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E3 2008: Microsoft looks to Wii to take on PS3

Monday, July 14, 2008 | 09:15 PM ET

By Mathew Kumar, Special to CBCnews.ca

LOS ANGELES - The Electronics and Entertainment Expo (E3) doesn’t kick off until tomorrow, but Microsoft has already fired the first shots in what is shaping up to be an epic battle this year between the three console manufacturers.

At Microsoft’s pre-E3 press conference this morning the senior vice-president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, Don Mattrick, announced bullishly that Microsoft will “sell more consoles worldwide this generation than PS3." But it was hard to miss what he was really saying: “Wii want to play, too!”

xbox400.jpg
Microsoft's Don Mattrick

Although the press conference opened with a variety of expected “hardcore” titles – Fallout 3, Fable 2, Resident Evil 5, and Gears of War 2 – it wasn’t long before John Schappert, corporate vice-president of Interactive Entertainment LIVE at Microsoft, appeared to announce officially what had already been rumoured: That the Xbox 360 interface is to change completely and feature new “avatars,” cute personalized figures attached to a player's Gamertag. Clearly heavily influenced by the Miis found on Nintendo’s Wii, it was apparent that Microsoft’s efforts are to be exerted almost solely on trying to capture the casual gamer market so captivated by the Wii.

It does sound like the company is going to do a good job of it, too. Unlike Nintendo, which makes it hard for players to connect online due to stringent safety concerns, Microsoft seem to be building the whole “new” Xbox 360 experience around online community. Players will be able to meet and chat in groups of avatars, share pictures and even watch movies together thanks to a deal with Netflix which allows Xbox Live subscribers access to a catalogue of movies online and instantly.

Of course, that’s only been announced for the U.S. - Canada, as usual, is the poor cousin who has to wait and find out if a similar service will be offered here.

(The author is a Canadian freelance writer blogging for CBCnews.ca from the Electronics and Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles.)

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Comments

WhiteAsh

Poor XBox. It's not even worth teasing anymore.

Meanwhile, Wii, you keep on doing what you do so well and knock'em all out of the water! :D

Posted July 15, 2008 10:18 AM

Claudio

Ontario

Wii-esque avatars? Why does Microsoft feel it needs to completely own all gaming demographics? One console cannot be the 'be-all-end-all' in video gaming. You either try to dominate the hardcore market or the casual market, but not both. The tastes and attitudes between the two types of gaming personalities are just too different.

I want my Xbox to stay edgy and to keep delivering the hardcore games I love to play. I don't need some cutesy avatar dancing on my screen. I don't WANT to have avatar parties!! I want GoW2, RE5, Fallout 3, know what I mean? The Wii is great for my wife and daughter and I also have a blast with them once in a while, when I'm in the casual mood. Thats why I have both consoles: one for casual, one for hardcore. Two very different machines for two very different tastes in gaming.

Please, Microsoft, spare us the identity crisis and do what you do best. Keep delivering the best hardcore games available and the best online gaming, bar none.

I know Monkey will beg to differ and that's cool. :)


Posted July 15, 2008 01:42 PM

This Guy

here

I totally agree with you Claudio. I couldn't care less about an avatar on my 360.

Posted July 16, 2008 08:48 AM

Monkey

Winnipeg

:D Thanks for the love Claudio but yes, I must grandly differ as to Microsoft delivering the best hardcore games. Yet I am being quite the hypocrit in saying so, as Microsoft supplies me with an OS for my PC.

That being said nothing I say should be held without any weight behind it as I have dropped out of the console wars and am sticking whole-heartedly to my PC.

I see the PS3 and 360 not as enemies but as equals, since neither of them can best it's creator, the mighty and all-powerful BEAST..

(Beast is the nickname I gave to my PC :P)

As a side note I am sad to see that there was no mention of the new Red Faction game coming out... Nothing beats being able to COMPLETELY destroy the building and obsticles that surround you, hehehe

Happy Gaming ladies and gents, looking forward to some heavy gaming in the close future.

(for game previews check out the G4 website)

Posted July 16, 2008 11:49 AM

Jstrang14

Halifax

One thing to say; I'm glad This update is coming, since we can now download 360 games on our hard drives now. I dont care about the avatars, but this utility will be decent.

Posted October 9, 2008 07:47 AM

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