "Playstation," you think of videogames.
The Architecture of the Xbox is Basically a Stripped Down PC
Pluses:
While the architecture of the Xbox is PC based, its design gives it several advantages over PC's. First of all, it's a standardized platform. PC games have to be designed to work on a variety of machines with different sound, video, and processor capabilities. Thus, Xbox games will be easier and cheaper to develop (in theory) because less technical problems will arise and less time will be needed for Quality Assurance. And since developers are already familiar with PC development to begin with, the transition to Xbox development should be an easy one. Plus, there's the potential to draw upon the huge library of games released on PC's over the years: early Xbox games may simply be big collections of older PC games. The Xbox may even be a better platform than the most decked out PC because the Xbox is optimized for gaming. If games are designed with the Xbox's capabilities in mind, you'll probably see games with gameplay and graphics that even the most powerful PC can't match. And the built-in broadband support opens up some exciting opportunities for online games.
Minuses:
One problem with the Xbox sharing a common architecture with PC's is that there's potential for a lot of bad PC ports. Many PC games, even the good ones, just don't translate well to consoles. Look at Red Alert: cool PC game, but RTS's don't work nearly as well without a mouse and high resolution.
Microsoft Isn't Japanese
Pluses:
Microsoft, as a North American company, may be in a better position to judge the needs of the American gaming populace and produce games appropriately. OK, that's kind of reaching, but since the majority of PC games are developed in America (PC's aren't very popular for gaming in Japan, remember), the Xbox has the potential to draw upon a vast talent pool of developers already familiar with the architecture.
Minuses:
While Americans invented the videogame, the videogame industry has traditionally been dominated by the Japanese. The last North American designed console to dominate the industry was the Atari 2600, and that was twenty years ago. After the fall of Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and Sony became the big players. Any North American company that tried to go head-to-head with the big boys fell on their faces (See: 3DO, Atari Jaguar). And even back in the days of the 2600, some of the most popular games of the era were designed by the Japanese: Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders were all imports, just to name a few.
That trend continues today, as nearly all of the most popular console games are designed and produced in Japan. Getting the support of Japanese developers will probably be important to the long-term success of the Xbox. Microsoft knows this, and has already taken steps to make sure the Japanese support the platform. Whether everything will pan out remains to be seen.
There's Already Too Much Competition! And it Won't be out until 2001!
Pluses:
The biggest advantage with shipping the latest is that you'll have the best technology… at least until somebody else one-ups you a couple years later. Yes, there is a lot of competition right now, especially considering the PS2 and Dolphin on the horizon, but you could argue that your chances are better when you're duking it out with a bunch of new consoles rather than going against one firmly entrenched super-system. And beside, doesn't competition breed innovation? Won't all this fighting for market share lead to better games? After all, that's what sells consoles.
Minuses:
With all the other consoles on the market, Xbox might just get lost in the shuffle. Consumers, unsure of what console to buy, may stick with the "name-brand" Playstation2 instead of buying anything new. Developers and publishers, unsure of which console to support, may end up only porting PS2 or PC games to the Xbox and not devote resources to devoting Xbox-only titles. Blah!
Will The Xbox Make It?
Nobody knows! It's really to early to tell even what the system's final specifications may be, let alone what kind of cool games you'll be able to play for it.
When most people talk about the next generation system wars, they talk as if there will be one clear winner and the other guys will just fade away and die quickly. That's almost never true. The N64 and PSX co-existed, and each system was a success in its own way: the PSX sold better and was more popular among your average gamer, but the N64 had its share of great games and was far more popular than the PSX among younger gamers.
So… while it's too early to tell whether or not the Xbox will be a resounding success, beating the competition into submission or a miserable failure that nearly bankrupts Microsoft (or something in between), it's always fun to speculate and make guesses. I could ramble on and on, but we won't truly know if the Xbox will be the next big thing until we actually get it in our hot little hands and in front of our televisions at home.
