West Coast Connection Forum

Lifestyle => Sports & Entertainment => Topic started by: Jome on September 23, 2002, 01:00:12 PM

Title: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Jome on September 23, 2002, 01:00:12 PM
I read on a Norwegian news-site that Microsoft is considering giving up on X-box.
If this X-Mas doesn't generate VERY big sales, they will likely give up the project.

They will boost a big ad-campain for X-mas, but if it doesn't succeed, they will give it up.
They are losing big money on the machine, and the sales has been pretty poor.
They will not make money on the X-Box for years to come if they doesn't get a big sales-boost, and they will most likely give up the X-Box, and start working on a new machine instead.
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: bez on September 23, 2002, 01:04:37 PM
lets be honest, if Microsoft brought out an X-Box 2 and Sony brought out a Playstation 3, not matter what the price is no matter what kind of shit the new X-Box will have in it and be able to do people will always go for the Sony.  Its just dope.
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Sub-Z on September 23, 2002, 01:10:39 PM
i doubt it,is that why they just bought rare?? to give up at the end of the year??i dun think so
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: verbalassaulta on September 23, 2002, 01:54:32 PM
anyone could have saw this coming...and anyone who bought an x-box wasnt too bright...
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Woodrow on September 23, 2002, 02:03:22 PM
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/fun.games/09/23/xbox.test.reut/index.html

"LONDON, England (Reuters) -- It's been just six months since Microsoft Corp. launched its video game console Xbox in Europe and there is already mounting pressure on the U.S. software giant to score a big Christmas.

The Xbox needs to end its first year with a flourish. If it doesn't, industry observers say, its prospects for turning a profit will be pushed back a few years, triggering some deep soul-searching at Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

"If Microsoft has a disastrous Christmas, particularly in important markets like the UK and the U.S., then somebody in Redmond is bound to say, 'Wait a minute guys. This doesn't look good,'" said Toby Scott, editor of video game trade publication Games Analyst.

Industry experts are quick to point out the $30 billion video game market has never supported three consoles, alongside the PC, noting that Dreamcast maker Sega Corp. of Japan gave up the console business when it couldn't compete.

While the market is now bigger than ever, rivaling music and film box office sales, one elemental truth remains. Without a large installed base, developers are less inclined to create exclusive games for a machine, making profits elusive.

A poor Christmas won't sway Microsoft's commitment immediately, but its prospects for being able to stay in the market long-term will look murkier if it fails to capitalize on what is set to be the industry's biggest sales periods ever.

Market research firm ScreenDigest reported last month that Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft would sell 14.2 million units in the Europe, Middle East and African regions this year, 28 percent above the industry's previous best year of 1998.

Of those, Microsoft will sell 1.5 million Xbox machines, ScreenDigest is forecasting.

Red-faced in Redmond
Early Xbox sales sagged below expectations, forcing Microsoft into embarrassing back-to-back price cuts within a four-month span, the last of which was last month.

Microsoft is estimated to lose anywhere from $76 to $150 on each Xbox which retails for $199 in the United States and around 249 euros in Europe.

By many accounts, European demand for the Xbox has rebounded in line with rivals, but it still trails market leader Sony Corp.'s PlayStation 2 and Nintendo's GameCube in what's becoming an increasingly important region.

What Microsoft needs now is to generate some good old-fashioned buzz for Xbox, a machine that gamers say is as sophisticated as any ever put on the market.

To that end, top Xbox executives, including Xbox's General Director Jay Allard, will brief the media in Spain on its upcoming Christmas plans, discussing new game titles and other product launches.

At the two-day event this week, Microsoft is expected to announce the European plans for Xbox Live, its online gaming service.

Though the market is minuscule at the moment, online gaming is seen as a crucial growth area as console makers and games publishers look to derive additional revenues by charging gamers subscriptions for multi-player action.

Industry observers have speculated Microsoft's European Xbox Live launch would happen before Christmas.

With a built-in Ethernet card and hard drive, Xbox is the only one of three consoles to be Internet-ready "off-the-shelf." Microsoft is likely to pound this advertising message hard in the coming months, one analyst said.

