I've just returned home from work, knowing little about what was announced as of the first official day of E3. But I was able to fully take in all of Microsoft's juicy announcements and other gameplay debuts at their press conference yesterday. All in all, I think Micrsoft did a great job yesterday. Sure the new Peter Moore replacement isn't Peter Moore, but I'm sure I'll get over it soon enough.
What I'd like to talk about is what was more surprising to me than it may have been for others. It is of course, this entirely revamped New Dashboard Update coming this fall, featuring Avatars. Avatars (as Microsoft says) are a means to make gamers feel they can be more connected to their console and feel like it's a lot more welcoming. You don't have to hear me say that they're clearly going for a Mii-esque look to their console. I understand that, Microsoft. The competition is rough, but seroiusly, you MUST stick to your own audience.
Microsoft clearly has been taking aim at family oriented play in such upcoming games like "Scene it!" or "You're in the Movies," but you know what Microsoft? I've been a fan of you since the Xbox and I have to say that when I saw the demonstration of "You're in the Movies," I felt like you were completely wasting my time. You started out great, featuring two highly anticipated titles with their debut gameplay on your very own stage! But why, why must you try to connect yourself with an audience that most defintely has already attached itself to another system.
I own Xbox 360, PS3, and the Wii. And I'll tell you why. Each one offers a different experience. While the Xbox 360 and PS3 are mainly used for my action and more hardcore games, my Wii is used for casual fun and when I have friends over or if I want to play with my family, were definietly going to pull out the Wii. What I'm saying is, family fun and casual gaming is not your strong suit. I bought the Xbox 360 because I know it's going to offer the hottest titles, the most exciting titles, and the games that I want to play. Don't get me wrong, I can always go for some Wii Sports, but I'm a hardcore gamer, and I'm always looking to my Xbox 360 and my PS3 for that type of satisfaction.
Your main competitor is the PS3. And by the way, the last thing I want to do is start a fanboy war here, but it's true. Xbox 360 and PS3 are offering the same sort of hardcore entertainment for the hardcore gamers. So Microsoft, I really need you to just focus on competing with the PS3 and leave the casual gaming to the Wii. I understand, the Wii is making incredible ammounts of money by doing what they're doing and you want in on that! I get it! But I'm really just trying to help you realize that you've lost that battle. Wii wins for the casual gamers. Wii is getting publicity because it can be fun for everyone, and the Xbox 360 will
never achieve such satisfaction for casual gamers.
Additionally, the new Dashboard update is whack, apart from your new deal with Netflix and Live Party, the whole new interface is crap. It's plain. It's boring. Way too much white space. I love the dashboard the way it is, and yes, I know it's still going to be around when you press the Guide button in the game, but the new main Dashboard design is far from acceptable. You have turned my happiness of turning on my hardcore gaming machine, into a system where I have to be greeted with a fake image of myself standing next to my gamertag.
I love you Microsoft. But this whole thing is just letting me down.
[Pics from
Giantbomb]
(# 0) on 07/15/2008 16:27
(# 1) on 07/15/2008 16:45
(# 2) on 07/15/2008 16:53
I like the new interface because all that space that was useless before is still useless, but it isn't blocking the stuff you want to get to.
(# 3) on 07/15/2008 16:53
They changed this on the basis that its easier to navigate. Im interested to hear some hands on testimony about it.
(# 4) on 07/15/2008 17:07
(# 5) on 07/15/2008 17:08
I like the idea of being able to go from game to game with a group of people.
(# 6) on 07/15/2008 17:13
A creepy little girl with a Destructoid robot head.
(# 7) on 07/15/2008 17:24
Sony had the best press conference by far this year. I own a 360, so I'm not a PS3 fanboy. I'm not a 360 fanboy for that matter. Fucking Microsoft blew it. They need to rethink their strategy. The PS3 is where the hardcore gaming is at now. The sad thing is people who are blinded by Xbox will be playing Halo 3 for years to come while people while there is bigger and better games out there. Sorry for the rant, but I'm just so pissed at Microsoft. And don't even get me started on Nintendo. Biggest video game stage during what could be one of the best years of gaming, they could announce a new Mario or Zelda, and they announce Wii Music. Fuck you Nintendo. And fuck casual gaming.
(# 8) on 07/15/2008 17:34
(# 9) on 07/15/2008 17:48
"WOW! How's that for 10:30 on a Monday morning?!"
(# 10) on 07/15/2008 18:11
It seems to me someone is butt hurt. Who cares if MS is allowing avatars seriouslly? You are so angry that gaming has become more mainstream and you feel like its the "end of the world." How is Ps3 more "hardcore" now? MS is the most hardcore hence why they are adding more NON hardcore things to their system, why become more hardcore when they are the best? You need to lighten up man, sorry to say but being "hardcore" doesn't make you cooler than someone who is "casual" sorry to hurt your Ego big guy.
(# 11) on 07/15/2008 21:10
@bmdubya: How did Sony have a better conference? I saw nothing during their presentation to rival such an intuitive interface and something as easy to use as the Netflix service. Sure, you can download movies, too, but it doesn't look as though they will have nearly the library that Netflix offers.
Plus, the only game that was remotely interesting was God of War 3 which looks (surprisingly) exactly like a GoW game (not saying that's a bad thing at all, I love the series, but it was nothing earth-shattering by any means).
Just 'cause Microsoft is trying to attract more casual gamers (which I agree is kinda dumb) doesn't mean it's not "hardcore" enough for me. No one is forcing me to make a cartoon version of myself, so I'm not that concerned. The feature is there if you want it, which you clearly don't (and neither do I), but I'm more than open to a new more intuitive interface and expanded features.
Shit, Sony fanboys got excited 'cause they finally got in-game XMB and now MS fanboys get this. Sony has a lot of catching up to do as far as I'm concerned.
(# 12) on 07/19/2008 11:13