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We all know that the Xbox is the most powerful console on the planet. But technical specs aren't everything. It would appear Microsoft is having a bit of a rough landing since it has come to Britain (and Japan, but more on that later). A lot of facts have lead many to believe that the Xbox will be aonther Dreamcast, if early stories are to go by. The Xbox had a decent selection of games at launch (not great, yet not rubbish) and also maybe some gamers interested by the built in hard drive. But as I said, the Xbox has had a rough ride...
First of all, the resigning of the co-creator of the Xbox, Seamus Blackley. Now whether this is because of "flawed" sales is anyone's guess, yet the fact remains, he has gone, and he's meant to have the best hopes in th console, so what kind of image is that giving gamers, and what sort of hope does he show by resinging? The answer? Very little. So if one of the people who actually designed the console has little hope, what do you think we're going to believe?
Secondly, we have the unexpectedly low sales over in Japan, which is probably the most important market to penetrate as to get support from some of the world's best software developers. And from what figues show so far, they can't making much of a good impression. Yet the Japanese get their little controllers, they still ARE NOT HAPPY! And unfortunately, rumours we might be getting them have been crushed. So maybe the Japanese don't like US competition and have decided to boycott it, or maybe Microsoft just either a) didn't advertise enough or b) simply didn't target the right people. Or maybe the Japanese hate big consoles (Gamecube = small = japanese). But whatever the reason, it's not selling well...
Then we have the very quick price drop, which would seem to be al ast hope for Microsoft, considering that the PS2 did not price drop for a good year, and even then, it came in 2 stages (if I remember rightly). Why should Microsoft have to drop prices if a) its the best console and b) theyve spent so much on marketing? God only knows, yet it mustn't be reaching expected sales targets. But that doesn't mean other consoles should get off the hook, oh no. They must have intimidated Ninty, who had consequentially reduced the GC in price before it has even been released. Thats a bit of a win / lose situation for Microsoft, as they win because they must have powereto intimidate even Nintendo, but on the negative side, Nintendo bravely fight back and drop the price to £70 less than their competitors. Nice. So even the price drop was a bit of a flop. Still, Im sure a lot of folk will buy one now!
And furthermore, we have the stupid accessories that made Xbox less desirable at 300 pound and now. First of all, we have to pay £30 for the liberty of watching DVD's. That's ridiculous. And even though the Xbox has a hard drive they still feel the need to bring out a memory card, which has 1 purpose and that is so you can lend it to a friend (and with current sales figues as they are, even the popular kids probably won't have a friend with an Xbox :)) And with the games all hovering at 45 quid, can anyone really afford one, with all the appropriate (not neccesary, APPOROPRIATE) accessories.
Also, I think the fact that a lot of people fear that the Xbox is going to be a PC rather than a top of the range console. No gasps would be made if they brought out some sort of OS for the Xbox, and even just by including a hard drive, it's going to be suggesting the first console buyers that they're buying a PC, not a sophisticated console
Finally, it's Microsoft. They've never, ever ventured into the console market and no-one is sure how good they can do. The games all look good, but people believe that the same feats could probably look just as good on a GC or PS2. And until some brave developer takes the plunge and tries to work with the technology, and push it to the max (FF on PS, Zelda on N64 etc) then the console will be slightly lacking.
Hope this made interesting reading ! :) Any comments welcome.
First of all, the resigning of the co-creator of the Xbox, Seamus Blackley. Now whether this is because of "flawed" sales is anyone's guess, yet the fact remains, he has gone, and he's meant to have the best hopes in th console, so what kind of image is that giving gamers, and what sort of hope does he show by resinging? The answer? Very little. So if one of the people who actually designed the console has little hope, what do you think we're going to believe?
Secondly, we have the unexpectedly low sales over in Japan, which is probably the most important market to penetrate as to get support from some of the world's best software developers. And from what figues show so far, they can't making much of a good impression. Yet the Japanese get their little controllers, they still ARE NOT HAPPY! And unfortunately, rumours we might be getting them have been crushed. So maybe the Japanese don't like US competition and have decided to boycott it, or maybe Microsoft just either a) didn't advertise enough or b) simply didn't target the right people. Or maybe the Japanese hate big consoles (Gamecube = small = japanese). But whatever the reason, it's not selling well...
Then we have the very quick price drop, which would seem to be al ast hope for Microsoft, considering that the PS2 did not price drop for a good year, and even then, it came in 2 stages (if I remember rightly). Why should Microsoft have to drop prices if a) its the best console and b) theyve spent so much on marketing? God only knows, yet it mustn't be reaching expected sales targets. But that doesn't mean other consoles should get off the hook, oh no. They must have intimidated Ninty, who had consequentially reduced the GC in price before it has even been released. Thats a bit of a win / lose situation for Microsoft, as they win because they must have powereto intimidate even Nintendo, but on the negative side, Nintendo bravely fight back and drop the price to £70 less than their competitors. Nice. So even the price drop was a bit of a flop. Still, Im sure a lot of folk will buy one now!
