Microsoft Should Never Have Built the Xbox

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GreenRingOfLife5920d ago

I agree, the competition helps force $ony to make much higher quality games which we have already seen on the PS3

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LtSkittles5920d ago

I don't agree either Halo is an amazing franchise.

Who is this '$ony,' person?

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-Alpha5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

I don't understand, MS clearly has profited off of LIVE and the Xbox, despite the hardware being faulty for the 360, and gamers have clearly enjoyed the console. Everybody is winning, why wish that away?

Also, this article is basing it off the fact of that profits chart? Of course a majority of money comes from Windows for MS! Why wouldn't it? The chart was measured in BILLIONS, so the Xbox is doing just fine, this is nonsense. Just because MS isn't profiting with Xbox in terms of relativity to their other products means Xbox shouldn't have been made? Windows is a much bigger product for MS than the Xbox. Windows is used by people who work in offices, work places, schools, on laptops, in homes, businesses, etc. while the Xbox is used by gamers. PS3 has been just as much of a burden for Sony than the Xbox has been for MS considering how much profit they lost and the fact that they gained much little from online play. So by that logic we should say both don't profit their companies overall. You can't just give up on a product because you feel it's not profiting much to the overall company. The only way to get a product bigger is by sticking with it. The Xbox grew tremendously from last gen as an established console today.

You also cannot relate one product to another just because they are from the same company but rather look at that product in its competitive field. The 360 is doing just fine in second place against the PS3 and Wii. It's profiting. That's all that matters for MS.

I notice that this article is based off constant back and forth arguments. It sounds very interesting so I'll read more into this later

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SOAD5920d ago

Microsoft did a better job with the original Xbox in terms of hardware reliability, and but a better job with the 360 in terms of marketing it.

Ultimately, the 360 has proven to be a more formidable competitor than the original Xbox was, but that doesn't excuse the hardware issues and the nickel&dime philosophy that MS employs when it comes to accessories like harddrives, Wifi, battery chargers, etc.

Microsoft must learn from its mistakes.

Outside of hardware, Microsoft should be focusing on building up first party studios for more IPs. This little game they are playing by buying timed exclusives is getting a little frustrating. You need to build value for your console, MS. You can't win without first party studios.

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5920d ago

-Alpha5920d ago

They definitely should have waited, but at the same time, they had to take the risk. They still ended up in second as MS and Sony overlooked the casual audience, but MS was able to "cut in line" and get very popular with early adopters.

I wouldn't be so quick to say they would have gotten destroyed if they launched with Sony. Sony shot themselves in the foot at launch with an absurdly expensive console, one that shocked many people and lead them to turn to the 360.

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President Tretton5920d ago

MS is in second place; however, the console war is far from over. Had MS not come out with their console first, they'd be dead last. Sony's momentum is too huge right now. MS last stronghold is NA and only by a little. Once that's down, Sony will take the silver medal. Nintendo is, unfortunately, too far ahead. The gold is already theirs.

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ReservoirDog3165920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

In a way, I'm really glad they made the 360. Sony, at the beginning of this console cycle, was becoming really really arrogant. It was like really bad. It's kinda understandable since they had such a huge lead with the PS2 but they were just terrible to look at.

Along comes the 360 (and Wii too). The Wii took Sony's casual audience and the 360 took (or divided temporarily at very least) the hardcore audience. So it made them pull out all of their best guns. From MGS4 to LittleBigPlanet to Uncharted 2. I'm not saying those games wouldn't have come out had the 360 not been made but Sony was cornered with their backs to the wall. So they did the best possible job they could to get back their lost fanbase.

I'm not complaining for that.

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Game13a13y5920d ago

i don't mind the 360 is bring competition to Sony, but what i DO mind is how the 360 gimping alot of games dragging down the PS3 along with it.

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van-essa5920d ago

Name one game that has as much features as Halo 3 or even Perfect Dark XBLA?
Stop spreading your fud about one console "gimping" the other. Some developers are just plain lazy that's all.

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FamilyGuy5920d ago

I'm thankful for the 360 because these features would have a lot less going for them if not for the 360.

8thnightvolley5920d ago

xbox360 coming has its advantages and disadvantages..
well it help sony keep up its game and the quality of gaming as a whole is high on both systems ... trying to push themselves to the limit and create the most beautiful softwares we have seen to date. and a well fast progression into the future...

but at the cost of PC gaming which has in a way.. been on a decline since MS has to pick a favourite btwn 360 and pc based platform.

Generally i am happy for the 360.. coz one thing i knw.. its multiplayer and online gaming is what it is coz of 360 if anything that is one thing i am happy about ...

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nnotdead5920d ago

did you forget the Xbox over heating and starting fires. sure it was the power chords but still.

Maddens Raiders5920d ago

I'm glad they built it. You have to have something to measure the effects of a placebo vs. the desired effect, and I'm digging the feeling the desired effect gives me.

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timequaketimequake5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

I think you're missing the point; it's not that Xbox is less profitable than Windows.

It's that Xbox is swinging between loss and profit all throughout the year; if you take a look at the chart, you see that in the past three years, Xbox has lost Microsoft money the first half of the year, and has been making up for that loss the rest of the year; barely breaking even.

After all these years, Microsoft's inability to make a profit in the entertainment and devices devision is worrying.

The article focuses on Xbox "opportunity cost" for Microsoft. In short, they talk about how Microsoft throwing money and energy at xbox, has affected its windows gaming experience. What would happen if Microsoft had spent a fraction of this money to come up with a real hassle-free solution to combat pirated games on windows, etc.

Keep in mind; the fact that Xbox and Xbox live have a high "revenue", doesn't mean that they produce any worthy "profit".

Now this is all from the shareholder's point of view. But from a "gamer's" point of view, one can't be happier about Microsoft entering the console business. Simply because it results in a more fierce competition and that "three" rivals in this business seems about the right number.

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Anon19745920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

As a gamer, I'm thankful for the 360. I've had some truly memorable gaming experiences this gen thanks to the 360 and I'm a better gamer for them.

From a business standpoint, it certainly doesn't look like the 360 was a good move for Microsoft. They undercut their PC gaming division and all to launch a console that cost it's division billions. At the current rate that the Entertainment Division is making money it'll take them about 15 years to break even from the massive and unplanned losses the 360 caused them.

I was on a conference call just over a year ago with some financial analysts talking about Microsoft's latest earnings. At the time the analysts suggested that Microsoft needed to dump the entire Xbox division and instead focus on their traditional strengths, software. They thought Microsoft Entertainment should just go the Sega route, pull out of hardware altogether and either develop or publish games and you can certainly see the business rationale for that. Between the two Xbox's, Microsoft has lost almost 7 billion dollars over 7-8 years.

Even though they're making a slight profit now it pales in comparison to these staggering losses. At some point they have to act with their shareholders interests in mind and I feel that if Natal doesn't pick things up this may be the last hardware we see from Microsoft. They'll milk the 360 for as long as they can to keep those XBL fees rolling in but certainly no one would blame them for switching gears after their Entertainment division has hemorrhaged so badly for so long.

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-Alpha5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

Fair enough, but I still don't see why it's better for MS not to have existed. They have brought great, healthy competition and have pushed Sony to do better as well as bring in their own ideas and influences to the industry. From a profit standpoint maybe the 360 is a bit of a rollercoaster but so is the PS3, but nobody says Sony should have gave up. Giving up isn't really a smart option when you aren't in any real danger or threatened with bankruptcy or anything like that. The Xbox is not only good for MS, but it's also good for the industry and gamers.

@Mike

So what if the 360 hasn't made a profit? Does that mean they should quit or not have tried at all? What kind of attitude is that? With that attitude The PS3 should have never existed either as it clearly isn't doing Sony much favors. What is your conclusion? MS has brought out competition in Sony and are responsible for games like K2 being so highly produced.

I'm glad MS entered this gen.

I think the argument from profit is weak because it essentially illuminates an attitude that just because MS wasn't successful means that they are somehow suffering.

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mikeslemonade5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

That's what the article is trying to say. As a gamer we are benefiting but Microsoft isn't so far. Xbox the 3rd might finally help Microsoft as far as money. Microsoft isn't suffering but they are unhappy. No company likes to lose money especially after 9 year when you expect the investment to turn out profit.

And PS3 is not the same situation because PS1 and PS2 were real successful therefore Sony had an incentive to tell SCE to make a PS3. It only makes sense to work on your "bread and butter". Also it took a while for PS2 to make a profit. PS3 right now still has more years left to turn it around compared to xbox 360. I do admit it seems bleak for PS3 to turn profit but blu-ray has potential and PS3 just hit $300, and you never know it might hit critical mass and start selling like the Wii.

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Anon19745920d ago

Profit is the whole point. Microsoft may be flush with cash, but that doesn't mean they don't have a responsibility to their shareholders to make wise business decisions that make the company money and improve their position, bottom line.

Now, as for the PS3, Sony has proved time and time again that they can make money over the long haul. Neither Xbox has made a dime over almost a decade now.

I agree with you. I'm glad Microsoft entered the gaming sphere. I loved my old Xbox and it was by far my favorite console last gen and my 360 has been a blast this gen, but we're not talking about gamers here. The article is talking about business and so far the 360 has been a financial train wreck, even though they're turning a slight profit now. And bear in mind, Microsoft has demonstrated in the past, they'll drop a losing product in the blink of an eye. When your shareholders have the ability to take you down, you need to keep them happy. Pride isn't a factor. Saying "But we make money elsewhere!" won't fly while shareholders watch billions vanish into thin air.

I get that you like your games but it's a business. Take Two has put out some of the best games I've played, but they've been a step away from bankruptcy for years now because of out of control spending. Bear in mind that we are talking about the business side of things here and emotions and business aren't a good mix.

WildArmed5920d ago

wow... seriously?

