Possibly reading our “Where’s the exclusives, Lebowski?” piece yesterday, Microsoft PR boss David Dennis has spoken to IGN at CES, touching upon the apparent lack of 360-only titles scheduled for release this year. Sure, we mentioned a new Forza and Gears of War (and even dragged in Crytek’s Codename: Kingdoms) but, truth be told, we struggled to rattle off a strong line-up of AAA games set for an exclusive release on the Xbox 360. Reiterating that Microsoft will not abandon its hardcore following, Dennis stated:
Obviously we’re very excited by the success of Kinect but we have no intention of abandoning the Xbox 360 audience that bought in originally.
We’re very aware of the key role the enthusiastic core audience played in making the Xbox 360 what it is, and we’ll continue to support and develop (titles) like Halo and Gears of War.
Interestingly (though hardly surprising), Dennis also mentions that some 360 exclusives remain unannounced. As do some Sony ones, of course.
Check out the article (link below, as always) for more information about additional improvements to Xbox LIVE (it appears they’ve been bolstering the service in the background to support the likes of Reach and Blops), along with some titbits about integrating Kinect more with the 360 Dashboard, and (for all you popularists) having more than one hundred friends.
Source: IGN
Matt W [Echo]
Seeing comments like this really pleases me, but I’m ready for less talk and more action. I want to see these games they’re working on. I’m not even opposed to the ‘hardcore Kinect’ games they’ve been talking about, but again… let’s see them.
FoxHoundGabe
Well, microsoft seems to have a different aproach than sony when announcing games, they dont announce it too early but when they do, they market it a lot.
Seems to be better than the announce-the-game-3-years-earlier strategy of sony.
When was the first time we heard of Last Guardian? not to mention GT5. It seems to be changing with latest games though.
Kovacs
“When was the first time we heard of Last Guardian?”
January.
2008.
o_O
Jaffa-the-Cake
@FoxHound. So you forget Alan Wake took 5 years to make and release. It tanked completely.
FoxHoundGabe
Thats my point, almost 4 years before the release day. (suposing the game comes out late-2011)
bunimomike
Different approach or not, why are they not at least listing what they deem to be great (and exclusive) titles coming to the 360 this year? Alan Wake had plenty of titbits and decent coverage very early on. Heck, they mentioned it at the E3 before the console launched! (or just afterwards)
Continuing support is good. That comes as standard…. but what about the new IP?
Jaffa-the-Cake
Because they don’t have any new IP. Their well is dry and they’ve run out of ideas. Sequels to their very small number of core games is what I expect. That’s why respect Sony. They take gambles with new IP like LBP and its pays off. Instead of going the MS route and playing safe.
hazelam
talk is cheap.
Jaffa-the-Cake
“Support and develop titles like Halo and Gears of War”. Yeah really innovating there Microsoft. Halo will have more sequels than Final Fantasy at this rate.
nofi
Good, Halo is awesome.
Jaffa-the-Cake
Yes awesome when Bungie make it but it’ll probably be done by a mediocre 3rd party we’ve never heard of.
djhsecondnature
The 360 really needs some quality new IPs that aren’t Halo though.
Jaffa-the-Cake
And that’s MS problem. They dnt have any.
Erroneus
Joyride Extreme!
Juelz345
@ Jaffa
“Yeah really innovating there Microsoft”
You do realize that all of Sony’s big exclusives this year a sequels too right?
monkeyspoon
They lack decent 1st party devs. All they do is pay off devs to make titles that appear exclusive but eventually appear on PS3( Mass Effect 2).
cc_star
Over the year’s Sony have bought many of the devs who have made a half decent game for them, and they’re now able to produce exclusively for Sony
Given how much people moan when Microsoft ‘buy’ a title even if its only for a limited period of time, I’d hate to see what happens if they snapped up whole development studios, preventing their future developments from being multi-platform.
djhsecondnature
I’d far prefer that. It’s quality investment rather than just a quick hit.
DrNate86
I think it would be more respected, taking on and supporting a studio is a different move to just paying a lump sum for temporary exclusivity.
MaD dOctoR 79
people moan because Microsoft only go for the finished article so chuck a load of cash down at the time, whereas Sony seem to reward the people behind the curtain by giving them a job…or stealing them away with big sums of cash…seems to be working for them…and then some
R4U Eldave0
I would like to be proved wrong, but at the moment I doubt I will be powering on my 360 until Gears3 is released. A huge contrast to how much I played it in 2010 (I had to literally dust off my PS3 this week it was so under-used last year)
3shirts
To be fair, I use mine almost daily and I still have to dust it off all the time! Stupid, lovely, shiny, dust/fingerprint magnet
R4U Eldave0
LOL yeah that matte finish looks beautiful to begin with and then rapidly becomes a dust and fingerprint magnet. Fortunately my newer slim model doesnt have that problem
uber-BARBIE
i dont want microsoft to be flopping.there will be no competetion if that happens.and you know what no competetion means dont ya guys.yes thats right,shitty games.u know deep down microsoft have uber plans under their belt.
R4U Eldave0
I can’t imagine Microsoft ‘flopping’ somehow, but even if they did I dont think it would have a detremental effect on the quality of PS3 games. The PS2 vs Xbox war was completely one-sided and yet we were treated to some cracking games and new IPs
bunimomike
No. No we don’t know that. That’s just the thing. The first 40 million people to buy an Xbox had nothing to do with Kinect. They bought it for (what we perceive as) more traditional games. As many of those gamers enjoy sequels to all the great franchises, a massive proportion of them will still want to see exciting new IP coming out. This is where Microsoft needs to step up to the plate and throw a zinger. Until now, we’ve just not seen it.
R4U Eldave0
“This is where Microsoft needs to step up to the plate and throw a zinger” in just one comment you have left me craving a KFC
jikomanzoku
mmmmm processed meat from a hundred broiler hens rendered down to paste and covered with breadcrumbs, spice and msg – get it down ya :D
Dan Lee
Microsoft’s E3 has the potential to be great IF they are hiding stuff up their sleeves for a big reveal. If it’s like last year though…*shudders*…
cc_star
They’ll have the Modern Warfare 3 reveal, probably a Halo4 teaser, maybe that thing from Crytek – and who knows maybe Bungie will let them show a logo or concept art from their new project… the core will be happy, very happy indeed
Pete_UK
So it’ll be the same as the last couple of years then; I’ll watch the MS conference for the rundown of (pretty much) all the multi-platform titles and some embarrassing celebrity appearances, then watch the Sony conference for all the tasty exclusives.
Foxhound_Solid
Ha ha ha ha – MS are bluffing. They aint got anything……. I bet you anything they have only relally realised how slim their exclusive line up is and all they will do is chase DLC and Timed Multi Plats.
Trust…