Microsoft's rush to next-gen could see the Xbox take a tumble

[gekko]

Good article.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?section_name=pub&aid=3635

[Jonbo298]

That was a good read. And I have to agree that if MS tries to push out the next console next year, that may be where they are hurt. They are trying to follow Sony too much and think that "First movers always win". Nintendo before used to think that it would be nice to be first out but I think they are shying back a bit from a 2005 release because its way too soon to get rid of its current console.

And as they said, MS wants to try and become industry leader so it can monopolize this industry too and ruin it. You can't release another console in less then or around 4 years. That's just way too short. And it shows developers that all MS thought of the XBox was that it was a wasted piece of hardware. At least Sony and Nintendo are holding onto their current consoles for longer to show that they care about their consoles and not just money.

[Professor S]

Well if history is any indicator, getting a next gen system out first doesn't mean that you'll take first prize. Just look at the Dreamcast.

As for Nintendo and Sony caring more about their consoles and not just caring about money, thats absurd. Nintendo and Sony are in the video game industry for one reason: To Make Money.

Each company may have different views on how to maintain and create clientele that will shovel out their hard earned cash, but in the end the bottom line is the bottom line.

[Jonbo298]

ok, ok. Then the money thing is true for everyone. But the other 2 aren't money grubbing monopolozing corporations :D

[Professor S]

ok, ok. Then the money thing is true for everyone. But the other 2 aren't money grubbing monopolozing corporations :D

I'll give you Nintendo, but isn't the other one SONY???:D

[Canyarion]

Hehe very good article. I'll outline some strong arguments:

The company's continuing losses on Xbox hardware sales and resultant bleeding of investment in the current generation is something it would obviously like to stem as soon as possible; after all, while Nintendo and Sony are reaping huge profits from this generation, it's easy to see why Microsoft, bleeding cash with every Xbox sold, would be champing at the bit in its eagerness to move on.

The belief within Microsoft's top Xbox executives is that the main reason that Xbox has failed to seriously challenge the PlayStation 2 is because Sony had first mover advantage....

The single biggest problem is that developing for Xbox 2 is going to be a major leap for game creators - and Microsoft is effectively asking them to make that leap while the current generation is still profitable, and the biggest contender in the next generation is still years away.

In other words, studios are being asked to invest in next-generation R&D two years before it's required for PS3, and to spend more money developing an Xbox 2 version of a cross platform title - for an audience of a few million people - than they'll spend developing all three current-generation versions of the game - for an audience of well over a hundred million.

Good point.

[TheGame]

ok, ok. Then the money thing is true for everyone. But the other 2 aren't money grubbing monopolozing corporations :D

*Looks at the handheld industry*

Are you suuuure?

[Jonbo298]

*Looks at the handheld industry*

Are you suuuure?

It had competition but they failed to grab the attention:sneaky::D

[gekko]

Rockafeller had competition too, until he bought them all out.

[tarakan69]

Well they are going to launch EARLY with no Hard-Drive, and backward compatiability.

I doubt a $300 X-Box 2 will be able to outsell a $99 dollar PS2...

Plus the PSP will expand the Playstation brandname, and lots of people will wait for Playstation 3.

Plus since when is a console's life cycle 3 years?

X-Box is starting to finally get good exclusives... and MS is already calling quits.

I'm not a big fan X-Box, but I buy all 3 consoles... I don't see the headstart saving them.

PS2 got away with an early launch only because of HUGE brandname recognition... MS doesn't have that.

Now that X-Box loses it's hardware edge... what happens to then in the long run?

[TheGame]

Tarkan, that's about the same thing as I used to say. If you launch early you have the risk of being like Dreamcast or Saturn and get killed off in hardware/support. If you release later than Sony you have the chance of being like N64, Gamecube, or Xbox. Getting less support based off of userbase.

Right now, I think taking Sony down can't be solved by a release date... in all honesty, Sony would win no matter when they release Ps3 assuming the hardware is a reasonable price and has reasonable features. What MS should concentrate on is getting the biggest chunk of the pie possible. In the respect, releasing early is not a bad idea.