I think thats a bit harsh.
I do wish MS would have taken another year like SOny n Nin to fix their consoles. But other than that, I totally support Xbox as a console

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Biggest5920d ago

So here is my question. Where does Sony figure into all of this? I don't see how mentioning them in any way qualifies or quantifies ANYTHING about Xbox/360 in relation to Microsoft as a whole. I do understand that this is a "gamer" website. But this article wanted to be about Xbox and Microsoft. And while one pov pointed to PS3 and Wii, the overwhelming tone is Xbox and Microsoft.

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ShinRyuHadoken5920d ago

"Microsoft Should Never Have Built the Xbox"

I do agree. Cause it makes M$ more bad credits. M$ was with its monopoly on OS Windows in the black light. PPL start to hat Windows for making BSOD and other failt operating and slow Vista. With 360 it making it worser then the original xbox.

PPL start to really hate M$ all around the world. So I think it was wiser not to take the console market. Cause they not making money on this too. Shareholders want to see profits and 360 only get cheaper.

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ps360s5920d ago

Well Sony was a good company with or without Ms (providing us great titles) but Sony had a arrogonce "I am the KING" attitude when their was no competition...but now Sony I can say is a much better company then before now.

Hoggy19835920d ago

Personally anyone who thinks that the 360 hasn't been a success for MS needs to not only take a closer look at bottom line profits but also at market share and other important long term business concepts(e.g. operating costs). In terms of a five year plan Microsoft has now locked 35m people into its products and services. Microsoft can now continually draw on this cash cow whilst the previous "bumps" were easily absorbed by the company as a whole and now repaid by the division itself.

Fiscals aside the console has brought us a multitude of great games and been great competition for Sony. I think even the most anti-MS PS3 gamers need to appreciate the indirect good the company has brought to their own console.

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OmegaSlayer5920d ago

XBOX 360 is pointless, since it's only a Playstation wannabe.
Remember that Microsoft only gave you Halo, since Gears Of War and Mass Effect (two wonderful IPs perhaps) are third party stuff, that could have been released on every console.

And it's only slowering the tech progression.
Also, it's bringing in the game bad habits, like chatting and blabbering through the games.
Chatting in the games is over abused.

Microsoft should have tried to differentiate, but they didn't.

Syronicus5920d ago

The only way to then save grace or even be competitive would have been for MS to include the HD-DVD drive and go with the larger format. Prices would have been similar but it is common knowledge that the PS3 was crucial to Blu-Ray success. If MS would have put more of a hand forward with HD-DVD, it could have potentially beaten BD and helped the Xbox 360 win over all.

MS went the cheap route and we all paid for it. After several bricked consoles, I have seen just what lengths MS will go to beat a Japanese company and yet even with a year lead, they still manage to lose year after year in over all sales. They need to rethink their position next time and release a reliable console and think about pleasing us, and not just beating Sony to the punch.

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jessupj5920d ago

From a gamer's standpoint I don't agree. MS have been very aggressive this gen and have pretty much done anything and everything to one up Sony, even if that means wasting money and pissing off shareholders. The only reason I disagree is because I'm a ps3 only owner and the competition has kept Sony hot on their toes.

But mostly MS has taken away from the industry, and especially made it worse for ps3 fans. I wish they would have contributed instead and brought something new to the table instead of just waving cheques in front of everyone.

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Dnied5920d ago

One prime example I can think of is how PSN has benefited from Xbox Live.

ProjectVulcan5920d ago

From a business point of view, xbox and 360 have been disasters of epic proportions. 6 Billion dollars down the drain in less than a decade, with no hope of recouping that this gen or the next either. Although such figures are meaningless for average joe gamer, that bottom line is absolutely everything to microsoft.

From a gamer point of view microsoft have brought a lot of interesting things to the table for the console world. It has benefitted as a result. Maybe if they had invested their money more into Pc gaming on windows exclusively than building xbox, its entirely possible they would have a large profitable PC gaming business instead.

But anyhow whether the xbox should exist depends on who you would ask of course.

raztad5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

The first XBOX was two steps forward for the console gaming industry:

Standard HDD. Check.

Standard online gaming (and with it the FPSes were made popular). Check

MS was in a privileged position to bring above features from the PC realm to consoles. Every console gamer should be grateful for them.

On the other hand although the XBOX360 is a good console, it is very backwardish. There is nothing exciting or innovative about it. It's not even reliable and got no standard HDD, which clearly is a terrible mistake.

I dont think Sony needs MS competition to keep producing quality hardware or software. Sony produced a lot of fine products the past gen even though the PS2 was the indisputable winner.

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Halochampian5919d ago

Why does it such a big deal if they have "made it worse for ps3 fans"??

I dont see it. Is making once exclusives to sony, multiplat so that they can be played by more people such a bad thing?

MS is here for the long run which is why they are willing to give up some money to try and get market share. So they can compete right up there with Sony Nintendo for many years to come.

Look at the things that each competitor does to the other. They make each other better.

People may not agree with MS's tactics but think of the position it was in. It really had to in order to even try and be a factor of the gaming market. Sure they have some flaws but every company does.

Im happy that MS came into the market. At first i thought it was pointless but looking back, it's been a great ride. And it would be really boring reading n4g as Nintendo vs Sony fanboys went at it. oh man... that's just not even funny to think about.

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40cal5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

I have always felt and seen that the 360 is indeed holding back the industry in terms of pushing the envelope for game development.

@ Everyone talking about "Xbox gave us Halo."
Halo was actually a game in development for MAC in its beginning, so the Xbox had very little to do with how Halo turned out. We can all thank Bungie though.

@ Everyone talking about "Xbox gave us great games."
Aside from there very small (quantity) first party efforts this gen most of these great games would have happened regardless of the Xbox being on the market as most of these titles where and are being developed by 3rd parties and all Microsoft dose is secure exclusive marketing and publishing rights.

Also there is a very good chance that the Xbox games you love right now could have been better developed with just the PS3 in mind, CELL, HDDs, and Blu-Ray are all part of the tool set that has been giving PS3 games the edge in development this gen. See the AIAS awards for the past two years.

I have always thought that Microsoft should stick to software development. They need to re-open there game development studios and focus on pushing the envelope from a software standpoint PC, PS3, hell even Wii.

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commodore645919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

It seems there are just as many failed financial analysts among us as there are deluded fanboys.

Fact is, the Entertainment and devices division (EDD) does not post 360 profits/losses. It only posts financial data for the entire section,not its individual constituents.
Thus, how can people know and wrongly state that the 360 model is not making a profit?
It is just ludicrous..
Come on guys... this is not rocket science.

The EADD bottom line has fluctuated throughout the last 10 years, to be sure.
The EADD bottom line is also miniscule in comparison to profits shown elsewhere on the MS balance sheet.
Does this mean the EADD should be scrapped? - NO WAY!

What is not being realised, nor acknowledged, is that, through the EADD, MS is gaining a foothold and experience in an industry which is different to its traditional model.
Let's suppose we call it diversification.

Any professional financial analyst (who hasn't been made redundant due to incompetence) will know that diversification among non-correlated assets will increase expected return while reducing risk. Didn't someone win a Nobel prize for this theory, some time ago?

If we assume that Microsoft has different streams of business and we consider these as assets, then the diversification of their business streams increases overall returns, while reducing risk.
Thus, the EADD division, as long as it provides profits, even with fluctuating results, provides a net benefit to the MS Business portfolio.

Generally, it is true that MS have gained the ground this generation which Sony has lost with their PS3.
Also, if we were to compare the losses incurred by the ps3 until now, then the EDD and 360 might look rather good, in comparison.
However, this article is about the 360, so let's stick to that.

In any case, on a completely different note, MS may not need to, nor be looking to make billions of dollars from the 360.
How, why?
A good read on this, here: http://prjdragon.blogspot.c...

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chrisWhite5919d ago

Man, a lot of good thoughts in this thread and in the article itself.

I do feel like Microsoft needed this to continue to expand it's business, partially as an extension to Windows. The important thing is that they now have another Microsoft product attached to your TV that talks to your PC, like the Zune and their upcoming Windows Phone 7, it's about making the Microsoft experience much broader and more connected. Sure, we don't see a lot of exchange between the 360 and the Windows platform right now but I think that's something they'll continue to develop in the future, especially when the revamp Games for Windows Live.

The other thing I wonder about is whether putting the money they invested into the Xbox towards Windows gaming instead would have paid off. Even with a vastly improved Windows gaming experience I suspect we'd still see a strong trend toward console gaming in the consumer market. Instead of being in that market they might just have been the losers in the PC gaming trend.

2cents5919d ago

going back in time and erasing the 360 out of the equation, the last 5 years would have been a very boring place indeed.
As many peeps have said above, MS and Sony continually push each other to be better and this can only be a good thing. We can all find many reasons to hate both 360 and PS3, as well as find many reasons to rejoice. I choose to be happy with what Ive got.

Christopher5919d ago

I disagree with Microsoft's handling of their hardware, but there is no way I can say that Microsoft shouldn't have done the 360. In fact, getting into this market is one of the smartest things they've ever done and a great benefit to the gaming community as it influenced the need for competition in the market.

ASSASSYN 36o5919d ago

I agree with you edwineverready.

MNicholas5919d ago

They even tried to get cable companies to use it as a set top box. Can you imagine how disastrous that would have been?

Most 360 gamers don't know any better to complain (they actually defend Microsoft's RROD!) but imagine the public outcry if 65% of cable customers stopped getting TV!

-------------------

ps. If you're wondering why I said 65% percent is because that includes 2nd and 3rd year first time failures as well as repeat failures experienced by the same customer.

DevastationEve5919d ago

I don't understand the logic behind this so called "momentum" PS3 fans are talking about.

