Oh dear. It’s not looking like a great show in Köln this year. Nintendo, of course, are already out of the running for a large platform presence at Gamescom in August, and now Microsoft has decided not to show up as well.
Neither company has been particularly active at the biggest European games show in recent years so it’s not a huge surprise but it’s still a little bit disconcerting that they seem to put such little value in a European base for their hype and announcements.
Microsoft has also said they’ll miss Tokyo Games Show, which will disappoint approximately seven people, all of whom were hoping to find employment building the demo stands*.
Larry Hryb, Xbox’s Major Nelson, posted on his blog that “This year, Xbox will be focusing on smaller, more localized promotions and experiences for press, partners, retailers and customers around the world,” which sounds like they want a more direct, personal approach.
Don’t be fooled: they want to control the audience more closely and spend more time with people who can market or sell their products and less time with people who are going to whine about Kinect controls in their favourite shooters.
So, are Gamescom’s days numbered then?
*Not really. I made this up to make a joke about how little the Japanese care about anything Microsoft is doing. Hi-lar-i-ous, right?
Source: Larry
wirralsman
Maybe they are just building up anticipation for a new console reveal at next years E3? Sony can taken advantage now, knowing that they won’t get overshadowed by MS or Ninty, and hold a 2 hour press conference that is 100% Vita orientated without the pressure to announce PS3 stuff
bmg_123
Yeah, like they’d make the right choice and focus on Vita…
Sympozium
Haha… 2 hours. <.<
bigbaldwolf
I hope Square turn up with FFX HD info. The wait for that is killing me.
Shakugan
Agreed!
Deathbrin
I think the location-based subtitle went wrong.
IAmJacksMedullaOblongata
Also skipping TGS. Says more about Microsoft than it does about the state of these shows, in my opinion.
Like, what new stuff would they show? I’m not being sarcastic here. I genuinely don’t think Microsoft have anything new to parade out.
Better off not going than turning up, repeating your E3 showing and then have everyone slate your conference (again).
Once again, I’m not trolling. I’m a big fan of what MS have done for console gaming. I just think the hardware has reached the end of its cycle and the company is probably focusing on new IP for new hardware. Which makes sense.
The Lone Steven
Which could be a mistake as Sony could several new exclusives at Gamescom although they rarely do and could steal some customers from MS over in Japan. It seems like MS cba any more with the Japanese market and instead have elected to focus on the US and EU only.
skibadee
hope Sony stick with it.
YOURMUMANDME
“This year, Xbox will be focusing on smaller, more localized promotions and experiences for press, partners, retailers and customers around the world,”
Translation:- “The only thing we have left up our sleeve is our next gen Xbox and it’s not ready”
Omac_brother
Tru dat
Forrest_01
See, from that statement you quoted, i just got an image of the scene from Clockwork Orange where they have him strapped in a chair, being forced to watch those images.
At least no-one would complain about kinect this time.
yogh_wayne
That’s what I thought when I read the headline. If they don’t have anything new to show or timed exclusive DLCs to announce, they don’t have to do a conference at Gamescom. But nevertheless it would’ve been nice for their European costumers if they at least had a booth on the showfloor.
xdarkmagician
When you add up the costs of trade shows like E3, Gamescon, TGS, you have to wonder if its worth it. Take E3, a vast majority of the reveals are either leaked or revealed the week prior. So for the week of E3 we’re left with interviews from people whom should never be interviewed, reviews of press conferences, and disappointment of what wasn’t announced. The only people that really benefit are the journalists that get free swag, and the attendants that play floor demos. .You have to wonder if post trade show sales pay for the costs. Its probably worth it when you’re announcing a new console and trying to explain how gaming is changing, but is it worth it for the last year of a current gen console? The gaming loyalist act like the industry would collapse if these shows disappeared. But the internet really makes these shows obsolete. Wouldn’t the money be better spent if Sony/MS just put all of the E3 demos and their press conferences on the PSN/XBL store and gave every PSN/XBL user a free game.
FigmentedReality
Aren’t Take Two going? If there is any GTAV news at all it would help the show.
SteveShd
I’ve been to all of the GamesCom editions so far and from all of those I remembered how I had the impression that Microsoft didn’t take it seriously. While Sony always had a great and large booth, and Nintendo always did their best, Microsoft’s attempt always seemed lame to me.