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Hey, remember that wacky rumor that Microsoft and Toshiba were partnering up to create a spiffy new Xbox 360 with an HD DVD drive (and every other gadget under the sun) built right in? Despite the fact that the original rumor cited a Toshiba executive as calling the device "critical" to the success of HD DVD, Toshiba has now officially responded with the ever tactful "no comment." The news comes from Stuff.tv, who pulled the (no) comment from Toshiba itself. The Toshiba spokesperson added, somewhat sagely, "The Xbox 360 is not a Toshiba product." Now, rumor mongers that we are, we're inclined to point out that "no comment" is not a direct denial and technically leaves the door open on the topic. Still, releasing an Xbox 360 / HD DVD / entertainment center Frankenstein over a year from now seems far-fetched at best, especially if it's "critical" to boosting HD DVD sales. After all, by late 2008 -- when the device is supposedly scheduled to launch -- the Blu-Ray / HD DVD format war may be over. Then again, all the Microsoft related rumors have been spot on lately, so who knows?
Speaking to Next Gen, Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg laid down some lofty goals for our favorite console. While most of the interview focuses on Microsoft's new family friendly initiative, Greenberg notes that he expects the console to have a very impressive holiday, saying that the Xbox 360 will have several top selling games. "Just this one holiday we anticipate that we'll have at least seven titles that will each sell over a million units each," said Greenberg. Seven million-sellers? That's a bold prediction to be sure. While he doesn't elaborate on which games will get the honor, we'll venture a few guesses. In no particular order: Assassin's Creed, Rock Band, Guitar Hero III, Orange Box, Call of Duty 4, Mass Effect, and oh ... heck, Halo 3 will sell at least another million over the holidays. Anyone else care to make some guesses, or perhaps, a wager?
We've got a big, juicy Xbox rumor today, kiddies (one we've heard before, but juicy nonetheless). Smarthouse is reporting that Microsoft and Toshiba are teaming up to manufacture a new Xbox 360 with an internal HD-DVD drive. The new box would be aimed squarely at the entertainment market, and would include new "entertainment software" with functionality similar to Media Center. The article notes that the software wouldn't actually be Media Center, but a "spin off" instead. The machine also supposedly sports a host of other features including a dual HDTV tuner, large hard drive, wireless networking, and a docking port for an MP3 player. Added to this pile of speculation is the development of "a new open standard chassis system that allows an Xbox to be slotted into a HD TV screen over 40-inch." If we're reading that right, that means a TV with your Xbox 360 build right in.
All of this is apparently being done to combat Blu-Ray, which is being pushed by the Playstation 3. Frankly, it sounds a bit like overkill, but Smarthouse claims to have inside sources, including a Toshiba executive. The mysterious executive had this to say: "An Xbox with a built in HD DVD drive is critical. They and we are working on it. It also has to be more than a gaming machine. Microsoft recognise this." The exec added that the device might be marketed as a Toshiba product as well as a Microsoft product.
We'll see. Honestly, it doesn't make sense. HD-DVD might need a boost, but the 360 is doing just fine without it. We have to wonder about this Super Xbox, though. As something designed primarily to sell HD-DVD, how much will all these extra features cost? Assuming the rumor is correct, we'll find out in late 2008 or early 2009.
So, we guess it's real then. Our buddies over at Engadget have some exclusive shots of a reader unboxing a brand new Xbox 360 Arcade. Yeah, they managed to snag unboxing photos before Microsoft has even officially confirmed its existence. Take that, public relations! As reported before, the console comes complete with an HDMI port (sans cord) and a 256MB memory card. One interesting new bit of information: it turns out that the console does not come with 5 Xbox Live Arcade games. What it does come with are 5 Xbox Live Arcade demos. Yeah, demos. That you could have downloaded for free anyway. Sure, the inclusion of a larger memory card makes it more usable than the (now defunct?) Core, but it doesn't quite seem like such a good deal a>
[Update: There seems to be some confusion regarding whether or not the 360 Arcade comes with 5 full games. The verbiage on the box (Plust 5 Trial Games!) refers to the 5 games on the disc or extra trial games beyond the 5 full games included. We're looking into it. Update as soon as we know for sure.]
Falling under the category of "all 360 rumors are true," GameSpot has, um, spotted further evidence of the impending arrival of the Xbox 360 Arcade console. It seems an unknown retailer is already displaying a store advertisement describing the Xbox 360 Arcade and all its marvelous features. The ad reconfirms everything we've already heard: wireless control, 5 arcade games, and a 256MB memory card. The ad makes no mention of price though, but we're willing to bet the current Core System price of $279 will stick to the Arcade as well. All we really need now is a date. Let's just throw one out now. Hmmm ... how about Black Friday? Sound good? Great.