*Sony may have a released a slim model at the price that everyone wants it at, but they're still the same company that hasn't completely addressed the casual market. Coming out with their Gem controller might help since it'll be the closest thing to the Wiimote and will draw people who want the same thing. But they haven't changed their image, they're still all about "doing everything" out of the box, and not giving you options.

*Microsoft has had their Xbox 360 Arcade sku on the market long enough to compete with Wii and PS3 for price and value. They've had their Elite console specifically targeted at PS3, but Microsoft's biggest effort has been to compete with Wii since they're number one. They're not even concerned with PS3 atm.

*And that's because despite the two distinct sides of Microsoft's strategy to compete with two distinct rivals, the Xbox 360 experience is almost entirely modular. It can be as complete as you want or as budgeted as you want it. With Project Natal coming out they're giving you more options. If this was Sony they'd be shoving it down your throats, talking about true HD this and that.

My two pennies.

rexus123455919d ago

Competition is a good thing for consumers, bad for business.

Millah5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

Microsoft cares about one thing, market share. Microsoft cares more about market dominance than they do actual profits. They would rather make low profits and gain market share dominance than high profits with lower market share (like Apple). Ballmer always says this. Which is dangerous behavior from a huge company like Microsoft. I'm not saying they don't care about profits at all, but since they have so much money from their PC businesses, they are willing to spend a lot of that money in order to enter industries and gain highest market share.

Old Greg5919d ago

Tell that to MS's bank account.

Hildor_muthafo5919d ago

Like, no matter which console you prefer. You can't say that Microsoft shouldn't have created the Xbox. It brought us harddrives and an online service on consoles. Also, there have been some great games made for it. Sure, if the Xbox didn't exist then maybe they would have came out on a different console. But then again, without the Xbox being created, the chain of events that led to those games being made may never have taken place. Either way... the Xbox DOES exist.. so why ponder?

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GreenRingOfLife5920d ago

So of course they should have made it. This article is wrong

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red2tango5920d ago

Name one game that looks better than Uncharted 1 LMAO

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NMC20075920d ago

"Name one game that looks better than Uncharted 1 LMAO"
Blue Dragon.

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baum5920d ago

Sorry to disappoint you, Microsoft didn't make the PS3

:)

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van-essa5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

He said a game that looks like Uncharted 1, not a game that looks better. Nice try there Xbawt.

EDIT:
why so serious?

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we won5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

I feel bad for PS3 fans. The garbage continues. 360's lineup and NPD has got these guys acting like right wing politicians. Only PS3 fanboys ponder this for obvious reasons.

EDIT

PS3 fanboys are mad that MSFT has a better lineup and Natal and the 360 will outsell PS3 this year. They're upset that FF13 looks better on the 360 and that Alan Wake and Metro 2033 look graphically better than anything on PS3.

I mean come all of a sudden there is all kinds of fake anti MSFT fud and pro PS3 lie articles explosion all over the web. Even a chimpanzee can see this.

http://www.primates.com/chi... WHOOOOOOOO... Watch more blog quality articles to come as we get closer to MSFT's a$$ beating, talking about RROD and how PS3 is that and 360 is this.

Easy...

End of story...

"You mean the NPD results that show the PS3 and 360 in a dead heat?"

^^ Missed that one. I've never seen a tie before LOL. Nice spin... I'm talking about the one where PS3 fanboys assumed the PS3 would win (every month) but lost to the 360.

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-Alpha5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

Tango, why are you bothering?

TheBand1t5920d ago

@we won

You mean the NPD results that show the PS3 and 360 in a dead heat?

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MajesticBeast5920d ago

You made me spit out my drink but thanks for the laugh Bungie.

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ReservoirDog3165920d ago

Well looks don't mean everything red2tango.

Plus, the best consoles are arguably the PS1, the PS2, the NES or the SNES.

I wouldn't really say the PS3 or the 360 are there yet, especially since their entire playbooks haven't been shown yet (ie this console generation still isn't done so they don't count yet).

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baum5920d ago

Rob Enderle is one of Microsoft's biggest cheerleaders. Now he's a Sony fanboy? Hang on, let me get on my ROFLcopter.

IdleLeeSiuLung5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

That is the problem, you said "Name one game that LOOKS better than Uncharted 1 LMAO ". The vast majority of gamers except for the fanboy extremist don't care for graphics that is "slightly" better. What they do care for is game play!

Besides Uncharted 2 looks vastly better than the 1st one!

If graphics was the sole reason, then the original Xbox would have been much more successful than the PS2. However, that didn't happen, did it?

PS2 didn't sell on graphics, it did it on the games. In fact, some of the most successful games were third party games to boot!

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JasonPC360PS3Wii5920d ago

I have 2 Alan Wake and Metro 2033, they both look better than anything on the PS3.

Anon19745920d ago

It's really kinda hard to judge a game's merits when it hasn't been released yet, don't you think? These games could launch and be ass for all we know. Lair looked amazing. So did Haze once upon a time and we know how those turned out.

It's one thing to get excited about pending releases. I'm super hyped for Alan Wake myself, but I don't go around saying "Yeah! This game that isn't out yet and no one has played beats the hell outta your game!" The final version of either of those could run at 13fps for all we know.

So his point still stands. When you look at games that have actually been released, there isn't much up there with Uncharted, or Uncharted 2 for that matter. Certainly nothing on the 360.

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N4BmpS5920d ago

Don't insult that poor Chimp, it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaay smarter than we won. He's just an idiot criticizing idiots which makes him a hypocritical idiot. Oh the idiocy and hypocrisy that goes on in the gaming community.

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Gue15920d ago

@Jason 360, you been in delusion for so much time that you're turning blind now. ;)

And @bungie, please shut up and stop with the multiple accounts for the sake of your mental health, look for help. =|

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The Wood5920d ago

yeah idle

ill see you at the next multiplatform thread when the 360 version bests the ps3 version by a pixel or two.. Lets see where you use terms like 'extremist' then

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Jamrock32925919d ago

great graphics dont make great games & also at least Xbox's games sell..its just not all hype..Gears 1 outselled Uncharted 1 & 2

2cents5919d ago

dude, Your not helpin things.

DevastationEve5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

I can actually name 20 first gen games that look better than Uncharted, but what's the point? All you PS3 fanboys care about is graphics, it doesn't ever occur to you that the most successful GAMES don't rely on just one aspect.

I'd love to think that Sony's constant chanting of graphics over everything else hasn't completely withered away the fact that gamers buy games becuase they're looking for a great experience, the whole package not just something that blinks pretty colors.

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cobpswii36005919d ago

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHAHHAHH! LOL! LMFAO!!! You fail sooooooooo hard!!!!! LMMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Drakes_Fortune5920d ago

I also think there was no need for an Xbox. Sure competition is good, but didnt we had Nindtendo already competing with Sony? Sony always delievered good systems and games so we cant really say that without the xbox Sony would be lazy and wouldnt deliver good games.

Then thers also the fact that the 360 isnt much different from the ps3,so do we really needed more of the same?

And it also divided the gaming fanbase and made devs work a lot harder. Now they gotta spent more time, money and work on their games and in the end they are never as good as they focused on one single system.

But what is done is done, thers no turning back now, so thers no point arguing over this. Both systems have great games, and its only a shame that not everyone can enjoy them all.

That is what i think.

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SOAD5920d ago

Well, if that's the case, then by your logic there should have never been a PS3. However, Microsoft went out there and tried to be more successful with a console brand that failed hard the first time.

Imagine, if the first Playstation did as poorly as the first Xbox did, would Sony have made another Playstation?

Microsoft lost billions, and they came back and tried to do better. Yes, they messed up again BIG time with the reliability issues and the lack of standard harddrive and outdated optical drives, but look how far they pushed Sony.

Do you think Sony would give much of a damn about Killzone if it wasn't for the success of Halo? Do you think Sony would have tried so hard with PSN if it wasn't for XBL?

Microsoft's presence in the console industry has forced Sony to work harder on the Playstation 3. This is a good thing. The PS3 is constantly being improved and Sony is pushing for the best graphics available. I think we should be happy that Microsoft is here. And we should also hope that Microsoft makes a much better console next generation so that they can push Sony even further.

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ReservoirDog3165920d ago

Exactly!

bubbles

-Alpha5920d ago

+ Bubbles for logic and reasoning.

You are 100% correct. Trophies, Killzone 2's immense budget, etc. wouldn't have been what they are today if MS wasn't driving Sony to succeed. The only real people that want MS or any other company dead is somebody who can't appreciate them or the industry IMO.

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van-essa5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

And if it weren't for Killzone 2, Halo Reach wouldn't be looking like it does. Competition is a good thing indeed.

IdleLeeSiuLung5920d ago

If we only had Nintendo and Sony, I fear what the outcome would have been.

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Biggest5920d ago

I know that you guys are all into the "competition breeds advancement" stuff. But stop for a second and think. When did Sony start making games in response to other games? Do you seriously think that Sony said "Make Killzone 2 right now and make it really cool. You have 6 months! GO!"? Lots of things are improved by emulation, yes. PSN is changing monthly to better mimic XBL. But to think that PS3 was made in response to Xbox360. . . Games were made better only to get the upper hand. . . Seriously? Ask the people that make the games why they make the game. I bet you'll hear things like "We wanted to push technology as far as we could" or "We want to give gamers something new and innovative". You won't EVER hear "We only did this because those other guys did that. We really want to get back at them." Killzone 2 wasn't made to be Halo. It's nothing like Halo. It's on a different system than Halo. It isn't a response to Halo. It's a great game made by great developers that care enough about themselves to be good at their craft. Simple as that. PS3 wasn't made because Xbox360 happened. It was made because PS2 was getting old. Technology moves forward because it has to. You either get better or you die. You don't need competition to tell you that.

ReservoirDog3165920d ago

In the end, no matter what anyone thinks, the bottom line is money. Halo brought in millions and literally kept the Xbox alive. Sony wanted something like that. They bet their money on Resistance and Killzone 2.