"I know no way of judging of the future but by the past." - Patrick Henry, 1775.
"Who knows, Robin? This strange mixing of minds may be the greatest single service ever performed for humanity! Let's go, but, inconspicuously, through the window. We'll use our Batropes. Our job is finished." - Batman, 1966.
I also heard that they'd lowered the clock speed on the graphics card, but also others have said that the difference is not noticeable when playing games. It'll push less polygons, but fractionally so, so gamers won't notice the difference.
The Xbox, only last week, had it's specification lowered, because the processor couldn't keep up with the GPU. Doesn't that tell you something??
The article is over a year old, but I think it does raise some valid points.
Its a pretty old article as it refers to the GameCube as the Dolphin.
It raises a number of points but thankfully now we have a lot more facts on the Xbox.
Basically the Xbox will be a great machine with a 733Mhz Cpu from Intel with a built in Graphics Architecture from Nividia, and of course a DVD drive made by Philips. Itll also have a 10GB hard drive and will be interenet ready.
Thats a bit simplified though, and doesnt go into the interesting stuff.
The grey area with the Xbox is what Microsoft puts into its Xbox rom. The stuff that will make the machine what it is, theres also a question of whether clever programmers will be able to turn the Xbox into a PC running Linux or Windows.
As a games machine the Xbox is powerful but offers nothing that Sony hasnt already provided(or will provide with the harddrive and modem add ons!), so I want to see what the gifted PC enthusiasts can do!
After all Ild feel guilty buying a £50 game for the Xbox, ...don't Microsoft have enough money ! If can buy games as cheaply as I can for the PC (like Unreal Tournament for £10) and play them on the Xbox Ill be happy if not Microsoft can say goodbye to my support.
If the Xbox makes gaming cheaper then Ill buy one, if its cheap to use online then Ild also consider buying one....other than that Im not going to buy one unless I can convert it to a PC.
After all I dont see why Microsoft should have another monopoly.
It raises a number of points but thankfully now we have a lot more facts on the Xbox.
Basically the Xbox will be a great machine with a 733Mhz Cpu from Intel with a built in Graphics Architecture from Nividia, and of course a DVD drive made by Philips. Itll also have a 10GB hard drive and will be interenet ready.
Thats a bit simplified though, and doesnt go into the interesting stuff.
The grey area with the Xbox is what Microsoft puts into its Xbox rom. The stuff that will make the machine what it is, theres also a question of whether clever programmers will be able to turn the Xbox into a PC running Linux or Windows.
As a games machine the Xbox is powerful but offers nothing that Sony hasnt already provided(or will provide with the harddrive and modem add ons!), so I want to see what the gifted PC enthusiasts can do!
After all Ild feel guilty buying a £50 game for the Xbox, ...don't Microsoft have enough money ! If can buy games as cheaply as I can for the PC (like Unreal Tournament for £10) and play them on the Xbox Ill be happy if not Microsoft can say goodbye to my support.
If the Xbox makes gaming cheaper then Ill buy one, if its cheap to use online then Ild also consider buying one....other than that Im not going to buy one unless I can convert it to a PC.
After all I dont see why Microsoft should have another monopoly.
Found this article at www.plaentxbox.com
What do you think?
Xbox: Pluses and Minuses
by: Fragmaster | June 7, 2000
Many an industry expert has already speculated on how successful the Xbox will be. Some have even said that they believe the Xbox is vaporware and simply a red herring to distract PC developer's attention away from the PS2, and it'll never see the light of day. Stranger things have happened, I suppose.
I'm not an industry expert, I'm just some dumb schmuck who likes games. And here are my current opinions on the Xbox, subject to change since this sucker won't be out for awhile:
It's Made By Microsoft
Pluses:
In case you haven't noticed yet, Microsoft is huge. Monopoly huge. They're the biggest PC software company in the world. Their operating systems power the vast majority of the world's desktop computers. Internet Explorer is used by more users to view World Wide Web pages than any other browser.
