Xbox 360: More Power?
Of the recent Xbox 360 gameplay footage weve seen so far, the one major concern has been that of the sometime sluggish framerate. In a recent discussion with a number of Microsoft executives, we managed to learn that all current Xbox 360 games that were shown at last nights E3 press briefing are still running on alpha development kits that are not a true representation of what we can expect when the console launches this holiday season. Estimations are that the current kits are running at only 25-40% of the maximum power that the Xbox 360 will possess. Beta kits are scheduled to hit developers within the next 2 months and final hardware should arrive in early July.
One example given by Microsoft CEO, Steve Ballmer, was that of the original Halo when it made its E3 debut back in 2001. The game suffered from a pretty terrible framerate and criticism was heavy, but we all know how that story ended
not too shabby. Therefore we can assume that all the Xbox 360 games shown at this years show will see a number of upgrades during the next six months.
According to Microsoft, the verdict is still out on whether their investment in Rare is a success, but that will be determined during the Xbox 360 generation. Ballmer displayed his enthusiasm in the developer by describing them as geniuses and ensured that Microsoft is dedicated to providing their full support for Rares upcoming titles like Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power, as well as at least two new IPs in development.
Its no surprise that Microsoft lost money on nearly every Xbox sold due to the price point that the console came to market at, but Ballmer assured that theyve since learned their lessons. Not only has Microsoft had the luxury of a three year planning window, but theyve since strengthened retail relationships that were being formed when the Xbox launched. It may seem odd, but before the Xbox, Microsoft did not sell one product directly to retailers and so there was definitely a learning curve involved. Every aspect and feature of the Xbox 360 was thoroughly planned for to ensure profit, including the somewhat recent jump to 512 MB of memory.
When asked if Sonys claims to have the PS3 to market by spring 2006 was a surprise, Chief Xbox Officer, Robbie Bach, said that Microsoft had planned for that timeframe from the start and it wasnt a determining factor in the Xbox 360 launch. What was a surprise to the Microsoft team was the lack of discussion by Sony at their press conference to an online strategy for the PS3. With Xbox Live clearly the leading online gaming service and an integral part of the Xbox 360 strategy, Sony will obviously need to have a strong showing in the online arena for the PS3.
The topic of HD media, such as Blu-ray or HD-DVD, is a hot button with Microsoft and Sony each betting against one anothers strategy. Microsoft is taking the safe approach by not including any type of HD-DVD drive in the 360, yet Sony has already committed to including Blu-ray technology into their PS3. It remains to be seen if the standards are in place by the time the PS3 launches and the cost structure of the technology. In any case, Microsoft declared that they will remain agile and would be able to easily adjust the Xbox 360 to accommodate new technology.
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/8296/Xbox-360-More-Power/