The reason the market's oversaturated with FPS games is because of Halo and CoD. Everyone wants a piece of that pie. So yes, Killzone 2 was made in response of Halo. It doesn't matter that it's on a different system. They both aim at the same audience, specifically their wallets. Because that's all that matters in the end, money.

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Bumpmapping5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

I agree 360 is biggest POS ever created,from....

1.Biggest Hardware Failure In History Of Electronics.

2.Most Generic Gaming Franchises In Video Game History.

3.Most Over Hyped And Over Priced Online Structure.

4.Clunky Controller Design

5.Most Over Priced Accessories.

And most importantly it's Microshaft!

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CliffyB5920d ago

I think we have a great current generation of consoles from Sony, Nintendo and yes Microsoft. Competition is a good thing and Microsofts mere existence makes Sony and Nintendo better companies. As for your claims of "faulty hardware" and "over priced accessories" and "generic gaming franchises" some are legitimate grievances, others are trivial nonsense. My Point? All three companies have deficiencies. The Wii suffers from massive overloads of shovelware and your beloved SONY has had a far from perfect generation (haze,lair,Home and the upcoming wii mote dildo say Hi!) For your sake, I hope you are ten years old.

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blitz06235920d ago

You are are right for most of those, but I'd have to disagree with the controller design. It's really good. The only thing that sucks about it is the D-Pad. Everything else is good.

OT: It should be renamed to "Microsoft Should Have Taken More Time To Build The Xbox"

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Saaking5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

lmao, this way too easy.

CliffyB = Bungie

EDIT:

@Jason 360

the one is second place is also the first to loose. I wouldn't brag about being second. lmao.

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JasonPC360PS3Wii5920d ago

All that crying and yet the PS3 is still last

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TheBand1t5920d ago

Not at all.

Unlike Bungie, CliffyB actually posted a comment that was worth reading.

@Jason

Shame 2nd place is still losing.

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5920d ago

CernaML5920d ago

All that crying and yet the Xbox brand was never in first place. :)

wazzim5920d ago

"The third point made is that by owning the hardware, Microsoft can assure quality for both the hardware and the game."

Something went wrong here... ;-)

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nix5920d ago

but but the 3 years warranty???

GO MS GO!! TAKE THEM FOR A RIDE!!!

kevinx10005919d ago

"4.Clunky Controller Design"

that one made me laugh the most.

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Upbeat5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

to start with the most anoying thing about the xbox and microsoft is that they have shafted their customers sooo much this generation with the 360. with RROD, e74 and all the other hardware faults. plus u pay for live and honestly what do u get back ? early demos and early trailers, if i wanna watch a trailer early ill watch it on youtube. and when they braught out the elite it still had the hardware faults even tho they wher less likely to occur. Come on they are the biggest company and richest company in the world are u going to tell me that they cant sort a simple problem like rrod ? i could fix it with 8 quid and buy an intake fan, sorted :D. and look how well it has sold, what is to stop them from donig it again next gen ?

avengers19785919d ago

The short answer is NO! Not if the only thing they wanted to do was make money. Xbox has lost billions of dollars. Really only time will tell if MS continues to try and compete in gaming. That doesn't mean that Xbox won't give it a go on there own if MS stops supporting them.

AngryTypingGuy5919d ago

"What started all of this hullabaloo was a snarky comment I made on Twitter after seeing a chart that showcased that the vast majority of Microsoft's profit came from Windows and that the Xbox wasn't contributing much at all to the bottom line. " -- Well hey, at least it isn't LOSING money, unlike other consoles out there.

BTW, people can rag on the 360 all they want, but to say that it has a clunky controller design is just dumb. The 360 controller is way better than the PS controller (with the exception of the D-pad). It's not even close.

SSCOOLCHEA5919d ago

100 Bucks for a wireless adapter , 30 bucks for a battery pack , 50 bucks to play online and if you have the arcade sku you have to pay extra money for the hard drive .... WTF is that all about???????????
All the graphics are fkn generic , whack audio and its not even real HD . Every game is a generic ripoff of SONY . Not to mentioned this generation alone the xbot 360 has kill all multiplatform games ...don't believe me bots , buy a real HDtv and see for yo self .we have psn to play lag free games and you have whack ass live to play halo ( thats all you guys do dont bs me ) . all bots do is play FPS , how boring is that ????

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XxCYONIDExX5920d ago

They might not make that much of a profit off of the console but they sure as hell make up for it and more through selling millions of games, dlc, xbl, and extra hardware.

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President Tretton5920d ago

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Captain Planet5920d ago

What? Hell no. I mean, I'm a bit aggravated at the unreliablity of the 360, but to deny that is hasn't made Sony better themselves is silly.

OSIRUSSS5920d ago

I reject the notion that the 360 is in anyway "competition" with the PS3 based on hardware and/or software.

ReservoirDog3165920d ago

Well, let's look at it this way:

Even Sony says they're competition. There's many many many many different retorts I could've used but I picked that one.

Captain Planet5920d ago

Yea, you're right. PSN would be where it is right now without XBL.

/s

BaSeBaLlKiD7215920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

Well if Microsoft never made Xbox, would PSN be in existence today? I hate to say it but Microsoft has influenced Sony in many ways just as Sony influenced Microsoft. It's best to have more than 1 console so either company can take one another's idea and build from it. Competition is the best thing you can ask for.

Although Microsoft could've taken their time with the hardware and release it in 2006 along with the PS3 and Wii, this way they would've had a better hardware.

Cocytean5920d ago

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CARRIERHASARRIVED5920d ago

I wish it was Sega and Sony competing to be honest. Sega would most likely have given Sony a real run for their money when it came to hardware.

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BaSeBaLlKiD7215920d ago

Sega probably would be like Nintendo, re-releasing Sonic on their platform over and over just like Nintendo with Mario and Zelda.

2cents5919d ago

MS and Sega collaborated on the dreamcast, even though it ultimately failed. Sega lost the plot long before with the 32x and segaCD and saturn, they were not very dev friendly when it came to SDK or ports. They sealed their own fate. Ms are doing the exact opposite, and doing their best to put everything into the devs and gamers hands.

Personally I dont agree. MS has earned the respect from me as a gamer for the tireless approach and commitment they have shown in the face of so many bad decisions and obstacles. Hats off to MS, keep on pushing!

Gamer7l5920d ago

....just another whiny PC fanboy, butt-hurt over PC gaming becoming irrelevant.

TheBand1t5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

PC gaming is so irrelevant, that it's market alone has $11 billion in yearly revenue.

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Gamer7l5920d ago

Even IF that were true....and current figures say it ISN'T....that's only a FRACTION of what console gaming produces in sales. The PC market stands alone, against the PS2, PS3, 360 and Wii. PC can't HOPE to compete.

unchartedgoty5920d ago

so people will realise how great the ps3 is, competition.

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GigaGaia5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

The 360 drags down the PS3 and hold it back. The failure rate is ridiculous. The fact that most people still buy it with the failure rate says a lot about how people are not smart.

Seriously, it should have been the Wii and PS3 alone. The Wii can't be counted as a next-gen console, it's just a revamped gamecube. The PS3 is the most powerful of all 3 consoles this gen by far.

But the 360 is just something that isn't great, something with outdated hardware. It's in between the Wii and PS3, surpassing the Wii, but being a laughed stock when compared to the greatness of the PS3.

Guess M$ is always gonna be a second rate company and anything they do and toucyh is bound to fail or crash. Even Windows, their main product, keep crashing and has tons of security loopholes. They never even make anything themselves, they buy anything someone has done already and put their names on it. It's been like this since the company was made and this is what they did with the Xbox.

TheBand1t5920d ago

Protip: PS3 is outdated in terms of hardware as well. Don't try and fool yourself into thinking otherwise.

And the Wii is a nextgen console, simply because it's the first console ever to introduce motion controls as standard. (Y'know...the thing Sony and MS are now trying to get a chunk of?)

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SOAD5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

Okay, dude. Regardless of all of those opinions, don't you still agree that Microsoft has pushed Sony to improve themselves a little this gen?

If the answer is yes, then be happy that Microsoft is in the industry. They have made a positive difference.

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2cents5919d ago

you should really try to broaden your horizons Giga.

You sound very bitter towards Microsoft, its not healthy to have so much hate. Sure sony have impressed over the years and I swear by some of their products and decisions. But to Shun MS in the way you are just comes across as childish and immature.

MS aint that bad dude

CARRIERHASARRIVED5918d ago

Windows is like the most supported OS out there. That tends to make the system more bloated I'll admit... But, considering allllll the things my Windows PC can do, I don't mind a crash every once in a while. And oh yeah, human/user error DOES exist. Easy compatibility is a wonderful thing.

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Bumpmapping5920d ago

Truth hurts :)

LuHawk275919d ago

Truth also hurts that your B!tch ass is a crybaby on every 360 article LOL

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5920d ago

SnukaTheMan5920d ago

I would be having some serious buyers remorse with that ps3......

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XDF5920d ago

It is my second favorite system of all time behind the SNES.

1. It has a great controller
2. Xbox Live is social gaming at its best.
3. XBLA has the best D/L games such as Shadow Complex, PD HD, Trial, and Castle Crasher.
4. It has many great game (I have over 80 ATM) to choose from such as Halo, Fable, Gears, Lost Odyssey, Splinter Cell, Mass Effect, Alan Wake, Crackdown, Forza, PGR, and every major third party games you can imagine that are the same or better than the competition.
5. It has sold almost 40 millions, which is almost double that of the original Xbox.

I say, Microsoft will be in the gaming business for the long haul. Gamers sould be excited because competition is good.

I will get a Wii again for the third time when Mario Galaxy 2 is out this May. Can't wait.

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Biggest5920d ago

It's cool that you like things because other people like them.

