4 replies to this topic

[RandomEvilDoer]

Quote

The original Xbox console was released in 2001, but it is hasn't been known why Microsoft wanted to join in on the games industry in the first place, until now. A former Microsoft executive who recently wrote a book that slammed Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer, says in a recent interview that the main reason they went into the game console industry was to "take down" their rival, Sony.

Sources report that during an interview with former Microsoft VP Joachim Kempin, he stated: "The main reason was to stop Sony. You see, Sony and Microsoft... they never had a very friendly relationship, okay?"

Although Microsoft apparently wanted to partner up with Sony, Sony always seemed to keep Microsoft at arm's length. When Sony launched the first Playstation, Joachim said that "Microsoft just looked at that and said 'well, we have to beat them, so let’s do our own.'"

He also claims that while he worked at Microsoft, he went to its PC OEM partners and asked them to make the first Xbox. He said "The guys were smart enough not to bite, because they studied the Sony model and saw that Sony could not make money on that hardware model, ever." Microsoft didn't want to to copy Sony's business model for the Xbox; make the hardware themselves, sell it at a loss and make it up with game royalties.

source:ttg

[SonicRaT]

PlayStation is an awesome console though. I like a lot of their games better

[RandomEvilDoer]

It's funny, this guy says that they didn't want to adopt the policy of losing money on the hardware to make it up with accessories and royalties. If I'm not mistaken that is the current position MS is in, not making money off of any boxxes they sell.

[SonicRaT]

Not sure why but it cut off most of my response.

What I meant to say was that I enjoy many PS3 titles much more than Xbox. Further, PS3 just seems to be a whole lot less upfront about only being interested in your money. The entire Xbox platform is centered upon siphoning away your money. Every app requires Xbox Live Gold, you can't play against friends without Xbox Live Gold, etc. Silver is a joke, it might as well not even exist and we just call Xbox Live what it is -- a subscription service, period. Even the latest Forza seems like nothing but an attempt to get you to spend more money.

[Zousug]

I love my xbox, but i really want a PS3 as well. for me mainly for the Blueray.. but id love to have it for some of the PlayStation only games.

if some of the rumors for the next xbox come to be true i dont think i will buy a new xbox.. just stay with the one i have.

I do wish that you did not need gold to play with friends, if they had it so you needed gold to join random groups n stuff i could sort of accept that but if you have someone on your friends list you should be able to play with them with silver.