"They're going to want to capitalize on that. It's a way to differentiate themselves in the market," the analyst said.

However, Microsoft will be trying to get its message out amid a blizzard of video game ads this autumn. Sony has pledged to spend $98 million to plug the PlayStation 2 console and games in the second half of the year throughout the PAL-TV regions of Europe, Australia and the Middle East.

Got any games?
One glaring concern over the Xbox is its relative lack of exclusive game titles. Sony for one has buttoned up long-standing relationships with top games publishers such as Eidos and Electronic Arts, guaranteeing it a steady flow of exclusives.

Microsoft has only had one break-out hit of its own design, the military action game "Halo." The firm has been looking to buy independent game developers to more quickly build up its catalog of exclusive games, and took the first step last week.

On Friday, Microsoft bought a 49 percent stake in privately held British games maker Rare Ltd. from Nintendo, a deal that has been held up for weeks while Rare unwound its ties with customer Nintendo for which it once developed exclusive games titles.

Industry observers, meanwhile, note that the competition to secure exclusive ties with developers and games publishers has pushed up their potential sales prices to unprecedented levels.

Reports have put a Rare sale price at over $400 million, several times what similar sized developers fetched in previous years, creating large potential costs for Microsoft.

The volatility of returns showed in Nintendo results as Rare's titles contributed 9.5 percent of Nintendo's fiscal 2001 total software unit sales, but only 1.5 percent in fiscal 2002.

"If the only way Microsoft can get a big exclusive title is by buying the developer, that's not a viable business model," said Scott. "
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Sikotic™ on September 23, 2002, 04:20:27 PM
That should tell ya somethin'...do you see PS2 threaten that shit? NOOOO
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Sub-Z on September 23, 2002, 04:33:24 PM
microsoft aint goin no where,if they are its dumb for them to be buyin all these new developers
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: E. J. Rizo on September 23, 2002, 04:40:43 PM
i smell scared x box fans ;)
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: closetothalimit on September 23, 2002, 04:51:05 PM
hahahahahah i hope x-box is the next dreamcast

i got friends who are x-box dickriders - they dont shut up about it - i hope x-box goes under just so i can rub my PS2 in their face.
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Big BpG on September 23, 2002, 04:58:51 PM
Yea... I love my ps2... the main reason I didn't buy an Xbox was because I didn't know how successful the system was going to be... and sales show it...

halo is their only great exclusive game...

ps2 and gamecube keep pushing the exclusives....

-Big BpG
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Sub-Z on September 23, 2002, 05:25:51 PM
lol you guys are idiots,i swear,if microsoft did give up after this christmas i would still have more games for my xbox than i would if i had a ps2
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Big BpG on September 23, 2002, 05:31:27 PM
you would... yes, but i know people who own more ps2 games than the xbox has released...

-Big BpG
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Smooth on September 23, 2002, 05:47:54 PM
Quote
i smell scared x box fans ;)

Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Sub-Z on September 23, 2002, 06:15:30 PM
i smell a bullshit rumor  ;)

what is this norwegian site again, i sure as hell have never heard of em lol

you people will believe anything
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: E. J. Rizo on September 23, 2002, 06:57:06 PM
Quote
i smell a bullshit rumor  ;)

what is this norwegian site again, i sure as hell have never heard of em lol

you people will believe anything

hey dogg why you gettin all defensive and shit relax....you know we just pullin your strings....just admit it that if the PS2 was in the same situation you would be doing the same with us......but its not so hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Black_Smoke on September 23, 2002, 07:05:58 PM
this is a bullshit rumor

Xbox Live is launching Nov 15th

and it will be the best online ever, i am 100% about that

Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Black_Smoke on September 23, 2002, 07:08:53 PM
Quote

hey dogg why you gettin all defensive and shit relax....you know we just pullin your strings....just admit it that if the PS2 was in the same situation you would be doing the same with us......but its not so hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahah


Xbox is the better system for sure
better online
only thing ps2 has is the games, but look at the xbox line up for fall and winter, its amazing




Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Black_Smoke on September 23, 2002, 07:10:22 PM
Quote
you would... yes, but i know people who own more ps2 games than the xbox has released...

