My brilliant suggestion that Microsoft re-invigorate its Japanese marketing campaign by sponsoring the Kanamara Fertility Festival aggravated so many people (Sample comment: "I'm beginning to question why I read this site."), I feel compelled to offer my consulting services again:
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has formed a team of researchers to promote the exploration of the moon and planets in the solar system using robots. The agency also established a team specializing in the development of technology for the lunar-based robots, the Asahi Shimbun reported Thursday.
Japan will develop advanced robots which can operate exploration vehicles and make decisions on their own to build a base on the moon. The exploration vehicles will be sent to the moon within 10 years, and the base completed within 20 years, officials said.
Before any nitpickers complain that this story has nothing to do with the Xbox 360, ask yourself: Is there anything Japan loves more than robots (besides bura-sera porn)? Sponsoring this 20 year moonbase project would be the perfect way to capture the Japanese gaming public's imagination. After all, specs can change, but the first console on the moon is forever. Imagine Ken Kutaragi's jealousy as highly advanced, Xbox-branded Moon-bots play Halo XXI while downloading the long-awaited sequel to Geometry Wars (I'm assuming you'll be able to play games and download at the same time by 2017). It's a long term approach, but MS has to start somewhere.
I should charge Peter Moore for this stuff.
[via Engadget]
