Microsoft exec: Expect big surprises this fall
by Joystiq Staff 
{ Jul 31st 2006 at 5:25PM }
Richard Teversham, a marketing manager for Xbox Europe, told the UK's MCV that in order to combat the launches of the Wii and PlayStation 3, the company would reveal this fall a "number of surprises" up their sleeve.One of the surprises that won't be making its way to us is a 360 price cut. Teversham denies any plans for a cut, but slams the PS3 at the same time for their high-cost console. He says, "The question is: When are they going to drop the price? I think a lot of gamers out there are going to be saying 'I'll wait for the price to drop,' or even better they'll buy a 360."
He even manages to take a little jab at Nintendo: "And although Wii is almost a GameCube with a DVD drive, is Nintendo going to have enough quantity to satisfy the demand?"
Teversham also touches on what Zune will offer users: "It is a combination of hardware and software. As for roll out and compatibility you're going to have to watch this space -- when we launch there will be a lot of noise around it. It's about Microsoft bringing together communities on devices like Xbox, Zune and PC."
If a price cut isn't included in the surprise announcements, we're curious what would be. Perhaps 360 game price reductions?
[Via X-bit Labs]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Clintt @ Jul 31st 2006 5:30PM
The only big surprise this fall would be if they actually sold some Xbox 1.5 consoles in Japan! Ha!
Duscrom @ Jul 31st 2006 5:33PM
Yeah Clintt, they do have the compitition of the playstation 2.5.
The Alex @ Jul 31st 2006 5:36PM
Nah, I call bullshit. I think they'll show Halo 3 and some other 2007 titles and that's it. This guy who said that stuff from Microsoft Europe is just making a name for himself.
Derek @ Jul 31st 2006 5:36PM
Another big suprise would be that lame $ony fanboys to bash another great console thats not even called the xbox 2.....its the 360!
The least you could come up with is the xbox 180...but wow, i guess your just not that smart, well smart enough to buy a failing blue-ray computer that costs an arm and a leg!
But be my guest, please go sell those!
Can't wait to see what the suprises are, one of them being the "holiday" update to xbox live? Hmmm
/rant
/xbox 360 fanboy...and damn proud!
Dux @ Jul 31st 2006 5:37PM
Console War VII Is well underway!
Eric @ Jul 31st 2006 5:37PM
On Zune, "Its a combination of hardware and software..."
I'd hope so, the hardware by itself would be damn boring.
jakequake2004 @ Jul 31st 2006 5:40PM
The guy is GAY what do you expect.
Spoon @ Jul 31st 2006 5:44PM
"And although Wii is almost a GameCube with a DVD drive, is Nintendo going to have enough quantity to satisfy the demand?"
That sounds more like a compliment to me.
SuicideNinja @ Jul 31st 2006 5:49PM
The surprises likely involve adding value to the Premium package (and maybe the core as well). Maybe the full-sized remote will become standard, or they'll include a game(s), etc.
Adding a game would put them above the competition alone. Whatever happened to bringing a console home and playing a game right away. Sure, the 360 came with Hexic...but...come on...
I wonder if the PS3 will come with a game?
MegaMatt @ Jul 31st 2006 5:50PM
I honestly think this guy never played games until XBOX came out and he recieved a free one.
Zeromaru @ Jul 31st 2006 5:52PM
"It is a combination of hardware and software."
That is the worst effing PR thing I could ever hear, and sadly, I've heard it numerous times. Software doesn't exist without hardware to run it, and hardware is just paperweights without software to control it.
EVERYTHING is hardware and software. GAH!
DBR @ Jul 31st 2006 5:54PM
"That sounds more like a compliment to me."
You're right. A back-handed compliment.
Thwack!
timothy @ Jul 31st 2006 5:57PM
"is Nintendo going to have enough quantity to satisfy the demand?"
WHAT? Yeah, because it's not like Microsoft would ever roll out a product with NO FUCKING SUPPLY! Not even enough to cover their preorders. What an idiot.
AoE @ Jul 31st 2006 5:58PM
"This guy who said that stuff from Microsoft Europe is just making a name for himself."
Yeah, because you know... being the marketing manager overseeing all of Europe for one of the world's largest/richest software companies, this guy has clearly gotten nowhere in life.
Lee @ Jul 31st 2006 5:59PM
Ooh, it better be something badass! Something to make me rethink spending money on new consoles and dedicating some more 360 time.
