Content first, Microsoft thinks like signing a star athlete
Microsoft recently announced that all the new content of Modern Warfare 2 will be coming to Xbox 360 first and then it would hit other platforms. There were two reactions among the fans of MW2 with this announcement.
Those fans who are having Xbox 360 got excited where as those who don’t have it complained that Microsoft seemed again locking down content by issuing large checks.
Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg said that he thinks it to be like a sports team, in which when one signs up a star athlete for the team. He adds, “when you sign that free agent, I think it makes your team better. At the end of the day, we want to turn as many people as possible into Xbox 360 fans.”
He also talked about the line-up Microsoft of exclusive content in 2010 as being incredibly strong. He said, “And then to say, on top of that, to take the biggest game of last year, and be the exclusive place you can get that downloadable content first, I think that’s a big deal. That’s a big reason you’d want to buy an Xbox 360 instead of another console. So we think from a business standpoint that’s part of the reason more people are buying the Xbox 360, more people are on Xbox Live, it’s part of the reason more people are buying Modern Warfare 2—more than two to one our box vs. the PS3.”
Greenberg even points out the “bet” Microsoft had put on this game by putting out the custom console. He says that Microsoft wants to follow up the trend of offering the content first.
Whilst it’s understandable that the software houses want to make as much cash as possible, they fail to see the consumers they are alienating through signing up to Microsoft golden handshakes (let’s not talk about Rockstar’s sell out from fans who made their company what it is today — i won’t ever buy their games again due to what i take as a severe insult on my loyalty). Microsoft put together a console out of business expansion plans and not through a genuine talent for the technology. As an avid console fan for as long as i can remember (and i’m 33 now), it’s always been about pushing the boundaries of the technology and coming up with the next generation of tech for the software houses to develop on, making it exciting! Software houses limiting their audience to one manufacturer is not good business sense, if they resist the temptation the rewards will be much greater. As you’ve probably gathered, I own a PS3 (and PS2, PS1, PSP, Megadrive, Atari Lynx, Commodore Amiga, Commodore 64 etc) and always will own Sony as Microsoft in my opinion have yet to prove their worth in leading console technology (let us not forget the HD format Microsoft backed a few years ago, proving in my opinion their long term tech vision). I’m sure I echo many other non MS XBOX owners feelings towards the software houses….it’s all well and good whilst microsoft is interested, but don’t come begging when it all goes wrong.
I see it at a perk we get for fishing out the 50ish bucks a year for xbox gold