And furthermore, we have the stupid accessories that made Xbox less desirable at 300 pound and now. First of all, we have to pay £30 for the liberty of watching DVD's. That's ridiculous. And even though the Xbox has a hard drive they still feel the need to bring out a memory card, which has 1 purpose and that is so you can lend it to a friend (and with current sales figues as they are, even the popular kids probably won't have a friend with an Xbox :)) And with the games all hovering at 45 quid, can anyone really afford one, with all the appropriate (not neccesary, APPOROPRIATE) accessories.
Also, I think the fact that a lot of people fear that the Xbox is going to be a PC rather than a top of the range console. No gasps would be made if they brought out some sort of OS for the Xbox, and even just by including a hard drive, it's going to be suggesting the first console buyers that they're buying a PC, not a sophisticated console
Finally, it's Microsoft. They've never, ever ventured into the console market and no-one is sure how good they can do. The games all look good, but people believe that the same feats could probably look just as good on a GC or PS2. And until some brave developer takes the plunge and tries to work with the technology, and push it to the max (FF on PS, Zelda on N64 etc) then the console will be slightly lacking.
Hope this made interesting reading ! :) Any comments welcome.
My bad, so Ill slap myself
Ya know, thats GC excitement for you (although I will buy a Xbox, just to show Im not biased)
Continue your critiscism into the night, for I must leave to go to a partaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy
I thank you
:)
Ya know, thats GC excitement for you (although I will buy a Xbox, just to show Im not biased)
Continue your critiscism into the night, for I must leave to go to a partaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy
I thank you
:)
Seamus quit so he could make games again.
I see your point
But I'm not biased
I prefer the Xbox to PS2, and intend to buy one
I do prefer Nintendo, but only by a slim margin
Although their price drop was incresingly quick
Iguess I should do the Nintendo dilemma too, or the PS2
But I'm not biased
I prefer the Xbox to PS2, and intend to buy one
I do prefer Nintendo, but only by a slim margin
Although their price drop was incresingly quick
Iguess I should do the Nintendo dilemma too, or the PS2
You sound ever so slightly biased here ;)
Seamus didn't resign because he'd lost hope. Goatboy posted a few topics on this earlier in the week. Check them out.
XBox will not go the way of the dreamcast. It has far too much financial backing and software support for that to happen.
You mention the very quick price drop. Well, Microsoft's price drop was rather slower than Nintendo's :)
Now, here's an observation I've made. Who want's to be the first to offer the obvious explanation?
All Nintendo fans are desparately dissing the XBox.
The Sony fans aren't actually aware other consoles exist.
Xbox owners know the score, but don't feel threatened.
Seamus didn't resign because he'd lost hope. Goatboy posted a few topics on this earlier in the week. Check them out.
XBox will not go the way of the dreamcast. It has far too much financial backing and software support for that to happen.
You mention the very quick price drop. Well, Microsoft's price drop was rather slower than Nintendo's :)
Now, here's an observation I've made. Who want's to be the first to offer the obvious explanation?
All Nintendo fans are desparately dissing the XBox.
The Sony fans aren't actually aware other consoles exist.
Xbox owners know the score, but don't feel threatened.
We all know that the Xbox is the most powerful console on the planet. But technical specs aren't everything. It would appear Microsoft is having a bit of a rough landing since it has come to Britain (and Japan, but more on that later). A lot of facts have lead many to believe that the Xbox will be aonther Dreamcast, if early stories are to go by. The Xbox had a decent selection of games at launch (not great, yet not rubbish) and also maybe some gamers interested by the built in hard drive. But as I said, the Xbox has had a rough ride...
First of all, the resigning of the co-creator of the Xbox, Seamus Blackley. Now whether this is because of "flawed" sales is anyone's guess, yet the fact remains, he has gone, and he's meant to have the best hopes in th console, so what kind of image is that giving gamers, and what sort of hope does he show by resinging? The answer? Very little. So if one of the people who actually designed the console has little hope, what do you think we're going to believe?
Secondly, we have the unexpectedly low sales over in Japan, which is probably the most important market to penetrate as to get support from some of the world's best software developers. And from what figues show so far, they can't making much of a good impression. Yet the Japanese get their little controllers, they still ARE NOT HAPPY! And unfortunately, rumours we might be getting them have been crushed. So maybe the Japanese don't like US competition and have decided to boycott it, or maybe Microsoft just either a) didn't advertise enough or b) simply didn't target the right people. Or maybe the Japanese hate big consoles (Gamecube = small = japanese). But whatever the reason, it's not selling well...