At the moment I'm just looking to Halo 3, maybe pick up some GoW and the FEAR port if that ever comes around, if they can announce some solid non FPS then I'm all for throwing some more money at them.
MetaHuman @ Jul 31st 2006 6:04PM
Ugh. Why can't company PRs stop ragging on each other? Kutaragi and co. (as well as those from any other company) can make themselves look silly without help.
Nintendo has certainly come a long way from their dreadfully mediocre E3 2003. They've got a decent outlook for the future, a plan for all their products (so they've actually built products that back up DS' and Wii's capabilities and marketing approach, instead of hocking BS about software/hardware combinations) and they haven't once resorted to attacking companies as a strongpoint of any argument.
See? We shouldn't be discriminating fellow fanboys (including myself) for spouting nonsense! This guy gets PAID for it!
rdj75 @ Jul 31st 2006 6:09PM
As much as I am a fan of the xbox 360, anyone that says anything about a big suprise should just shut up. Basically everyone will get hyped up for some half decent news about some game that will come out sometime in 2009. Who cares just make good quality games and stop creating hype for something that probably doesn't deserve it.
Josh @ Jul 31st 2006 6:10PM
Yeah, what he said about Nintendo really did seem like a compliment, as it basically read like this:
"Well, since everyone is going to want a Wii, can Nintendo keep up with the demand?"
Jeez, Microsoft must really love Nintendo. ^^
jakequake2004 @ Jul 31st 2006 6:11PM
i'm serious, he really is GAY. really fuckn' gay. And that's GAY as in STUPID, not homo.....well maybe he is but no one wants to know.
Lee @ Jul 31st 2006 6:26PM
rdj75, this news is going to be more than "We're releasing a good game in the distant future", they already have that going with Halo 3. They aimed for H3 to be out by the PS3 launch, but obviously have had setbacks.
If this is going to sway people to 360 from the other consoles, it needs to be a decent game/feature/price change in some area or another, and it needs to happen by christmas.
sadt @ Jul 31st 2006 6:34PM
Xbox360 Premium Bundle + All of the Live Arcade Games Preloaded + 1 Year Gold Membership + PGR 3 = $399. I think that's a great deal
Geist @ Jul 31st 2006 6:36PM
I second timothy and Zeromaru. This guy either has no idea what the hell he's saying, or he thinks the people he's talking to are fools. Either way, he's an idiot.
Kenofthedead @ Jul 31st 2006 6:44PM
Instead of saying "gay" to mean dumb or stupid, why not just say dumb or stupid. Instead of using a term that makes it sound bigoted towards homosexuals?
Anyway, maybe this is when Microsoft shows us the much sought after Darts! for Live Arcade.
I mean after Uno and it's power busting level of gameplay, Darts! is the only thing left to move to.
Either that or they show us Excell, Word, and how to make Spread Sheets on the 360.
molecule @ Jul 31st 2006 6:50PM
"If a price cut isn't included in the surprise announcements, we're curious what would be."
Perhaps he's simply referring to the long-rumored PGR3 pack-in?
Either that, or the release of a simple, "casual gamer" controller that would function in select LIVE Arcade games (like a wiimote sans the motion sensing); that's my take, anyway.
Darth Pixel @ Jul 31st 2006 6:51PM
The big surprise: Microsoft will release a next-generation game that has no frame rate issue!
Wow!
CaptNink @ Jul 31st 2006 6:55PM
The big surprise:
MS purchases Nintendo.
[-Z-] @ Jul 31st 2006 6:56PM
hmmm Wow, If it's H3, i gonna be a broke man, this holiday season .. LOL
Jon @ Jul 31st 2006 7:03PM
@ Timothy. You act like there werent' Gamecube shortages when it came out, and the DS Lite didn' have shortages either. Fanboys are so blind to the facts. Every system that comes out during the holidays has shortages.
rdj75 @ Jul 31st 2006 7:10PM
To: Lee
Ok seriously, what could be that big of a surprise that microsoft can manage to keep a secret. Personally, I can't think of one thing that would really nock me off my feet. If its some kind of super bundle at $399, would that be that much of a "surprise"? If it has something to do with a game or xboxlive functionality what could it be that would nock people of their feet? In this time and day these PR guys need to really step up to the plate and give us some really good stuff because whether we all want to admit it or not, as gamers, it really takes alot to impress us now-a-days.
