Ken Lobb Comes to the Box

[Bond]

A question and answer from Ken Lobb, a former Nintendo employee turned Xbox:

IGN: Describe your new role with Microsoft.

Ken Lobb: I'm Director of Content Planning. What this entails is directing the portfolio in the best direction. OK, basically it means picking great games to support. To be honest, this is pretty tough, as there are LOTS of great games coming!

If you compare all 3 competitors, I feel that you'll find that Nintendo tends to focus on first party games, and they skew slightly younger. Sony's main strength is primarily in third party games. Microsoft is really trying to be effective in both arenas. We have a massive effort focused on great first party games across all genres and ratings, but at the same time, we have an experienced group of industry veterans driving towards working to support the world's best third party games. That's why I'm here, to help strike that balance, and grow the Xbox the best possible library of games to go along with the most powerful hardware! Great fun indeed!

IGN: What would you say are the greatest differences between Nintendo and Microsoft as game companies.

KL:One starts with an N, and one with an M. Neither starts with an S.

OK, in reality, Microsoft is really focused on this industry with a strong focus towards where we're heading over the next several years. There is a lot of effort being spent on what's going to happen over the next year, but just as much time, effort, and money is involved in planning on the next decade.

IGN: Will you have to change your approach in dealing with Xbox's audience as opposed to GameCube's?

KL: Not really. In my view, serious game players want to play great games. The core Nintendo audience understood this, and actually I believe that the current Xbox fan base also knows great games when they see them. Just wait to see what the future brings!

IGN: What was your favorite Xbox game while you were at Nintendo and tell the truth?

KL:It's was a tie between Halo and Gotham (with my soundtrack; it matters!), with SSX Tricky right behind.

IGN: So then what was it specifically that motivated you to make the switch from Nintendo to Microsoft?

KL:See question number 2... Basically, the long term goals of this group are more in line with what I want, and how I want to play.

Nintendo was a great company to work for, I really like all of the people there, both at NOA and NCL. They make great games, and the hardware is good. Bottom line, I'm still a fan.

Microsoft is ready to act around the world. There are some SERIOUSLY killer games in development here. I knew that the hardware was killer when I decided to move, but from what I've seen since, I honestly underestimated the Xbox. I'm very impressed with the seamless implementation of the hard drive as a replacement for memory cards, and how this simple fact has made playing disk games feel more like the experience I was used to with Nintendo's cartridge games (saving tends to be painless, without "memory management" problems.) By including broadband, Microsoft is really ready to attack online gaming head on, and I'm really ready to play! Combine this with the long term goals, and I had to join the party!

IGN: Compare the scope of the E3 plans for both Microsoft and Nintendo?

KL: Too early to reveal much, but I feel really comfortable with our E3 plans. We're covering the bases. Lots of great games (KILLER games actually) from 1st and 3rd party, as well as a great Online presence. Can't wait to see you there and have a few games of...

IGN: Careful there Darth Lobb, you're playing with fire. What do you think gamers expect out of online console gaming?

KL: They expect to lose to me! Actually, they expect great games with minimal hassle. Good genre coverage, easy connection, good value. We're there, and I'll be there likely every weekend (late), and many nights as well. Can't wait to see you there and work you at a few games of...

IGN: Curses! This teasing is worse than all that dodging. Even though it was the weakest gun in the whole game, you're still famous for being the inspiration behind the Klobb gun in Goldeneye. What will be the first Xbox game to feature your likeness or name?

KL: That was never up to me, though I watch out for digital cameras!

IGN: What are the strengths of Xbox's library of games at this point?

KL: There are a lot of games that I like to play and WAY more coming in all genres. For me as a gamer, this is the strength. It's really that simple.

IGN: What are the weak points of Xbox's library?

KL: I love games, they're my life. Judging from what's out, and what I know is coming soon, I really see no major issues. None. Seriously, this is not PR BS.

IGN: Uh, right. How would your rate Xbox's 2002 lineup compared to GameCube's?

KL: Better, Deeper, Online baby!

Thanks for the time, love your site!

IGN: You're welcome for the time, love all the games you didn't tell us about.

IGN would like to thank Ken Lobb for participating in this interview and keeping the mind-tricks and dodging entertaining. Let's hope he doesn't lose an arm or a torso, like previous Darths, for withholding all of that good info.

[Joeiss]

IGN: Uh, right. How would your rate Xbox's 2002 lineup compared to GameCube's?

KL: Better, Deeper, Online baby!

Thanks for the time, love your site!

Haha.. I like that. I am not sure about it being deeper, though. I guess we'll just have to see! Oh, and I cannot wait for it to go online.

[Perfect Stu]

Originally posted by Joeiss


Haha.. I like that. I am not sure about it being deeper, though. I guess we'll just have to see! Oh, and I cannot wait for it to go online.

are you kidding? XBox's lineup is deeper...Nintendo may have a few flashy titles that are better than anything on Xbox (Mario, Zelda, Metroid) but the XBox has a very large, deep upcoming lineup...Besides, by just having lots of online games in the works, it makes the lineup that much deeper.

When I start working, the first thing I'm probably gonna do when I get a few paychecks is buy an XBox

[Sigma]

I'd buy an xbox right now but the only game i'd buy is Halo. A console for just 1 game is a serious waste of money. I think ps2 and GC are much better. The online games coming out for xbox are pretty much computer games. I'd like to keep those types of games on my computer rather than on console.

I'm still thinking of getting it later on but it all depends on how university is.

edit: 4 - 5 awesome games are much better than 20 - 30 okay games. Xbox doesn't seem to have many games that appeal to me at all. Ps2 right now is leading the way, but will be tied by GC later this year.

[Ric]

The effing traitor, how dare he.

You remember that gun in Goldeneye? The Klobb, he made it, it was named after him.

Wonder what Rareware have to say about this?

[Professor S]

Well, Ken never actually worked for Rareware, he worked for Nintendo of America. I think the wholenaming the gun after him and letting him design it was a nice ass kissing measure from Rareware.

But honestly, Ken is BSing in that interview. He left Nintendo for 1 reason: More money.

As a working stiff in the business world, I'll tell you that is the ONLY reason why you would pull away from a comfortable situation to go to the unknown world of MS.

Anything else he says is gravy, but not the real reason why he left.

[Angrist]

I never liked the Klobb anyway, it sucked!

[Perfect Stu]

Originally posted by Angrist
I never liked the Klobb anyway, it sucked!

It was good for Lisence to Kill mode

[Ric]

Originally posted by Angrist
I never liked the Klobb anyway, it sucked!

Yes I agree, did you notice that they made it more powerful in Perfect Dark though? (I still prefer the Phantom)

The Strangler you have a good and viable point there, I feel he is saying what he has been paid to say in that interview and sure he probably did do it for the money. I know he didn't work for rareware but he worked on several of their games, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Diddy Kong Racing etc. goodbye Mr. Lobb.

[Xantar]

Originally posted by Ric


The Strangler you have a good and viable point there, I feel he is saying what he has been paid to say in that interview and sure he probably did do it for the money.

To be fair, Perrin Kaplan, Howard Lincoln and even Shigeru Miyamoto do the same thing. When any people talk about how their company compares with another company, I just ignore them. So basically, I ignored this entire Ken Lobb interview with a few exceptions. Those exceptions are the points where he specifically mentions Microsoft's future plans. Sure, they're kind of vague ("lots of killer games coming!"), but when he says that the Xbox will be online, that's worth something.