Hoggy19835919d ago

Ditto. The 360 is my favourite console alongside the N64. I especially agree on the controller part. The xbox 1 controller was the size of dish but I really like this one.

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Tony-A5920d ago

Although it wouldn't have made it unstoppable this generation. They still have problems other than hardware. When they work out the kinks (whenever that may be), THEN I can see MS having a success story like Nintendo or Sony.

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Ronster3165920d ago

Looooooooooooong before phony came along we had 2D gaming.

A fair while before sony came along we already had 3D gaming.

Nintendo were already hard at work on rumble features and analog sticks.

Dreamcast paved the way for online console gaming.

Yup, looks like phony should never have built the turdstation either.

Gaming lost it's "soul" when phony arrived on the scene.

And lets not forget that sony had NOTHING of any worth gaming wise when they first entered the console business.

3rd party merchants from 1994 to 1999, buying anything and everything they could to stifle real gaming legends like Atari, Nintendo & Sega.

Well done droidstation buyers, you proved that money really did talk back in the day.

CernaML5920d ago

Tin foils hats! Come get your tin foil hats here! High quality!

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keysy4205920d ago

soyn never bought a game. the reason why sony destroyed those other system were dvd drive and cd games. the ps1 got games like ff because nintendo saty with expensive cartriges and square went else where. next the dreamcast was killed because of dvd. fact si without sony we proabaly wouldnt be where we are now. so before you try to say sony isnt all that think. but your probably not old enough to even know what you are talking about. your probably one of these new age fanboys who think they know something about gaming because you play 360. please if you have been around for the last generation you would know that 360 is in a bad place right now. hopefully natal revives them. but i dont see how since nintedo has the casual market sewwn up. natal will be fun to try but not to game with.

Omega Zues5920d ago

I like how it teased the idea instead of "hardware" MS could of invested it all on to the PC platform. I cant even imagine how insane some games would of been or where PC it self could of been at today. But what is done is done. However I do hope MS starts to look more back in to good old PC. I mean imagine Halo Reach for PC would of been like. On freakin sweet monitor blasting at 1920×1200, every thing cranked up to the max, hitting up DX11....ooooh man my eyes cry just thinking about that.

hey I can dream a little...cant i?

NatureOfLogic5920d ago

IMO 360 suck

I"ll never buy a 360(Just because my friends think it's the coolest thing ever)

buying a Xbox 360(to me) is like saying Im ok with gimped games and hardware failure(NOT ME)

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Cocytean5920d ago

@ReservoirDog316

Fair enough, mate. I guess they just get my back up. Wish this site had an 'ignore poster' feature like Eurogamer...

ReservoirDog3165920d ago

Yup, all there is is the ignore button. I personally don't use it but it's there.

Gameplay9995920d ago

Sure hardware problems notwithstanding, even though I believe such problems have decreased significantly with recent hardware revisions. MS keeps Sony in check and visa versa. Its a great amalgamation of accountability for that o so precious dollar, especially in these economic times.

In terms of consoles, the fact that the Xbox 360 gets a lot of PC ports and such is a huge plus for me.

All in all the Xbox 360 is doing leagues better than the original Xbox did and thats all MS is looking for.. to be consistently improving their market share and gaming experience with each iteration of consoles. Afterall, MS even said that the Xbox was an 'experiment', the 360 is a real first strike so to speak, and I have no doubt that the nextBox will be even more appealing to the masses with the issue of hardware reliability nipped in the bud.

I believe this has been the bloodiest console war since Genesis/SNES times and its obviously because both the PS3 and the 360 have great things to offer. I have both and it couldn't be better.

This has already been the start of one of the best years in gaming in awhile and there still is so much more to come. If you only have a 360 you have great titles to look forward to, if you only have a PS3 you have great titles to look forward to, if you own both you are going to be overwhelmed and I am getting overwhelmed already! I have two games I havent even opened yet.

I dunno what else to say, its just great to be a gamer now.

N4BmpS5920d ago

I don't really get the point of this article. Waste of time? Maaaaayybe

orange-skittle5920d ago

Why is this article even up here? Is it because N4G is so PRO PS3?

jjesso19935920d ago

to far i have enjoy to many games on xbox 360 yes it has design floors and yes microsoft should of waited to HD dvd was finished or even blu ray yes blu ray would cost them alot but i think the 360 would be in a better place right now if they had gone for better format.They have made mistakes and will hopefully make up for them on the next xbox that i belive will be here by end of next year if they go for blu ray it may be very expensive console they likey want make all there money back from paying sony and toshiba royalties for blu ray.

Figboy5920d ago

is as stupid as saying that the Playstation was a "mistake," and "Sony should just scrap the idea and apologize to developers and consumers."

there's no point in talking about what SHOULD have happened. things are what they are.

decisions were made, hardware is what it is, software is what it is, and that's that.

personally, i think Microsoft's biggest contribution to console gaming has been Xbox LIVE. i really think the service has matured, and while i don't think anyone should have to pay to play online, i have to say that thanks to that very thing, PS3 owners are getting a comparable service for 100% free. that's competition at work for you.

i think Microsoft should have cared more about the reliability of their hardware, even if it meant delaying the release by 6 months, as that would have saved them a LOT of money in the long term.

i'm angered at some of their hardware decisions (lack of HDD standard; lack of a larger disc format), i would never go so far as to say they never should have made the 360 in the first place.

that's just STUPID.

as a Playstation fan, the last thing you want is for Sony to run amok in the industry. same thing with Nintendo. we got some great games from Nintendo over the years, same thing for Sony, but dominating the industry like they did isn't a good thing at all.

i think this generation has been a bit more balanced. all three platforms have their demographics, and they are all doing really well. i think more than any other generation, all three platforms are catering to their strengths: Nintendo, with their family friendly approach, Microsoft, with their Online/Multi-player approach, and Sony, with their multi-media HUB approach.

each tactic works perfectly for their respective manufacturers, and each console seems to be at it's best when following those tactics when producing games (ie, the Playstation has always been strong in action/adventure games and RPGs, and the Xbox has always been strong in shooters and multi-player).

naturally, they can all cross over and overlap (ie, PS3 doing shooters, 360 doing rpgs), but it's not surprising that they really shine when doing what they do best.

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s45gr325920d ago

I agree on xbox live it is a more cohesive social online gaming community than PSN. From its sleek and cool party system were you and eight of your buddies play a competitive online match, then end up watching a movie, and finally listening to some music without losing any of your buds. I agree with your statement

5920d ago

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s45gr325920d ago

I do not argue that Microsoft should have not done the xbox platforms. Sadly but true the original xbox was and still is better than the xbox 360. The original xbox managed to get Quality Immersive Innovating games like Siberia, Star Wars knights of the old republic franchise, Jade, Fable, Crimson Skies, Oddworld franchise, it started the project gotham and forza franchises, even Halo. Personally Microsoft would of been far ahead if they have waited now before you say I am wrong think about it. It would not only would of have come out with better hardware, probably with Internet Explorer but it would of have come out with a very strong launch line-up: Halo 3, Gears of War, Dead Rising, Dead or Alive 4, Saints Row, a far better version of Perfect Dark Zero, probably a remastered edition of Star Wars Knights of the old republic, Condemned: criminal origins, and bioshock later on Mass Effect. It would of been unlikely that it would of come out with blu-ray but probably with Xbox Live Games on Demand+Cloud Service to distribute its 360 games. No matter how you look at it the xbox 360 would of been a far better competitor if it had waited.

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orange-skittle5919d ago

Your comments make no sense. You say the original xbox was better because of the software it had? That has nothing to do with Microsoft? Blame the developers or the studios that went bankrupt for that. Microsoft on screwed up because of the unreliability in hardware, but other than that...they have excelled farther than they projected. XBL's updates are more frequent and contain more content than PSN. Then next update will include Game Room as opposed to PS3's updates that contain nothing of substance except Buddy List Borders. Cross com chat is still unavailable when it was available for XBL last gen.They did what they saw fit and they made it work for them. You don't hear deveopers complaining about 360's architecture being too complicated to developer for. It's the platform of choice. Dont let me point out PS3's flaws like installing games and losing crucial saves and game data because of insufficient HDD space.

s45gr325920d ago

To those that say that PSN was inspired by Microsoft ummm no PSN is more akin to PC online gaming from its structure, layout, and its heavy use of text communication. The only thing that PSN is missing is Skype and Mod Support. If you play online on the PC and compare it to PSN is almost the same thing. It doesn't have a layout like Xbox Live, is not structured the same way as Xbox Live. The in-game cross media bar, personal music in-game, trophies, etc. Sony put those Xbox Live features not because they were inspired by Microsoft; since, they were too busy building Playstation Home. It was because Playstation 3 fans and the media demanded Sony to implement those features.

orange-skittle5919d ago

PSN was inspired by XBL. Sony had no plans to move forward with online gaming until MS did it. They relied on gimmicks and trends like marking the orginal PS as a CD player and PS2 as a DVD Player. So for 2007, the PS3 is also a Blu Ray Player. The PS2 was made w/o a modem because they said online gaming wasn't big. They had no idea that it would take off so fast. Microsoft never had a gimmick tied to their console. The PS3 stole the motion controller(six-axxis) idea from the wii and put triggers on the controller that were once tabs(L2/R2)when Microsoft already had them. They have been playing catch up, so they decided to bring out a super console, but made it to complicated for their own good. PS2 network adapter(modem) came out after XBOX's release while Microsoft released theirs with BROADBAND ONLY. They planned this from the beginning. Bill Gates said that he wanted XBOX to be more than a gaming machine. He wanted a multimedia system in every home and he has lived up to it so far. That thing can do a lot. My mom even bought one and she is 59. She watches Netflix, buys movies, listens to Last.fm and updates her Facebook page from the dashboard w/o using a browser.

Nathan Drake25920d ago

x360-dead last in europe and japan.and now even in USA is the least wanted console.