Robotic House Plant @ Jul 31st 2006 7:14PM
Interesting contributions today... Everybody seems to be up in arms about Microsoft vs. Nintendo vs. Sony.
I think each will satisfy gamers.
As for Microsoft, I'm not surprised they may have something coming for which we're unaware. There's been hints from both Sony and Nintendo they also have more coming than we realize.
This is a good thing.
Ian @ Jul 31st 2006 7:21PM
@#1 (Clintt)
Listen troll, if you want to buy a blu ray player this holiday instead of a 360 then you don't need to bash the 360. When you look at it, most games on the Xbox and 360 are western and theres only 1 western game in Japan's top 100 (crash bandicoot), so don't bash the xbox just because Japan's game preferance is in quirky games and sequals of rpgs.
My bet is that they'll be a bundle this holiday and, hopefully, a suprisingly cheap HD DVD drive :D. All I'll say about the Wii is that short, quick bursts of fun were meant for portable games, which is why the DS does so well. I don't know how they'll convince people that the Wii and Wii games are going to be great in long sessions and in a console experience. On top of that I look at something like the DK drums for the cube and think well I could play this once or twice and have fun with it, but will I use it after that? I want to see the Wii have more sucess then the gamecube but I hope that nintendo finds ways for this to become a console experience and maintain the fun through the game(s).
The 360 doesn't really even need to do anything, it has tremendously great games coming this winter like Bioshock, Gears of War, Dead Rising, and much more where the PS3 will be just starting with games like Warhawk, Ridge Racer, Wipeout (probably), and some other rehashes and sequals. I'm not going to entirely bash the PS3, Resistence: FOM looks interesting, and a MGS killer app is coming next year. But I can't warrent a 600 dollar purchase, especially when their ripping off Xbox Live with "entitlements" and their version of arcade. When it comes down to it, I get more for my dollar and more that I want with the 360 and with my love of PC gaming, it looks like I'm going to abandon my Playstation devices (except my PSP) and head into the Microsoft camp.
ManekiNeko @ Jul 31st 2006 8:16PM
Teversham is the consummate douche. Maybe someone should tell him that profit is important in this industry, at least to the big boys who don't have Bill Gates' billions as a pair of training wheels. The Wii may be "almost a GameCube," but it'll make more net profit than the gaping wide money pit that Microsoft calls the Xbox 360.
JR
dolemite @ Jul 31st 2006 8:32PM
Where was this guy when Microsoft decided to price the 360 at 4 hundred bucks, or does he think that's cheap? And why does the Zune not part of the Plays For Sure Initiative that Microsoft has been pushing? It makes me wonder when companies cannot talk about their produxt without mentioning the competition. If you have to do that then you must be worried about them. Back to Zune, how much will it cost? Or is something too expensive only if the competition makes it?
Fish @ Jul 31st 2006 8:37PM
This would have been a great thing to hear, had he not stabbed the competition. :
he hit sony in the weak point, for massive damage.
and didn't get his facts strait at all for nintendo:
"And although Wii is almost a GameCube with a DVD drive, is Nintendo going to have enough quantity to satisfy the demand?"
Yeah, the Wii is a GameCube... with a Wiimote... Wii dont care about graphics anymore... and Microsoft shouldn't be the one to talk about "Quantity to Satisfy Demand"
we know all about the little kids being robbed of their XBox's over christmas. : (
zune @ Jul 31st 2006 9:25PM
Forget that, I'll be playing on my Wii, and waving that magic wand thing around.
Greg @ Jul 31st 2006 9:40PM
being an xbox fan i really dont care what they come out with the 360 lived up to all expectations i had on the hardware front....Needs more softare but most new consoles have a software gaps i know both my psx and ps2 did. HMMM as a matter of fact what happened to that 900?? dollar PSX with the dvd-burner? I thinks a compliment to xbox that people call it 1.5 that means that the 1st xbox was ahead of its time think about just remember for a sec what it did last gen.....
Onboard ethernet..hard drive...play own music in games...superfast loading(HD)..even the controller setup was better..most games stopped when the controller was unplugged instead of just letting you die.....and do get me startind on the whole EVOX...for the most part it didnt need a chip to be modding....and it had great games...look at Ninja gaiden right now next to even GOW on ps2 at it still makes it look ugly..remember the 1st time you saw DOA...and almost passing out.....oh yea we had HD support out of the box...when didnt need an upgraded progressive scan version to have it....