Speaking to gamesindustry.biz, Peter Molyneux had some strong words for the ongoing games as art debate. When asked whether or not he considered games as art, Molyneux replied simply, "Of course they are." Elaborating on his point, Molyneux noted, "If art is described as something which promotes a reaction in you and lets you glimpse something that's more than reality - then yes, of course they're an art form." Naturally, one would expect a game designer to espouse such an opinion, but Molyneux does so with no doubt at all. When asked about games based on movies that sell more copies than more artistic games, Molyneux cites it as an example of an alarming trend in game design. Molyneux says that games are starting to lose their "Wow!" and that the industry needs to regain its sense of wonder. Of course, Molyneux hopes Fable 2 will accomplish this, noting that it isn't simply a big sequel with more of the same. "The point is," said Molyneux, "we can still do things that amaze people, and that's a fantastic position to be in." Indeed.
A new report from Screen Digest (via Next Gen) claims that both the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox 360 will see a very bright 4th quarter this year (also known as "the holidays"). While the Wii is expected to lead the pack with a flood of exclusive and low risk (read: cheaply produced) titles and the introduction of Super Mario Galaxy, the Xbox 360 is also expected to do quite well thanks to continued sales of Halo 3, big 3rd party titles, and a well established user base. The PS3 isn't expected to fare as well, with the article citing a lineup of games that "lacks the firepower to command consumer attention." In related news, the latest generation of game consoles is expected to be fully accepted into the mainstream by the end of the holidays. We'll believe that when PS2s stop selling.
It seems like every few months it's time for a new article discussing the doom and gloom that is the Xbox 360 in Japan. We're not sure how long it's been, but it's probably time for a new one, don't you think? GameSpot has taken up the reins this time, gathering together a gaggle of Japanese developers with Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg thrown in for good measure. So, what do Japanese developers think should be done to lift the Xbox from the Pit of Despair? The most common answer: more RPGs. It seems that Japanese gamers tend to dislike the "stressful, difficult" games preferred in the west (the article uses Rainbow Six Vegas, Gears of War, and Test Drive as examples), and would rather have slower, more guided games. In other words, RPGs. The article also notes that Microsoft is pursuing more Japanese made Xbox Live Arcade content as well, hoping that such offerings will appeal to Japanese gamers as well as gamers across the pond. In fact, courting Japanese developers doesn't seem to be the problem at all (unlike the original Xbox), as more developers are looking to the larger western audience when designing games. It's merely a matter of getting the Japanese gamer on board that presents a problem. Whether or not Microsoft can ever make a sizable dent in Japan remains to be seen. We're keeping our eyes on Lost Odyssey.
A little bird told Opposable Thumbs that two new Xbox 360 bundles are headed to retailers in time for the holidays this year. The first rumor concerns a new Xbox 360 Premium system that comes with both Forza 2 and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. The games are rumored to be contained within a single case, though they will be pressed on separate DVDs, unlike the Sega GT / Jet Set Radio Future bundle on the original Xbox. This bundle is supposedly dropping October 9th with an Elite version of the same bundle following on October 23rd. If this sounds familiar, it's because the same bundle was first rumored last month, although no date was given at the time.
The second rumor concerns a new version of the Core system that includes a 256MB memory unit and 5 Xbox Live Arcade games (Boom-Boom Rocket, Pac-man, Uno, Feeding Frenzy, and Luxor 2). The system is also supposed to have an HDMI port. This rumor also began last month, branded as the Xbox 360 Arcade console. This second round of rumors would seem to lend credence to the first. We'll see soon enough.
Compete is reporting that during the month of August demand for the Xbox 360 caught up with demand for Nintendo's wunderkind, the Wii. Now, before you all start shouting that the Wii handily outsold the Xbox 360 in August, let's define the word "demand." According to Compete, which analyzes internet traffic patterns, demand is equivalent to "people shopping consoles at SKU level pages." From what we can tell, that means the number of people that could conceivably press "Add to Cart" and find themselves the happy owner of a new console. According to Compete, the Wii saw a decline in demand during the month of August, whereas the Xbox 360 saw a marked increase. These two changes caused the demand for both consoles to rest at just under 600,000 shoppers each. Of course, what's interesting isn't so much that the demand is equal, but that demand for the 360 is rising. Whether or not this represents a longterm trend, we'll have to wait and see. Then again, given the impending release of Halo 3, we're willing to bet that the 360 demand will increase again in September.