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pustulio5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

PS3 Fanboys approve this but i bet 10000 bucks if one comes out saying " the ps3 should have never been built" nobody would approve it N4G is full of ps3 fanboys and guess what?! OMG! The ps3 sucks (:

miggza5920d ago

If they didn't, Sega would've made a console. It's not like they're just gonna let nintendo and sony have all the fun. I'm sure that's one reason why the Xbox was made in the first place. Another competitor.

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Marty83705920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

Crapbox has gone down in history as the worst built console ever.

And the worst speced:

Still using DVD9 in 2010, and swapping discs. lol

Jump Out, Play B3yond

Lordsolidusx5919d ago

Need more bubbles

5920d ago

Cueil5920d ago

This was never about games to Sony or Microsoft it was about the control of your living room... Games are great, but what about the other people living in your house... that's where digital distribution of entertainment like 1 vs 100 and streaming HD movies come in at... that's where having the 360 as a set top box for iptv outlets comes in... this stuff is either on the PlayStation platform or in the works as well... games are just a another facet of the battle

StarCSR5920d ago

What a giant article of fail...

TwistedMetal5920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

What ever gamers demand sony would give. There would be no cross chat/ in game music patents. you guys really arent thinking clearly on what sony does. sony dont need competition. they just need people to say what they want. sony always try new things regardless anyways. You guys need to respect the ps1, ps2 and ps3. Your guys lack of respect is unbelievable. sony made gameing for everyone. nintendo still got that kiddy only stuff.

MrBuffalo5920d ago

I've owned both machines (and the Wii) since dayone. Day one in Japan for the PS3 and on my 360 I have over 35 games, 18 on PS3 and 12 for the Wii. People are going to shoot me down for saying this but the PS3 has not live upto the e3 hype of 2005 where they claimed it had way more power than 360. For sure it has UC2 and I'm looking forward to Yakuza 3 and GOW3 but compared to the 360 it can be a pain in the arse. Some of the updates are painfully slow and at times the absolute do everything Mantra they seem to have stuck to in designing it makes it feel like a PC. Whilst I enjoy using it more than my 360 as a media server it can be piccy about what files it wants to play. For instance I had season 4 0f dexter in HD on my pc. Every episode played fine through my 360 on the ps3 it played all but a few even though they all had the same file extentions. The 360 by comparison is a simpler machine and more user friendly. What you see as innovation I see as confused. Were Sony trying to go after the pc? It runs linux, web browsing, media sharing but it does none of it well when they should have concentrated on making a games machine. You don't even need a BR to watch HD anymore. MS by comparison have made a games machine first its simpler, does most of the same things but still I buy most games for it because of the better online componant and graphics wise I don't see a difference that was there in previous generations though UC2 is top. The 360 broke after four years but it only cost me 80 pounds to fix which I was fine with. My PS3 is an import so was never guaranteed (i aint complaining, its not the first imported machine i've bought) so friends have advised me to buy a new one, transfer the files and box the old one up which I will do, thankfully Sony have given me this possibility with file transfers. But people should look at it this way. MS have eaten into Sonys market share big time and it isn't any wonder that Phil Harrison and Ken Kutaragi have gone. I'm sure MS are going to plow billions into the games market until they are as dominant as they are in the software market. I reckon the next gen of consoles will be more games and network orientated and leave much of the other baggage behind. The reason I think MS didn't go with HD DVD or BR. It will all be download driven and the machines will be simpler and more gaming focused. I think MS have done well. People should at least own both machines (and a Wii for when you have guests) These are just some of my oppinions, feel free to share yours and comment.

hoops5920d ago

Twisted Metal you must be 12 years old to say Sony does not need competiton. Honestly how old are you? Really? Please answer. Do you know ANYTHING inreagrds to the business structure enviroment? When companies have little to no competiton they do not change.
Please tell us what revoltuion the PS2 brought to us outside of games?
The PS2 dominated so much that when the DRE happened SOny did NOTHING even when consumers complained....to the point of a lawsuit that Sony had to settle. RROD FORCED MS to give extended warrenties and other stuff because the lessons learned from inaction from SOny's hardware issues with the PS1 and PS2. ALL consumers need competiton in the marketplace. You are a child for saying otherwise OR you work for Sony to say that...

If it were not for MS the PS3 would still be $600. The PS3 would not have online gaming or it would be the same basic garbage it was with the PS2. XBL made SOny push to make PSN great. KZ2 was a result of Halo. UC2 WAS A result of Gears of War.
The Xbox brand was a result of Playstation.
If there were no Playstation there would be no Xbox. If there were no Nintendo there would be no Playstation. If there were no Atari or Intellicision there would be no Collecovison ETC.
Before you post, get a brain

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Biggest5919d ago

Actually, Killzone 2 was a result of Killzone. Uncharted 2 was made because of Uncharted. While Killzone was hyped as a Halo killer, the second installment was just a matter of time. Uncharted was being made for the PS3 launch. Gears of War had nothing to do with it.

bjornbear5920d ago

of course they should have built the xbox

MS has as much right to compete in console wars, so as long as they got their place in it (as they did)

now a better point is:

"MS should have never built the xbox 360 the way they did"

skyblue142135920d ago (Edited 5920d ago )

I remember when microsoft use to have a pretty good OS for pc's,the last good window's iteration was xp. But ever since they got into the console business in a serious way(which began with the xbox)their products(software/hardware wise) have suffered as a result beginning with vista. It is a shame though that one of their most successful long running line of products "windows" has not been the same since they released the original xbox. I am still not fully convinced 7 is any better than vista. Ever since xbox I have noticed that they always are rushing their products out on the market because they are so worried with the competition. Through this time frame I have noticed that microsoft have steadily lost their edge and the way/philosophy on why their products like "windows" were so successful in the first place. Case and point: microsoft needs to stop rushing their products for fear of their competition, because a product speaks for itself.

hoops5920d ago

XP was garbage when it was released.Funny how everyone seems to forget this now. It took years to get it solid. Vista now is solid and a great OS. It actually took shorter time then XP to become better. Win7 is great from the start thats the difference. Trust me its better then Vista for support and its less of a resource hog.
And to the article. Ya...WE don't need comprtition....Let Sony keep that $600+ price tag.
FYI people. If it were not for MS and the Xbox360, you would not have seen games like U2 or KZ2 or a $299 price tag.
If it were not for Sony you would not see a Xbox and games like Halo and Alan Wake and Gears of War etc.
This is why we need competiton in the marketplace. Artilces like this are comical.
And if you look at MS hostory of getting involved into different markets, they stick it out for a period of time to break even and make a profit. The Xbox is doing that now.

Demon55005920d ago

This is like telling Sony or Nintendo not to bother making he next console?
Just plan stupid, every Dev on here should kick your A$$ no every Dev on the planet should :)

frankymv5920d ago

GUARANTEED!!!!!!!!!!

MrBuffalo5920d ago

We'll know what it is by then but I reckon it would be another year after that. Reason being is that they will want to spend time establishing Natal.

keysy4205920d ago

not to mention that the 360 is holding back console gaming instead of bringing what the pc could do to the living room. the guy who gave his seven point is a fanboy. what does the last 3 got to do with anything. who cares if you like the 360 that doesnt mean that it is great for gaming.he said like halo 3. well sorry halo is fun but its not that great of a game.its not pushing the envelope and isnt that what we want developers to do. not become stagnant like the 360 has been for about 3 yrs now. then when it comes to profits sony gets alot of sh1t for the amount they invested in this gen. while ms isnt making any real money off xbox but get praised. its bull sh1t. bootom line is Ms forced its way into the market by throwing mone at it and in return they threw even more money at it. now because of that we get subpar games. take alans wake 5 yrs inthe making but really how good would this game be on ps3.
also the guy said that developers are having a hard time with the ps3. hey well unless you havent been around for the last 20 yrs or know nothing about developing games have always been hard. the ps2 and ps1 was just ass hard as the ps3 to develop for. so there you have another fanboy comment.
its not that the ps3 is really that hard to develop for fanboys. its just that when the 360 had a 10 million lead in the states there was no readon to invest resources into the ps3. but that has changed and was also a dumb philiosphy. see 360 fans are dumb. sorry fanboys but you are. MS gave you a piece of sh1t hardware and you rejoiced they even jsut ported alot of games ffrom the last generation. halo for example. then they steal ip's that can't fi ton there system and have them downgraded for a fanbase that doesnt really exist. ff13 ps3 owners bought ps3 for the single player experience of games.

the best thing that 360 has done this generation is make sony open there eyes and get rid of some of there bull. the competition is why the ps3 gets better games than the 360. not syaing the 360 doesnt have good games, but i havent had a new experiene on the 360 since gears 1. after that its been the same stuff over and over again just redefined.
its sucks because the fact that fanboys supported this defective system i have to pay more money too play games than i would if the rrod of death would have jsut killed off the 360 .

keysy4205920d ago

what do you mean the ps3 doesnt render at a higher resolution . did you not notice that you are using blu-ray disk. do you know what that means. forget the spec of the machine lets just talk abou tblu-rau for a second. why do you think that hd-dvd drive was important to 360 or why they added it. becuase you cant get true hd from the 360. the format doesnt support it. if this wasnt true why not just run hd off the 360 then. its because the 360 cant do true hd.
look it up and not none of this upscaling stuff either the 360 is a 720 p machine. not syaing that alot of games run higher than 720p but he ps3 can produce true 1080p gaming and movie and 360 cant.

keysy4205920d ago

why did the wii sell like crazy and why isnt it selling games now. becuas every one know what the potential of a controller like that is. nwo that sony has capitalized on nintendo fault people are against it but what if sony was coming with natal and xbox with the wand. people would be like the wand is the greatest thing evver. its all fanboyism jsut play games

Smootherkuzz5920d ago

They all had their share of problems, it seems Microsoft had theirs during todays multimedia and therefore taking more heat, I remember when Sony and N, Sega had problems with hardware and accessories that did not not go over and you only heard of it in gaming mags and buy word of mouth. So give it a rest already this type of bashing is getting old no matter what system it is, it just keeps the masses separated and fuels these types of articles.

divideby05920d ago

they should have just designed it better...
just my luck..my 3rd launch 360 died 2 days ago....
MS told me they will repair it free of charge since it is 2 1/2 years old..wierd thang is I was only getting one blinking lite and that would not be covered, than while talking over the phone with the service rep, I got all lites lite and thank goodness its a free repair..
the dude was really good over the phone
they now do NOT send out boxes, like the old days. 3 weeks..fingers X'd
30 day warranty..but I may get a recycled box, not mine, which gets me mad cause we take great care of all our hardware

Jumper095920d ago

and sony should never built the playstation....what an FANBOY Article -.-*

Convas5919d ago

... "Microsoft should've never released the Xbox 360 without finetuning it". Look, I love my Xbox 360. I'm not afraid to admit that. Not at all. It has given me hundreds of hours of enjoyment and pleasure (Yes, I mean REAL pleasure) and I can't see videogaming without that.