Then we have the very quick price drop, which would seem to be al ast hope for Microsoft, considering that the PS2 did not price drop for a good year, and even then, it came in 2 stages (if I remember rightly). Why should Microsoft have to drop prices if a) its the best console and b) theyve spent so much on marketing? God only knows, yet it mustn't be reaching expected sales targets. But that doesn't mean other consoles should get off the hook, oh no. They must have intimidated Ninty, who had consequentially reduced the GC in price before it has even been released. Thats a bit of a win / lose situation for Microsoft, as they win because they must have powereto intimidate even Nintendo, but on the negative side, Nintendo bravely fight back and drop the price to £70 less than their competitors. Nice. So even the price drop was a bit of a flop. Still, Im sure a lot of folk will buy one now!
And furthermore, we have the stupid accessories that made Xbox less desirable at 300 pound and now. First of all, we have to pay £30 for the liberty of watching DVD's. That's ridiculous. And even though the Xbox has a hard drive they still feel the need to bring out a memory card, which has 1 purpose and that is so you can lend it to a friend (and with current sales figues as they are, even the popular kids probably won't have a friend with an Xbox :)) And with the games all hovering at 45 quid, can anyone really afford one, with all the appropriate (not neccesary, APPOROPRIATE) accessories.
Also, I think the fact that a lot of people fear that the Xbox is going to be a PC rather than a top of the range console. No gasps would be made if they brought out some sort of OS for the Xbox, and even just by including a hard drive, it's going to be suggesting the first console buyers that they're buying a PC, not a sophisticated console
Finally, it's Microsoft. They've never, ever ventured into the console market and no-one is sure how good they can do. The games all look good, but people believe that the same feats could probably look just as good on a GC or PS2. And until some brave developer takes the plunge and tries to work with the technology, and push it to the max (FF on PS, Zelda on N64 etc) then the console will be slightly lacking.
Hope this made interesting reading ! :) Any comments welcome.
First of all, the resigning of the co-creator of the Xbox, Seamus Blackley. Now whether this is because of "flawed" sales is anyone's guess, yet the fact remains, he has gone, and he's meant to have the best hopes in th console, so what kind of image is that giving gamers, and what sort of hope does he show by resinging? The answer? Very little. So if one of the people who actually designed the console has little hope, what do you think we're going to believe?
Secondly, we have the unexpectedly low sales over in Japan, which is probably the most important market to penetrate as to get support from some of the world's best software developers. And from what figues show so far, they can't making much of a good impression. Yet the Japanese get their little controllers, they still ARE NOT HAPPY! And unfortunately, rumours we might be getting them have been crushed. So maybe the Japanese don't like US competition and have decided to boycott it, or maybe Microsoft just either a) didn't advertise enough or b) simply didn't target the right people. Or maybe the Japanese hate big consoles (Gamecube = small = japanese). But whatever the reason, it's not selling well...
Then we have the very quick price drop, which would seem to be al ast hope for Microsoft, considering that the PS2 did not price drop for a good year, and even then, it came in 2 stages (if I remember rightly). Why should Microsoft have to drop prices if a) its the best console and b) theyve spent so much on marketing? God only knows, yet it mustn't be reaching expected sales targets. But that doesn't mean other consoles should get off the hook, oh no. They must have intimidated Ninty, who had consequentially reduced the GC in price before it has even been released. Thats a bit of a win / lose situation for Microsoft, as they win because they must have powereto intimidate even Nintendo, but on the negative side, Nintendo bravely fight back and drop the price to £70 less than their competitors. Nice. So even the price drop was a bit of a flop. Still, Im sure a lot of folk will buy one now!
And furthermore, we have the stupid accessories that made Xbox less desirable at 300 pound and now. First of all, we have to pay £30 for the liberty of watching DVD's. That's ridiculous. And even though the Xbox has a hard drive they still feel the need to bring out a memory card, which has 1 purpose and that is so you can lend it to a friend (and with current sales figues as they are, even the popular kids probably won't have a friend with an Xbox :)) And with the games all hovering at 45 quid, can anyone really afford one, with all the appropriate (not neccesary, APPOROPRIATE) accessories.
Also, I think the fact that a lot of people fear that the Xbox is going to be a PC rather than a top of the range console. No gasps would be made if they brought out some sort of OS for the Xbox, and even just by including a hard drive, it's going to be suggesting the first console buyers that they're buying a PC, not a sophisticated console
Finally, it's Microsoft. They've never, ever ventured into the console market and no-one is sure how good they can do. The games all look good, but people believe that the same feats could probably look just as good on a GC or PS2. And until some brave developer takes the plunge and tries to work with the technology, and push it to the max (FF on PS, Zelda on N64 etc) then the console will be slightly lacking.
Hope this made interesting reading ! :) Any comments welcome.