Now seeing as 360 is double everything i just said WTF do you mean1.5
Ill break it down....same onboard ethernet but it runs faster and live is much improved (marketplace arcade) i.e. BF2 has more available player and racing games have more people n online racing (not counting NFSMW but thats an ea thing)
We had a 10gb HD this time we have 20
and you can stream music and pics from your pc so you dont even need the room to save music this time( and no you dont need MCE for music and pics)
Usb input
wireless controller
handware has triples tri core ( how many peolple have a tri core processor at home raise your hand....thats what i thought)
and more than triple the ram...and Video card...
And i went in other with the list from the old xbox so you can compare....
so how do you explain this obsession with the whole 1.5 thing, as a pc technician i just dont see it.
Anonymous Rep @ Jul 31st 2006 9:53PM
@ Timothy - #12
>Not even enough to cover their preorders.
Guess what? Those pre-orders were taken by stores WITHOUT Microsoft authorization. The stores as a chain were told in advance that they would receive a certain number of consoles. And the stores ignored the company, and took however the hell many pre-orders that they wanted to - figuring that other stores in their chain wouldn't get as many pre-orders.
That's one reason why at this time you CANNOT have a pre-order in for a PoS3. The stores were starting to take pre-orders without knowing how many they were going to get, and Sony said, NO! THOU SHALT NOT DO THIS!
Sony has actually told the retailers that if they start taking pre-orders before Sony has given them their allocation number for consoles that the retailer will then NOT receive ANY. They've also told the retailers that the number they get for their pre-orders is hard and fast - so if they're allocated as a chain 25,000 units, they damn well better not sell 50,000 pre-orders.
@ManekiNeko - #31
>it'll make more net profit than the gaping wide money pit that Microsoft calls the Xbox 360
Erm... The console itself will be profitable for the company by the end of next month. Just as with many things, when you design it to make money and the product sells, then it DOES make money. Hell, even sometime after a couple of years or so of production - presuming that Blu-Ray does actually take off as a viable video format - Sony ought to make some money. They're just not going to make it to profitable as quickly as Microsoft.
Nathan M @ Jul 31st 2006 10:00PM
"'It is a combination of hardware and software.'
That is the worst effing PR thing I could ever hear, and sadly, I've heard it numerous times. Software doesn't exist without hardware to run it, and hardware is just paperweights without software to control it.
EVERYTHING is hardware and software. GAH!"
I'm pretty sure he means the proprietary music store/player that accompanies it, not the software that powers the Zune itself.
Andrew @ Jul 31st 2006 10:35PM
So a look at some 07 titles, maybe another glimps at Halo3 (maybe not until spring).... Realistically me thinks the 360 Camera and (crosses fingers) a larger hard drive to compete with the Ps3s larger base model drive... Lets hope for a 40gig at least and wish for a 100gig.
The 360 needs games and hardware for the holiday season. The only hardware that's visible is a bundle and the camera but they've got to be thinking about a larger drive to keep storage numbers competing with Sony and give 360 owners something new to buy for the holiday.
We're trudging dangerously close to 1983 if the ps3 dominates this console generation as sony has presented it.
The ZeroCorpse @ Jul 31st 2006 11:34PM
First of all, didn't Clint(t) get baninnated? He never does anything but pop into non-Sony threads and say something trollish. Go away, already. We don't need your non-posts here.
Now, I suspect that the price of the HD-DVD add-on will surprise everybody, and drive HD-DVD sales big-time. Especially if people get educated about HD-DVD vs Blu-Ray (check out Major Nelson's archives for a great podcast about HD-DVD and Blu-Ray).
Another surprise might be in XBLA, where they'll announce some newer "classic" games- Things that may have been on the PC as late as two years ago, for example, or collections from older game systems or computer libraries. How about an Epyx collection? Or a 3DO collection?
Perhaps we'll get some surprises regarding bigger hard drives, or an HDMI connection? Maybe something having to do with some former Sony exclusives being secured for the 360?
Maybe Guitar Hero for 360, with a wireless guitar and weekly music downloads on XBLA..?
Maybe a MMORPG that costs nothing to download, and offers a paid subscription monthly in Microsoft Points? The rumored Marvel Superheroes RPG perhaps?
There are many possibilities.
??? @ Jul 31st 2006 11:35PM
Wait honesty. If Gay means dumb or stupid isnt that an improvement over Gay meaning homosexual? Honestly I would rather be dumb or stupid and Gay mean that then Gay meaning homosexual. Stupid is not a sin. Homosexuality is.