That being said however, the Xbox 360 is riddled with problems. From the DVD9 restrictions being imposed on Developers to the multiple errors and problems with the console itself. I cannot excuse these problems. But this does not hamper my ability to enjoy the games I play on it.

Now if the day comes when MS stops making the Xbox because it's no longer profitable, then I will simply continue gaming on my future PS3. I was a Sony Man last gen, and I can be a Sony man again.

air15919d ago

so if the main argument is that micro should drop the 360 cause it doesnt profit like windows, then shouldnt sony drop the ps3? cause last i checked they are still selling at a loss..

and what makes every one think that micro doesnt make profit on the 360? can you ppl put up links proving this. last i checked they was breraking even like 3 years ago on the console. plus we all know that sony and micro dont expect much profit on the conoles its self till years later they concentrate on making profit on things like games and accesories and we all know that the 360 is the leader in that department. do you ppl even realize how much money they make on live?!

Domer255919d ago

competition is always wanted, makes the industry better.

LuHawk275919d ago

what we dont need is playstation they should just die. sega should come back

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Lordsolidusx5919d ago

Same to you with out the Sega

LuHawk275919d ago

then do something to make it happen punk b!tch

Narutone665919d ago

behind your keyboard being an internet tough guy. Go out and play more. You must have been bullied too much in kindergarten.

caffman5919d ago

if there wasnt an xbox, then the playstation would be a lesser product. without inivation to create for the 360 and the race to have better games for both, developers would get lazy in creating games. Also the PS3 price drops were to compete with the 360 so they would be still £425!

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DarkLegacy5919d ago

Sony & Microsoft will both win but in different ways. When this gen is done, Sony will most likely have sold more consoles. With that said however, it's a losers victory as Microsoft would have made money hand over fist with the Xbox 360. Most gamers only care about the numbers of units sold & consider that as defining which console is better. The actual brains behind the operation care about the money that the console is bringing in. On that front, the PS3 is simply no match for the Xbox 360.

Sony took huge risk by making the all in one console & they left little room to make money outside the system hardware. Peripherals for the PS3 are scarce & if anything, a majority of what is available is third party. The only thing an actual PS3 owner would need to buy is control pads & the official headset. The headset is totally optional tough. Maybe a select few purchased the PlayStation Eye & the chat pad but surely not enough to notice any real revenue from it.

On the Xbox 360 end, you have the Hard Drive, Memory Cards, Headsets, wifi adapters, chat pads, face plates & of course, Xbox Live. Gamers will complain that Microsoft price gauges their products but being a business person myself, I see it more as an successful approach to making more money out of your hardware. Regardless of how people feel, MS has brought in millions of dollars just through there peripherals alone & more millions with Xbox Live.

To sum it up, when this gen ends, three things will be remembered. How Nintendo dominated the gaming market, How Sony lost its edge & how Microsoft made so much money on a high failure rate console.

BigKev455919d ago

This article should have never been written.

Biggest5919d ago

It seems as if everyone missed the point. This article is not about Xbox360 alone. It isn't about the console war. It is about Microsoft's gaming division being a time and money sink. They've done nothing but lose money and they are a long way from breaking even. From a business standpoint, it makes no sense in hindsight. They pour so much money into their gaming division that coming out on top (not of the console war but of their own pocket) is near impossible. Look at all of the FFXIII advertising. Look at all of the wasted money on "exclusive" games or content that still happen for other systems. Look at the software sales of titles that Microsoft has made in company (there are none). All of that is bleed money. And it's hard to make it back and for profit. Microsoft may have made a mistake for Microsoft.

WMH5435919d ago

I don't know what you people are getting at but i think the Xbox360 is a good console but i think the PS3 is a bet better than the Xbox 360 I think some games look better on the Xbox than on the ps3 at the same time some games look better on the ps3 than they do on the Xbox and I am a playstation boy all the way and I may never buy a Xbox360 how can i say never hell might get one some day.

Morgue5919d ago

Funny that this guy writes an article about this when all he had to do was come on this site because this dead horse gets be everyday.

ReBurn5919d ago

No doubt. Bubbles up!

Cajun Chicken5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

The 360 should have been a finer built, silent machine in the past, right at the start. Having such a massive external powerbrick for a console and DVD drive that actually makes loud noise and the forced capacity harddrives is nothing but a joke. It's the worst designed console I have ever got my hands on, the recent NXE system has improved my view and limited respect for the console tenfold, but I still disagree with paying for what should be free...online.

Thing is, most the time it does the job and it has the games, so...I have a love/hate affair with the 360. It plays games, but as time has moved on, I don't think I can quite do without it, but by far, it's a very overrated system. I preferred everything about the original XBOX much more, it was a much better, nearly flawless system with a far better exclusive line up to show off the power.

ReBurn5919d ago

I'm glad that Microsoft made the Xbox 360. I've had a great time with it. It sits on my entertainment system next to its close console friends.

air15919d ago

same here....

saying you dont want the 360 around is like saying you hate games..

the damn thing is 200 dollars, be a gamer..

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divideby05919d ago

you cant be a gamer for 200 bucks....not with that setup..you need at least a pro or elite....

AnotherGamerUser5919d ago

Microsoft made was not making a hard drive standard in the 360.

ASSASSYN 36o5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

Really...because if they did then when my 360 died from any reason how would I retain the save game files, and music files?

Weather planned or anticipated the external hard drive was a great idea. I can migrate my information to any console anywhere without disconnecting my console.

Xander7565919d ago

Of course Windows makes Microsoft the majority of their money. Their gaming division is one of their smallest. It still makes them a tidy profit though so why should they have never made it? Not to mention now they have a pretty large share of the gaming market and have set themselves up nicely for next generation. Don't forget, they got PWNED last gen so they have done really well so far with the 360.

maniacf405919d ago

e-p-ayeaH5919d ago

Thanks to MS on the console market games started being way more bland, unsurprising and preditable but many of them were good like halo for example but i find it boring by being such generic futuritic shooter.

ASSASSYN 36o5919d ago

Without Xbox live I would still be playing PC games. And not that doing so is a bad thing. I was getting tired of typing info in a heated online battle in PC games. Voice chat in PC gaming was limited. Xbox live's universal chat ability motovaited greater PC game voice chat usage amongst gamers once they saw the benfits. But nothing beats turning on your xbox console and jumping in a conversation so fast your friends have yet to recieve the. "ASSASSYN 36o is online" message...other than a phone call of course.

Darkfiber5919d ago

It's the "drunken fratboy" console of this generation. The hardware is terrible but it does have some good games when I'm in the mood to mindlessly blow stuff up then fist bump someone afterwards, but on a whole they don't take nearly as many artistic chances with games as Sony does that a more mature video game audience would appreciate, and doesn't have the amount of content or ease of use and communication you'd find on a PC. Better than the Wii, though...that thing...that thing just sucks.

GRAMMAS BOY5919d ago

The truth is this, Microsoft said screw finalizing the system and fixing all the bugs and lets get a head start on Sony....

Ok they did that and they obtained temporary succes.....

Now milions of defective x-boxes later....the age and limitations

of the hardware is starting to show...haha

So when everyone laughed at Sony for their "long-run" plan...

Looks who's starting to get the last laugh....

How many much longer will Halo keep you in the game? We'll see

cuz at this point thats all they've got..o and x-box live which

you have to pay for...great.

Im not biased all Im saying is...you know things are looking pretty

bad man...ok Im done.

Kev20775919d ago

then why is it better dan ps3

ikral5919d ago

X360 is good competition for PS3, and as such is positive for PS3 gamers. We get better games because of X360. Thanks!

anaviel5919d ago

Are you serious? None of you can actually be taking this article seriously. I refuse to believe that people are this thick. I just can't, I won't. Nope! I protest!!!

That's just like saying the PS3 shouldn't been made because it took Sony so long to turn a profit, or that the PS3 is in last place right now which is a major fail seeing how they've dominated the console scene since PS1. I could go on and on and on. But I won't. This is clearly a biased article trying to create a reason for this article and the point made to be relevant. But it's not working. The 360 with all its flaws is still a force to be reckoned with...proof positive is articles like these being pulled out of someone's @$$.

