Voice of the Generation #1 - Xbox 360: Five Months Later
By: Nick ArvitesHow a name completely changed this writer's opinion on Nintendo's next console.
Voice of the Generation #1 - Xbox 360: Five Months Later
The first in our new series focuses on the botched Xbox 360 launch.
The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of VGGEN.com as a whole or any of its affiliates. This is simply one writer's opinion, and should be accepted as such.
April marks five months since the launch of the Xbox 360, yet the buzz on the system appears to be stagnant. Microsoft's launch can almost be categorized as a nightmare scenario for any Xbox supporter. The notion of launching the Xbox 360 as the first console of the generation had several goals, including a higher market penetration, establishing a base before the competition releases their systems, and to establish a brand in Japan, a territory that has all but rejected the Xbox brand. However, the launch was inherently flawed, and Microsoft's first year strategy for the Xbox 360 has failed in every sense of the word.
Perhaps the biggest flaw with the Xbox 360 and the launch goes back to the system itself. The biggest divide with the system was on the Core and Premium packages. This is the prime example of why designing a console launch around test-marketed ideas and bottom line concerns will destroy a brand. The original Xbox was a powerhouse console when released and included things that no other console included (specifically the HDD and Ethernet adapter). However, with the Xbox 360 Microsoft decided to take a step backwards and remove the hard drive. This decision, when fully examined, makes absolutely no sense on any level. While one can attempt to say keeping production costs down is a good thing, this argument is rendered void by the simple fact that the Xbox brand has taken a hit. Simply put, the hard drive for the Xbox 360 is optional in the same sense that a power cord is optional. There is a reason that Sony is - as of press time - is including a hard drive in the Playstation 3. The hard drive is an essential part of the Xbox 360's plans, and there is really no way to fully utilize the system's features without it. The plan to create essentially two consoles based on a hard drive divide is a downright clumsy and stupid move on the part of Microsoft.
Yet, the hardware was not the biggest problem with the launch itself. The supply of consoles was unacceptably low. April 2, 2006 marked the first time in the console's history that a person could walk into a store and find a stack of consoles. After five months of little to no shipments, this new supply comes too little, too late. Seemingly almost every week, more information and hype is built around the Playstation 3 and Nintendo Revolution, making the notion of buying an Xbox 360 almost pointless. Many gamers have indicated that they are now waiting for the anticipated fall release of the Playstation 3 for a new console. Supply was Microsoft's biggest stumbling block, and they never recovered from the launch scarcity. It is completely unacceptable to go almost five full months before preorders are filled, stores get normalized supplies, and consumers are not forced to buy a system in a bundle package.
However, supply issues did not plague every market. Japan, the very market the 360 was practically designed for, has thoroughly rejected the second iteration of the Xbox. News sites and gaming blogs across the web have documented the stacks upon stacks of Xbox 360s that have been collecting dust in Japanese stores since the launch. This event appears to have been predicted by everyone but Microsoft itself. Simply put, it is baffling that Microsoft would not only commit as many consoles as they did to Japan, but even more baffling that they would rush a launch with no Japanese-catering killer applications (meaning Dead or Alive 4 and a JRPG). The images of Xbox 360 consoles collecting dust in Japan while people literally spent thousands of dollars to get Core units on Ebay flooded the Internet during the 2005 Holiday Season, and reflect the internal stupidity and mismanagement of the Xbox 360 project. How is it that nobody inside of Microsoft proper suggested that they focus on delivering enough consoles to meet demand in North America instead of wasting units in Japan? I realize that the Japanese market is required, especially to get support from 3rd party companies. I do not, however, understand Microsoft's generally poor strategy in the region.
The lack of a killer application is the deal breaker for many people, including myself. The original Xbox launch had Halo: Combat Evolved, one of the top first person shooters of all time. After the 360 launch, no single game has even attempted to fill the void in the game library. While Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion are obvious top-notch titles, they aren't on the same level as a Halo style killer application and they also did not make launch. Ask yourself, what exactly IS coming out for the Xbox 360 that looks impressive and that you cannot get anywhere else? Exactly. While this will certainly change by E3 in May, there really isn't any hype. In fact, I would say that three out of the top five titles on the entire Xbox 360 platform are Xbox Live Arcade titles. While Geometry Wars is fun, and Marble Blast is entertaining, games I can play in a Java-enabled Web browser do not sell a home video game console. Halo sold the Xbox and continues to sell the Xbox, make no mistake about it. The Xbox Live service eventually came into its own, but the system wouldn't have survived the first year without Halo propping it up. The Xbox 360 does not have that crutch, and is instead relying on a head start combined with a second year killer application to stay afloat.
E3 2006 is everything for Microsoft and the Xbox brand. They desperately need to change their strategy for selling the Xbox 360, including a price cut and a mandatory hard drive. They also need to release a killer title along with an anticipated sequel. As it stands right now, there is nothing on the Xbox 360 that makes it worth buying, and there is nothing announced and confirmed that would force people to ignore the Playstation 3 or even the Nintendo Revolution. While Microsoft certainly will not die like Sega, they are creating self-inflicted wounds with the Xbox 360 launch debacle. Keep in mind, the console race is more like a marathon: it's not the start that counts, but how you finish down the stretch. Microsoft certainly has time to recover, and they are merely a few titles and announcements away. The step is theirs to take, however, and any Xbox supporter/fan should be holding their breath going into E3 2006.
Posted: 04/15/2006