-Big BpG


and i bet those people have no lifes??
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: E. J. Rizo on September 23, 2002, 07:35:33 PM
Quote


Xbox is the better system for sure
better online
only thing ps2 has is the games, but look at the xbox line up for fall and winter, its amazing





you saying like all that ps2 got is the games...like if it means nothing that means everything......and also xbox is gonna charge for online play thats some bullshit there
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: closetothalimit on September 23, 2002, 07:40:41 PM
Quote


Xbox is the better system for sure
better online
only thing ps2 has is the games, but look at the xbox line up for fall and winter, its amazing



your claiming x-box is better based on stuff that ain't even out yet - so in the end ur bullshittin on stuf you think is gonna be good - ps2 kicks x-box's ass - just read the damn article - xbox got shit all good games other then halo, that arent on another system.
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: bez on September 24, 2002, 08:38:22 AM
PS2 n e day.
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Sub-Z on September 24, 2002, 09:53:40 AM
Quote

you saying like all that ps2 got is the games...like if it means nothing that means everything......and also xbox is gonna charge for online play thats some bullshit there


its not guranteed that games will be free to play online for ps2 for one thing,you gotta pay $40 for the NA to play online,56k people can play,which slows everything down

xbox live is $50 for the first year of service,for the $50 you get the 12 months of broadband only  online play,the voice communicators,and a pack in game. far more than $50 worth
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: truemaster on September 24, 2002, 11:42:25 AM
Quote


its not guranteed that games will be free to play online for ps2 for one thing,you gotta pay $40 for the NA to play online,56k people can play,which slows everything down

xbox live is $50 for the first year of service,for the $50 you get the 12 months of broadband only  online play,the voice communicators,and a pack in game. far more than $50 worth


Live is definitely worth $50!! Oh and I definitely use the XBOX more than my PS2. PS2 of course beats the XBOX game library, and thats about it. But quanitity never surpasses quality, and XBOX has some of the best quality games out. As far as XBOX going under, I doubt it especially with all the good games coming out this Winter along with Live. They'll do just fine this winter/holiday season to keep the Box alive.
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Black_Smoke on September 24, 2002, 12:46:32 PM
you have to pay for xbox online cause it has WAY more options then the ps2 online

Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Jome on September 24, 2002, 04:54:04 PM
www.itavisen.no is the site who reported it, and they're reliable.
sounds like some X-Box fans are scared to me..
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Sub-Z on September 24, 2002, 05:25:23 PM
yep microsoft giving up on the xbox,i can see it coming,jus tbought rare,one of the biggest developers out there,and i guess they did that just to waste money? use your brain lol
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Matty_C on September 24, 2002, 06:34:34 PM
Ugh,

MS isnt fucking stupid,

They know they cant jump into a market owned by Sony and nintendo and expect to blow everyone away,

They wouldnt have fucking bought Rare if they werent gonna stick around anyway, dont be an imbissil.

Whether you PS2 "Dick riders" like it or not, Xbox will be around for the duration of this generation of consoles, MS knows what it takes to succeed in any new area. Risk, so they took a risk, and currently yes they are paying for that, but its not like they didnt fucking expect it, they didnt become a huge rich company releasing, hoping for the best and bailing out if the results werent up to their liking.

Il say it plain and simple right here,

IF MS was planning on bailing out after this Xmas, THEY WOULDNT HAVE SPENT 375 MILLION buying Rare and trademarks,

IF anything, NEXT Xmas will be the big test, xbox has a ton of games due out this fall/winter, and a TON of games due out next year, if those flop, then yes, i could see MS bailing out,

You dont buy a 375 million $ devellopper and back out before it can release any games for your system,

Stop and think for a minute please,

This christmas poor sales = MS worried, but will rely and hope Rare and good new titles to take it to a new level next year

Next christmas poor sales = then ya, we'll all be pawning in our boxes, but thats not a matter to discuss for now.