C'mon let this foolishness stop already. I just want to play games I don't want to read horse manure like this. I don't want to go to war with other gamers over the console they choose to support. I don't want to argue about who has the biggest stick, graphic power, sound, media, etc. I just want to pick up a controller and play a game or two, maybe watch a movie and update my facebook account. Anything else is clearly a waste of time. With the 360 selling in the millions and games selling like hotcakes on the system I would like to call this article exactly what it is.....monkey pudding. Now lets go play a game.

bneals5919d ago

Some people just don't get the way some companies work. Did you ever go down a highway and notice that there is a Lowes right next to a Home Depot? Or you see two supermarkets in an area that only needs one? Sometimes a company enters an area to have a presence in that particular place. I believe that MS got into the console business for two reasons. First, I think they want to make a profit...something that recently they have done. The second reason they wanted into the console market is to make sure that MS has a box in the living room. MS was smart enough to realize that computers aren't everything. The living room is where the next generation of computers will be. The 360 is a bridge to that vision. The don't want to give that area to Sony or, more importantly, Apple. The 360 gives MS a footprint in your family room.

This article is obviously intended to fire people up. MS is making at least 100 million a year on Live alone. Sony lovers can't kill MS for charging for Live and then act as if this 100 million a year doesn't mean anything. Quite honestly, recent articles have suggested that it is the PS3 that is still costing money to Sony on every unit sold. Considering that Sony doesn't have that extra 100 million, sells less consoles (which they reportedly loss money on), and sells less games (therefore less royalties), it would seem to me that it was the PS3 that was the mistake.

Bottom line, MS entered the business to make a profit but also to put their products in your family room.

Biggest5919d ago

I really don't think Microsoft is turning an actual profit from their consoles.

QuantumWake5919d ago

I love my 360. MS offers a great experience to players from their wide selection of games and online play. But the only thing holding it back is the really unreliable hardware. I just wish MS took the time to build the 360 without any problems. They should have tested it more instead of rushing the console to the market.

From things like the insane amount of errors, RROD, crappy disk trays and what-not. It's frustrations like those that keeps me from REALLY enjoying my 360.

But overall... With the amount of fun I have had on Xbox Live. And the awesome selection of blockbuster titles, MS have done a great job in keeping me a customer. I hope MS will learn from their mistakes come next generation. Happy gaming! Cheers!! :D

alb18995919d ago

if we are talking about losses then the ps3 either should be made because SONY is not earning money yet from PS3, in fact is losing!

GiantEnemyCrab5919d ago

Wow, just a real constant stream of Anti-360/Bashing articles lately. Most of it pure garbage that just opens the doors for the Gamer Zone to turn into the Open Zone and all the usual PS3 fannies come flooding in. Just like what is happening now.

As a person who enjoys the Xbox and 360 I say hell no.

How lame would gaming be right now if it were just Sony and Nintendo. How unimportant online gaming would be, no trophies, etc, etc.

That's as much as I'm defending the 360. It's the #1 HD console this gen, get over it. MS will pay billions to get into and establish itself in a market and that is just what they've done with the Xbox.

TheNetAvenger5919d ago

There is a theme to most posts that don't take into account the reasoning behind the original XBox or the 360.

Here is some facts to think about.

Why Did Microsoft Make the Original XBox?

At the time that MS decided to create the original XBox, console gaming development was 1) Hard and 2) Locked to a console technology.

The original XBox was built to create a more consistent model of programming for a console that would also allow easy porting between PC gaming and the console. (The XBox was and is very much just a closed platform PC.)

This SHOVED the entire industry in this direction, so that instead of console only games, you had Halo on the PC, and other companies like Sony also invested in cross platform titles as well.

This also opened up development engines to more platforms, so even cross console games became more common.

Why Microsoft?

Despite what people think of Microsoft, they have always done something ahead of the curve in the software industry, and that is development tools, and development platforms. Microsoft engineers know software compilers and development tools and also have full divisions that know the hardware intimately.

They already had the development structure to creating games easier than companies like Sony and just needed the console hardware to run them.

This is still true of the XBox 360 and the PS3, where development is easier on the 360 because of the PC similarities and the massive amount of research and development tools Microsoft provides. It also extends to getting the most performane out of the platform.

In Theory the PS3 should be able to do things the 360 can't do in terms of RAW CPU power, yet the develpment tools are so poorly designed and optimized for the Cell processor the PS3 developers have to work to the get power out of the PS3.

Again, Microsoft knows development and tools.

Why did Microsoft jump into gaming Hardware?

If you look at the time the XBox and the XBox 360 were designed they are both at an apex of technology that engineers at Microsoft saw coming and the XBox created the vehicle to get this technology out to consumers and also make the technology mainstream for PC users.

With the original XBox it was MS engineers that designed the NVidia GPU, and it was years ahead of what NVidia and ATI were doing by having vertex and pixel shaders, something PCs didn't fully see until DX9 cards.

The Microsoft developed NVidia GPU in the XBox is the basis of NVidia GPU products all the way up to the Geforce 7xxx series cards, and Microsoft 'let them' have the technology.

Again if you look at the XBox 360, there was a another apex of graphical abilities that needed to 'break' from the previous design and move to a unified shader model and some other GPU/OS tricks. ATI and NVidia were relunctant to tackle this, so Microsoft developed the XENU GPU for the XBox 360, and even though it is a 5 year old GPU technology, it still holds it own with PC games today.

The XENU GPU in the XBox 360 brought Unified shaders as a 'standard' and also incorporated some other technologies that are less known, but are a core piece of the video architecture of Vista and Win7.

So even if just for the research and implementation and shoving of the industry, what MS learned and created for the XBox 360 paid off for Vista and Win7 as they were designed around what the XBox 360 team designed.

The XENU GPU in the XBox 360 isn't technically a 'full' DX10 GPU, but it is close with supporting really large textures and even some DX11 technologies like Tensellation. It also works through the OS to share RAM, just like Vista and Win7's WDDM do to get more performance/features out of GPUs for more VRAM.

Ironically the GPU in the PS3 is a Geforce 7800-7900 variant, which is not only DX9 technology in features, but is based on the original Microsoft developed GPU for the original XBox that was given to NVidia. The GPU in the PS3 is what keeps the PS3 fighting when it comes to highly detailed textures in scenes, as the GPU was not designed for large texture sizes, so it will always hit limits that do not exist on the XBox 360's XENU GPU.

Was Online Important?

XBox Live was a major movement for consistent online gaming and a central meeting place. Others had tried variations, but XBox Live was inexpensive, simple and connected people easily.

The Live updates in the 360 brought online content and is still the coordinated backbone of the Live/Zune marketplace services. Prior to XBox Live you couldn't rent and watch a HD movie online easily.

It nothing else XBox Live forced Sony to get their act together and even shoved them to do 'Home' and other clever 'centralized' online concepts.

So...

1) Look at the impact of where the XBox and the 360 took the industry from development and easy porting from PC to Console and even Console to Console.

2) Look at the new generation of hardware MS brought to the table with each console that again impacted the entire PC industry

3) Notice the knowledge that Microsoft gained from the XBox projects that were then added back to Windows, from the DX10/DX10 platforms to even the WDDM of Vista/Win7 that were co-created as the features were needed for the XBox 360. (Remember both the XBox and 360 both are running Windows underneath everything with DirectX technologies.)

On just these points alone, the XBox was and is important to Microsoft and the entire gaming community.

Myth5919d ago

I probably will buy the next xbox 740 or whatever its called but,

how many of us are going to wait until they see if there's any failure rates?
I know I probably will. I will probably wait a year or so. What will you do?

d10sfan5919d ago

Im just not going to be a microsoft console probably. Sony has a much better trackrecord and I know I will be much happier with their consoles and their game lineup than anything Microsoft puts out.

Microsoft has very few firstparty ips. Sony has quite a bit more and sony developers and third party exclusives on the PS3 have been incredible so far. Plus, if you have a pc and a ps3, you are set where games are concerned. Most "exclusive" 360 games are already on the pc or will be soon. PS3 exclusives are actually exclusive, they dont get on pc.

lukejames11115919d ago

I'm not going to go on about this, but Microsoft really has kiled gaming in a way.

Just imagine if the next Xbox without a Blu-Ray drive!

GTA4 would be a million times better if it was a PS3 exclusive, using full 50Gb's of disc space.

RELAX5919d ago

REALLY LAME STORY

horndog5919d ago (Edited 5919d ago )

simply because the xbox has dethroned sony of what it was, the best gaming console on the planet. Third party devs have jumped ship this gen, not to many third party exclusives on the ps anymore. Some would say xbox has lost exclusives but it's sony who has lost the most and MS gained from it. Sony doesn't dominated the market like it did with the ps2 and the best exclusives come to the xbox first and than ported to ps3. If you only have a ps3 than that's all bad news but for multi plat owners such as myself the xbox is an awesome system that has easily taken over the ps3 in so many homes this gen. On line console gaming was changed ever since the Xbox arrived and Yes P.C was here long before but it's just not the same.

What else has the xbox done?! Push the competition hard and humbled the idiots at sony. So who's "going to get a second job just to buy a ps3" next gen?? Sony fanboys should be thanking MS for their free psn i mean how else was sony supposed to compete with live?? See, besided pumping out good games and having the best on line and some of the most successful exclusives it also pushed the competition. When the original xbox launched MS didn't expect to make any profit on it but things are changing with the 360 and MS is in it for the long run.

JJFNIGHTS805919d ago

I really don't care if they are in the game it's good for competition. But their only THING ON MIND IS TO DRIVE SONY OUT OF THE GAMING BUSINESS THAT'S M$ number one goal. But they rush their 360 a year head start which is a good move but they still have some faulty parts in their system. And I say they should at least try to redesign their Xbox. I only care bout QUALITY hardware that's why I'm sticking with my PS3.

mxrider25919d ago

bungie would be on ps3 gow would be on ps3 everything would be on ps3 no system hold backs nothing think how much better the games would be....

horndog5919d ago

and maybe no UC2 or KZ2 since there is no competition right?? Why the need for sony to spend millions on first party game budgets and in creating the gaming engine for KZ2?? Why spend 5 years and a few millions in making such a game like GT5 if there is no competition?? Why a free PSN service?? Why trophies??

Yeah, really think about it.