Microsoft can afford to spend money and market the hell out of Xbox. They can buy up developers, they can sell the consoles at a loss, they can use their billions of dollars of assets and influence to their advantage.
Minuses:
Anybody remember Microsoft Sound System? Microsoft Bob? Microsoft has their hands in a lot of things already, and their success is hit and miss. Anybody remember how MSN was supposed to rule the world and topple AOL? It didn't even come close. Oh, and there's that little tiff the government of the United States has with Microsoft that may cause Microsoft to go splitsville. Xbox just could get lost in the shuffle.
Microsoft Has No Previous Experience with Consoles
Pluses:
That's not totally true, since Microsoft did work with Sega on the Dreamcast and some other minor console-related things in the past, but the fact Microsoft hasn't released a console per se isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sony had never released a traditional console before it released the Playstation, and it went on to outsell both the Atari 2600 and the NES.
Minuses:
Microsoft is being thrust into an industry it, historically, has had absolutely nothing to do with. On the development side, this means that it's probably been difficult getting some developers to support the system, since they've already pledged allegiance to an old ally. Also, gaining mindshare in the hearts of consumers isn't easy. When you say "Nintendo," "Sega," and "Playstation," you think of videogames.
The Architecture of the Xbox is Basically a Stripped Down PC
Pluses:
While the architecture of the Xbox is PC based, its design gives it several advantages over PC's. First of all, it's a standardized platform. PC games have to be designed to work on a variety of machines with different sound, video, and processor capabilities. Thus, Xbox games will be easier and cheaper to develop (in theory) because less technical problems will arise and less time will be needed for Quality Assurance. And since developers are already familiar with PC development to begin with, the transition to Xbox development should be an easy one. Plus, there's the potential to draw upon the huge library of games released on PC's over the years: early Xbox games may simply be big collections of older PC games. The Xbox may even be a better platform than the most decked out PC because the Xbox is optimized for gaming. If games are designed with the Xbox's capabilities in mind, you'll probably see games with gameplay and graphics that even the most powerful PC can't match. And the built-in broadband support opens up some exciting opportunities for online games.
Minuses:
One problem with the Xbox sharing a common architecture with PC's is that there's potential for a lot of bad PC ports. Many PC games, even the good ones, just don't translate well to consoles. Look at Red Alert: cool PC game, but RTS's don't work nearly as well without a mouse and high resolution.
Microsoft Isn't Japanese
Pluses:
Microsoft, as a North American company, may be in a better position to judge the needs of the American gaming populace and produce games appropriately. OK, that's kind of reaching, but since the majority of PC games are developed in America (PC's aren't very popular for gaming in Japan, remember), the Xbox has the potential to draw upon a vast talent pool of developers already familiar with the architecture.
Minuses:
While Americans invented the videogame, the videogame industry has traditionally been dominated by the Japanese. The last North American designed console to dominate the industry was the Atari 2600, and that was twenty years ago. After the fall of Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and Sony became the big players. Any North American company that tried to go head-to-head with the big boys fell on their faces (See: 3DO, Atari Jaguar). And even back in the days of the 2600, some of the most popular games of the era were designed by the Japanese: Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders were all imports, just to name a few.
That trend continues today, as nearly all of the most popular console games are designed and produced in Japan. Getting the support of Japanese developers will probably be important to the long-term success of the Xbox. Microsoft knows this, and has already taken steps to make sure the Japanese support the platform. Whether everything will pan out remains to be seen.
There's Already Too Much Competition! And it Won't be out until 2001!
Pluses:
The biggest advantage with shipping the latest is that you'll have the best technology… at least until somebody else one-ups you a couple years later. Yes, there is a lot of competition right now, especially considering the PS2 and Dolphin on the horizon, but you could argue that your chances are better when you're duking it out with a bunch of new consoles rather than going against one firmly entrenched super-system. And beside, doesn't competition breed innovation? Won't all this fighting for market share lead to better games? After all, that's what sells consoles.