This debate is dead anyway,
Ps2 fans will do the usual, "Xbox sucks, i cant wait for it to die"
Because they feel so insecure that the console they own might have competition, this for an unknown reason seems to trigger and release the intelligence of a 8 year old in any PS2 owner, GC fans dont seem nearly as idiotic.
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Big BpG on September 24, 2002, 06:41:06 PM
xbox... quality games????? hmmm... maybe one... but then, their type of games don't interest me at all....

online play for free... is dope... i dont care how many damn features live has... i can use ps2 online for free... if i wanna pay money, ill pay for it, but if i dont have to... then i dont have to...

-Big BpG
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Matty_C on September 24, 2002, 06:43:59 PM
PS2 online isnt completely free, its not like they wrap it up and send it to your door,

U pay for the package just like xbox live,

Xbox gives u 1 year free,
and after that its a FLAT rate, per month/year fee,

PS2 has free games, but games will also be released that cost you money to play them, PER GAME,

PS2's online system will be nothing compared to Xbox's, but hey, wtf should you guys care... all u ever seem to wanna play is GTA3,

Stop sayin all Xbox has is halo, when most of you only ever bring up GTA3 in your ps2's defense.
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: E. J. Rizo on September 24, 2002, 07:59:49 PM
Quote

Stop sayin all Xbox has is halo, when most of you only ever bring up GTA3 in your ps2's defense.

ever hear of a fuckin bomb ass game called Grand Tourismo 3 and another one called Metal Gear Solid.....or all the classic PS1 games that we can still play?....common fuckin admit it atleast that we got way better games.....i have always admitted that x box has the better processing power....now you give me a combination of the two and i will get that system but as for now id rather have a system that has better games than one with bettter power but not nearly as many good games......i will tell you this if RARE ever released a golden eye or bond game for xbox i will buy one just for it.... because in my opinion its one of the greatest games of all time up there easily in the top 5
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Black_Smoke on September 24, 2002, 08:07:21 PM
Metal Gear Solid 2:Substance is coming to XBOX on Nov 5th


damn it feels good to have an xbox!

also Unreal Championship-Oct 29th

Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: Matty_C on September 25, 2002, 01:40:20 PM
I wasnt straight up saying PS2 has no games,

i was just saying, all u ever bring up in its defense is GTA3, that is true,

Ps2 has a great library of games, but thats because its been around for over a year longer, give xbox some time, and remember how the PS2 was in its first year,

The PS2 is a good system, i admit that, i prefer the xbox because of the upcoming titles, i dont see why this is a war or why either of us needs to think the other needs to die,

I think the fact that there is competition forces the companies to put out the best possible product, and in the end that benefits us all, so since xbox iSNT going away any time soon, lets end this debate so you can go back to playing GTA3, GT3, and I can go back to playing Sega GT ;D
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: closetothalimit on September 25, 2002, 03:05:13 PM
Quote


The PS2 is a good system, i admit that, i prefer the xbox because of the upcoming titles, i dont see why this is a war or why either of us needs to think the other needs to die,

I think the fact that there is competition forces the companies to put out the best possible product, and in the end that benefits us all, so since xbox iSNT going away any time soon, lets end this debate so you can go back to playing GTA3, GT3, and I can go back to playing Sega GT ;D


truth - but the fact people get so fired up over game systems is pretty funny
Title: Re: Microsoft to give up X-Box?....
Post by: truemaster on September 25, 2002, 11:36:35 PM
http://www.reuters.com/news_article.jhtml?type=internetnews&StoryID=1494151

Sony has said its next-generation PlayStation console will debut in 2005 for certain markets. Allard responded, "One thing we've learned is they won't get a head-start next time. I'll leave it at that."

The company also reiterated its long-term stance when it confirmed on Tuesday it had purchased independent British games developer Rare Ltd. for $375 million in cash. Allard would not rule out further acquisitions.

Definitely feeling those last 2 paragraphs
8)