MS vs Playstation Rumors

from the closer-to-confirmation dept

No public confirmation from the boys in Redmond, but a WSJ article today (and CNET snippet on that article) add credibility to the rumor that MS will introduce a gaming console codenamed "X-box". The bigger "news" is when: fall of 2000, which if true means MS will attempt to go head-to-head with Sony's Fall 2000 release of PS2. Still lots of question marks about the innards of said X-box, but likely to have: DVD, AMD processor, GeForce video chipset. Called by some a PC for TV, which is an interesting spin -- perhaps it could just provide gaming on TV for PC games.
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  • identicon
    Jon Acheson, 26 Oct 1999 @ 10:39am

    This from the company that can't get Win2K or CE o

    The last thing Microsoft needs right now is to dilute their focus even more. They're fighting a battle on how many fronts?

    Not only that, but they're fighting against an enemy which is both entrenched and very very good at what they're doing, and which is sending superior quality product to market.

    Why in the world would anyone get a X-box, which will almost certainly by a typical MS last-minute-louie production with ongoing bugginess, poorly implemented standards, and no certification of the software to ensure it won't crash?

    I bought a Playstation to get away from all that!

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Mark Baker, 26 Oct 1999 @ 12:01pm

    It takes three

    The X-Box has been rumoured for a while now. I heard about in the spring. It's one of those pseudo-secrets. You can't possibly keep it *that* secret because you want to have developers develop for it (and I don't buy the theory that existing games will run properly on it - not a chance). Also, MS will not be selling it themselves, they'll probably just provide a reference implementation and then try and sell it through their existing channel.

    Prediction; it will be a huge flop. Everybody knows it takes them three tries to get anything right.

    On the other hand, I do agree that it makes a lot of sense for them to do this. I wish more corporations would take gaming seriously, as it's such a great way to ship platform in volume. Besides, it should be well recognized by now that gaming and porn drives so much of today's tech innovations. If porn is not in your corporate culture, you better damn well be into gaming in some way.

    MB

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 26 Oct 1999 @ 1:36pm

    Micro$oft can not win this one

    The microsoft business model is based on the idea of having a monopoly.

    And, given the bloddy noses Sega/Nitendo/Sony give each other over the game market, Microsoft will face stiffer competition then they have EVER faced before.

    Let them expend resources in that direction. I see it like the BOB interface. An idea that will go no where.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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