Minuses:
With all the other consoles on the market, Xbox might just get lost in the shuffle. Consumers, unsure of what console to buy, may stick with the "name-brand" Playstation2 instead of buying anything new. Developers and publishers, unsure of which console to support, may end up only porting PS2 or PC games to the Xbox and not devote resources to devoting Xbox-only titles. Blah!
Will The Xbox Make It?
Nobody knows! It's really to early to tell even what the system's final specifications may be, let alone what kind of cool games you'll be able to play for it.
When most people talk about the next generation system wars, they talk as if there will be one clear winner and the other guys will just fade away and die quickly. That's almost never true. The N64 and PSX co-existed, and each system was a success in its own way: the PSX sold better and was more popular among your average gamer, but the N64 had its share of great games and was far more popular than the PSX among younger gamers.
So… while it's too early to tell whether or not the Xbox will be a resounding success, beating the competition into submission or a miserable failure that nearly bankrupts Microsoft (or something in between), it's always fun to speculate and make guesses. I could ramble on and on, but we won't truly know if the Xbox will be the next big thing until we actually get it in our hot little hands and in front of our televisions at home.
"I know no way of judging of the future but by the past." - Patrick Henry, 1775.
"Who knows, Robin? This strange mixing of minds may be the greatest single service ever performed for humanity! Let's go, but, inconspicuously, through the window. We'll use our Batropes. Our job is finished." - Batman, 1966.
What do you think?
Xbox: Pluses and Minuses
by: Fragmaster | June 7, 2000
Many an industry expert has already speculated on how successful the Xbox will be. Some have even said that they believe the Xbox is vaporware and simply a red herring to distract PC developer's attention away from the PS2, and it'll never see the light of day. Stranger things have happened, I suppose.
I'm not an industry expert, I'm just some dumb schmuck who likes games. And here are my current opinions on the Xbox, subject to change since this sucker won't be out for awhile:
It's Made By Microsoft
Pluses:
In case you haven't noticed yet, Microsoft is huge. Monopoly huge. They're the biggest PC software company in the world. Their operating systems power the vast majority of the world's desktop computers. Internet Explorer is used by more users to view World Wide Web pages than any other browser.
Microsoft can afford to spend money and market the hell out of Xbox. They can buy up developers, they can sell the consoles at a loss, they can use their billions of dollars of assets and influence to their advantage.
Minuses:
Anybody remember Microsoft Sound System? Microsoft Bob? Microsoft has their hands in a lot of things already, and their success is hit and miss. Anybody remember how MSN was supposed to rule the world and topple AOL? It didn't even come close. Oh, and there's that little tiff the government of the United States has with Microsoft that may cause Microsoft to go splitsville. Xbox just could get lost in the shuffle.
Microsoft Has No Previous Experience with Consoles
Pluses:
That's not totally true, since Microsoft did work with Sega on the Dreamcast and some other minor console-related things in the past, but the fact Microsoft hasn't released a console per se isn't necessarily a bad thing. Sony had never released a traditional console before it released the Playstation, and it went on to outsell both the Atari 2600 and the NES.
Minuses:
Microsoft is being thrust into an industry it, historically, has had absolutely nothing to do with. On the development side, this means that it's probably been difficult getting some developers to support the system, since they've already pledged allegiance to an old ally. Also, gaining mindshare in the hearts of consumers isn't easy. When you say "Nintendo," "Sega," and "Playstation," you think of videogames.