Tiberius Jones @ Aug 1st 2006 12:43AM
Stupid SHOULD be a sin, and Homosexuality should be ignored. Then a lot of these posts would improve by leaps and bounds.
Have to go now, need to check on the ETA of my copy of Duke Nukem Forever.
;0-)
ill trooper @ Aug 1st 2006 12:43AM
"Wait honesty. If Gay means dumb or stupid isnt that an improvement over Gay meaning homosexual? Honestly I would rather be dumb or stupid and Gay mean that then Gay meaning homosexual. Stupid is not a sin. Homosexuality is."
You are making us consider making 'Stupid' a sin now. Go to college, read more, meet more people, and NEVER FORGET that you wrote that paragraph [poorly, I'll add] on a video game blog, and just maybe your college girlfriend won't ever find out how lame you were.
xaviertooth @ Aug 1st 2006 1:20AM
The BIG surprise: xbox360 premium pricedrop to $249;
The BIGGER surprise: xbox360 premium for $249 + 2 yr Gold membership + all titles + all arcade titles;
The BIGGEST surprise: xbox360 discontinued.
and yeah, this guy really look a faggot.
Andrew @ Aug 1st 2006 1:23AM
hmm... larger hardrive with hinting at direct to drive downloads for the 360? non arcade titles? maybe just episodic downloads?
epobirs @ Aug 1st 2006 1:31AM
"We have several initiatives to enhance our profile this fall.
First, we introduce an element of danger to purchasing a PS2 or Wii. Snipers will be positioned with a field of fire covering the traffic outside major game retailers. Those seen exiting the store will be targeted. Facial recognition will run a scan through the rifle's scope to determine if the subject is already an Xbox 360 owner. If so, they only receive a flesh wound to a lower limb so they can enjoy playing during recovery. All other get a one in 100 chance of being shot fatally through the head.
This will draw a certain type of thrillseeker to the competition but you cannot have everything. For those who greatly value their life and limbs, the Xbox 360 will be the safe bet for a gaming purchase this coming Holiday season."
tellute @ Aug 1st 2006 2:39AM
You know Joystiq this set of comments would be a great place to start banning some people for their ridiculous (and offensive) homophobia...
Also Anonymous Rep, stores are taking pre-orders for the PS3 already. There was a story on here last month about the Australian Toys'R'Us bundling in a free game. Do you really believe Sony now won't allocate any stock to Toys'R'Us?
DSK @ Aug 1st 2006 4:03AM
Can anyone say 360/Zune bundle??
Rob Holiday @ Aug 1st 2006 7:20AM
I think all of this $ony bashing should stop! At least until the console launches. Then feel free to bash away!
NOV, 2006: PS3 launch...
WHAT??!! It cost how much???
WHAT??!! No rumble controller???
WHAT??!! Where's all the games???
WHAT??!! Games cost how much???
WHAT??!! Blu-ray movies cost how much???
No thanks, I'll wait till 2008:
Console price drop...
3rd party rumble controller released...
used games are cheap...
used Beta-ray movies are cheaper...
Jason @ Aug 1st 2006 9:02AM
Everyone is forgetting about the DirecTV deal that MS has in the works... what about some kind of OnDemand type service that works through the XBox that lets you watch HD movies on demand from a DirecTV integrated blade in the 360? Or maybe some kind of integration with Zune and DirecTV to download movies/tv shows to your Zune for portable viewing...
Or maybe some huge XBLA deal that brings the entire Sega lineup to the Arcade or something like that! The bigger hard drive isn't really that important right now but I could see that being something that they do with the main package...
Maybe they use some of the savings they are getting on manufacturing to upgrade the HD in the premium systems to 100 GB and they include a 20GB drive in the low end system? Throw the camera into the premium bundle...
HD-DVD add on... preload a Halo demo on the HD... who knows... we all know GOW will be out before the PS3 launches and that should strenghten the position... I have yet to hear or see ANYTHING from Sony other than the hardware specs that gets me excited about the PS3... the Blu-Ray format hasn't gotten a whole lot of praise even when they are reviewing a $1000 stand alone player... I can't imagine that the PS3 is going to bump up the quality of the Blu-Ray movies... if anything it might be worse.
Nintendo doesn't really compete with either of big consoles... they have their own nitch and will not be expensive enough to be an either or type option...