Console Wars II : Does the Xbox 360 need to do an about-face?.

Mike Bantick
Tuesday, 21 November 2006 09:17

Your IT - Entertainment

No longer sitting pretty as the only Next-gen gaming console, Microsoft has its work cut out to continue a strong market share in the cut-throat gaming arena.  Will its focus on integration of the online space be enough to keep Sony’s PS3, and the Nintendo Wii from encroaching?

At the resent eGames expo in Melbourne, there was a palpable feeling of air being squeezed out of the Microsoft bubble, by the imminent twin launch of the big M’s console competitors. 

Regional Director Xbox Australia and New Zealand, David Mclean did a good job in presenting the Xbox 360 positioning, as part of a platform agnostic approach to gaming.  It is a bold approach, and one that feels a little like Microsoft scrambling for a niche to uniquely identify a gaming market.

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Xbox 360, and I love the types of games that tend to populate its section of the game store shelves.  Especially with Electronic Arts continuing the trend of bringing once PC centric games, Battle for Middle Earth II and recently announcing Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars to the console arena.  The gaming has a more grown up feel, and dare I say, socially acceptability. 

It is just that I am concerned about the attraction of this Xbox Live anywhere approach.  Microsoft has given a clear direction that their aim is for people to hook up online, for a gaming experience that will be independent upon the hardware they own.

The concept revolves around ‘gamer tags’, first introduced with the original Xbox almost five years ago, and now to be extended to desktop and mobile components integrating the gaming experience. The plan is that people, no matter how they are connected, will be aware of their mates, whether they are also online, and what they might be playing.  Then lickety-split, join in, regardless if said mate is on Xbox 360 or PC version of the game.

Initially with games such as Shadowrun and Halo 2 for PC, players will have access to this integration experience.  Along with media features, such as the ability to download music or video to say, the Xbox 360, and have the content ‘follow on’ to their Mobile device automatically.