The Architecture of the Xbox is Basically a Stripped Down PC
Pluses:
While the architecture of the Xbox is PC based, its design gives it several advantages over PC's. First of all, it's a standardized platform. PC games have to be designed to work on a variety of machines with different sound, video, and processor capabilities. Thus, Xbox games will be easier and cheaper to develop (in theory) because less technical problems will arise and less time will be needed for Quality Assurance. And since developers are already familiar with PC development to begin with, the transition to Xbox development should be an easy one. Plus, there's the potential to draw upon the huge library of games released on PC's over the years: early Xbox games may simply be big collections of older PC games. The Xbox may even be a better platform than the most decked out PC because the Xbox is optimized for gaming. If games are designed with the Xbox's capabilities in mind, you'll probably see games with gameplay and graphics that even the most powerful PC can't match. And the built-in broadband support opens up some exciting opportunities for online games.
Minuses:
One problem with the Xbox sharing a common architecture with PC's is that there's potential for a lot of bad PC ports. Many PC games, even the good ones, just don't translate well to consoles. Look at Red Alert: cool PC game, but RTS's don't work nearly as well without a mouse and high resolution.
Microsoft Isn't Japanese
Pluses:
Microsoft, as a North American company, may be in a better position to judge the needs of the American gaming populace and produce games appropriately. OK, that's kind of reaching, but since the majority of PC games are developed in America (PC's aren't very popular for gaming in Japan, remember), the Xbox has the potential to draw upon a vast talent pool of developers already familiar with the architecture.
Minuses:
While Americans invented the videogame, the videogame industry has traditionally been dominated by the Japanese. The last North American designed console to dominate the industry was the Atari 2600, and that was twenty years ago. After the fall of Atari, Nintendo, Sega, and Sony became the big players. Any North American company that tried to go head-to-head with the big boys fell on their faces (See: 3DO, Atari Jaguar). And even back in the days of the 2600, some of the most popular games of the era were designed by the Japanese: Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, and Space Invaders were all imports, just to name a few.
That trend continues today, as nearly all of the most popular console games are designed and produced in Japan. Getting the support of Japanese developers will probably be important to the long-term success of the Xbox. Microsoft knows this, and has already taken steps to make sure the Japanese support the platform. Whether everything will pan out remains to be seen.
There's Already Too Much Competition! And it Won't be out until 2001!
Pluses:
The biggest advantage with shipping the latest is that you'll have the best technology… at least until somebody else one-ups you a couple years later. Yes, there is a lot of competition right now, especially considering the PS2 and Dolphin on the horizon, but you could argue that your chances are better when you're duking it out with a bunch of new consoles rather than going against one firmly entrenched super-system. And beside, doesn't competition breed innovation? Won't all this fighting for market share lead to better games? After all, that's what sells consoles.
Minuses:
With all the other consoles on the market, Xbox might just get lost in the shuffle. Consumers, unsure of what console to buy, may stick with the "name-brand" Playstation2 instead of buying anything new. Developers and publishers, unsure of which console to support, may end up only porting PS2 or PC games to the Xbox and not devote resources to devoting Xbox-only titles. Blah!
Will The Xbox Make It?
Nobody knows! It's really to early to tell even what the system's final specifications may be, let alone what kind of cool games you'll be able to play for it.
When most people talk about the next generation system wars, they talk as if there will be one clear winner and the other guys will just fade away and die quickly. That's almost never true. The N64 and PSX co-existed, and each system was a success in its own way: the PSX sold better and was more popular among your average gamer, but the N64 had its share of great games and was far more popular than the PSX among younger gamers.
So… while it's too early to tell whether or not the Xbox will be a resounding success, beating the competition into submission or a miserable failure that nearly bankrupts Microsoft (or something in between), it's always fun to speculate and make guesses. I could ramble on and on, but we won't truly know if the Xbox will be the next big thing until we actually get it in our hot little hands and in front of our televisions at home.
"I know no way of judging of the future but by the past." - Patrick Henry, 1775.
"Who knows, Robin? This strange mixing of minds may be the greatest single service ever performed for humanity! Let's go, but, inconspicuously, through the window. We'll use our Batropes. Our job is finished." - Batman, 1966.