Here it is kiddies. Mark your calendars, write it down in your diaries: the Xbox 360 has finally managed to outsell the Playstation 2. The August NPD numbers are in, and things are really getting interesting. Spurred on no doubt by the recent price cut, the Xbox 360 sold 276,700 units during the month of August, handily beating the Playstation 2 with 202,000 units. The Xbox 360 saw just over a 100,000 unit increase over last month, which is sure to have the folks in Redmond smiling. Something else for Microsoft to smile about -- albeit more devilishly -- is that th Playstation 3 saw its sales dip to 130,000. Still, the Wii remains on top with a staggering 403,600 units sold. Meanwhile, the DS again garnered second place with 383,300 units sold. The entire breakdown looks a little something ... a-like-a this:
Nintendo Wii: 403.6K (4 million total)
Nintendo DS: 383.3K (12.7 million total)
Microsoft Xbox 360: 276.7K (6.3 million)
Sony PlayStation 2: 202K (39.1 million total)
Sony PSP: 151.2K (8.3 million total)
Sony PlayStation 3: 130.6K (1.75 million total)
The Xbox 360 also had the number one selling game, Madden NFL 08 with 896.600 units. BioShock landed in the number three spot with 490,900 units sold.
It's hard to believe, but the official marketing for Halo 3 began nearly a year ago. It all started with the "Starry Night" commercial that aired in December of 2006. As the first piece of official, mass-marketed material concerning Halo 3, starry night was just the beginning of a very long and carefully orchestrated campaign (of course, if you look back to the trailer from E3 2006, it began even earlier). Brandweek takes a look at the Halo 3 marketing push, which is finally reaching its apex, beginning this week with a unique TV ad campaign -- the first part, "Museum," debuted earlier today. What's so interesting, according to Brandweek, is that most games are beginning their marketing campaign a few weeks prior to launch, whereas Halo 3's push is finally nearing the close. Brandweek's breakdown looks at the Halo 3 beta, Iris, the tangled web of marketing partners, and finally the launch festivities set to begin very soon. It seems like a helluva lot of work for a game millions will buy anyway, but Microsoft contends that such a push is necessary to maintain the appearance of "a big budget, mass media event." It's probably safe to say that such an image has been healthily maintained. All that's left is for Microsoft to deliver a product that lives up to the massive marketing put behind it. Only thirteen days until we find out.
In a recent article intheNew York Times (free registration required), GameStop executive Bob McKenzie noted that the Xbox 360's frequentlypublicized quality problems haven't damaged the console's sales at all. McKenzie, the senior vice president of merchandising, noted, "All I can say is that we have not seen anything negative from that." He went on further to say that Xbox 360 returns have actually gone down since the announcement of the warranty extension in July. "We track our returns," said McKenzie, "and returns have actually gone down since they made that announcement, and we haven't seen any effect on enthusiasm for the 360." NYT notes correctly that there is a lot of buzz around the 360 thanks to the imminent launch of Halo 3. McKenzie said that, "Halo 3 is on track probably to be the largest release that we have had in the history of the company," though he noted that GameStop also expects big sales from games like BioShock (good guess, Bob) and Assassin's Creed.
Red Ring of Death or not, it looks like good games are still enough reason for the Xbox 360 to keep on trucking.
ChartTrack, courtesy of MCV, has revealed that the Xbox 360 received a 260% increase in UK sales two weeks ago. The sales spike is attributed to the UK introduction of the Xbox 360 Elite and price cuts given to every tier of the Xbox 360 product line. Almost as impressive, sales of the system during the following week only dropped by 20%. Unfortunately, ChartTrack hasn't released any concrete sales numbers for the Xbox 360, but we're willing to bet that a 260% increase represents quite a few consoles. Microsoft expects another sales boost when the Master Chief makes his farewell performance later this month.
In a recent interview, Peter Molyneux stated that he believed Xbox Live will be "far more impactful" to video gaming than the Wii remote in the long term. As Xbox 360 Fanboys, we can certainly understand his sentiments, though current sales numbers might suggest otherwise. Still, it raises an interesting question. Both the Wii remote and Xbox Live have changed console gaming as we know it. Sure, there have been motion controls before, and there have been online games on consoles, but the Wii remote and Xbox Live represent the most successful iterations of both concepts. The question then is which will have the most impact on the industry, input or networking? Motion controls may bring more gamers into the fold with intuitive input, but networking brings those gamers together with online play and downloadable goodies.
Our instinct tells us the end result will be combining the two (Xbox ThWii-Sixty?) but, for the sake of discussion, why not share your thoughts on the importance of motion controls versus social networking in gaming.
