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Reader Comments (37)

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 5:27PM chrisgrant said

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Seamus Blackley chopped liver now?

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 5:49PM (Unverified) said

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no, he cant.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 7:27PM (Unverified) said

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"...and Microsoft ultimately vaulted ahead of Nintendo."

They did? When the hell did that happen? As far as I'm concerned, Halo/2/3 are the only reasons o own an XBox/360. Well, except maybe Dead Rising.

~HotShotX

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 5:54PM (Unverified) said

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Since he's VP of design and development of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division that means he was responsible for the king of cool, the ZUNE! I know myself and Allard spell cool, Z-U-N-E!


ZUNE SUCKS!

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 5:59PM (Unverified) said

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Microsoft nabs Nintendo? Xcube, perhaps? Thank God they didn't, or Mario would be an office assistant, like that paperclip or the dog.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 5:59PM Dracula Jones said

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J. Allard reminds me of the old SNL skit "Geek, Dweeb, or Spaz?" He shows up lookin' all cool like Emilio Estevez, and then someone pulls out his yearbook picture: http://www.geekonstun.com/images/jolly_j.jpg and the illusion is shattered.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:00PM (Unverified) said

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"Allard pushed to do the whole project in-house, and Microsoft ultimately vaulted ahead of Nintendo."

Uh, if by "vaulted ahead" they mean "losing billions of dollars while Nintendo rakes in the profits", I guess.

I realize they're counting the number of Xboxes vs. the number of GameCubes sold. But that's pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things. It says nothing of the overall success of the two companies in the game industry. There's more to life than market share in one particular industry segment, and my bet is MS *wishes* they could have the success Nintendo has enjoyed over the past couple years.

I also find it amusing how MS thinks acquiring Nintendo was simply a matter of their choosing. Yamauchi (still a majority shareholder) has repeatedly said he is not interested in selling. Spin by MS here, or simple delusions of grandeur?

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:04PM (Unverified) said

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'I wanted to acquire Nintendo,' recalls Rick Thompson...

wow thats madness, i could never see that happening... ever! if microsoft ever did buy nintendo my head would explode,

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:06PM (Unverified) said

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no hes a tool.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:06PM (Unverified) said

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I see another Gunpei in the works.

A company forces one of their big players to build a already doomed machine, and then blames him fo rthe whole fiasco forcing him to leave and live the rest of his life in obsecurity. Everyone called the Wii and DS the next Virtual Boy, but alas, I think it's the ZUNE.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:08PM (Unverified) said

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Maybe I'm just not cool enough or something, but I don't don't think of driving Ferraris and wearing designer clothes to be all that, uh, hip. It's what the spolied richies do. Not exactly countercultural. It's certainly different compared to typical computer geek culture, but is it hip? Uh, no.

But I do like the 360. As long as M/S makes Zune 2.0 as fun as Xbox 2.0, I don't really care what tools are running the devices division.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:08PM Fuzz said

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Yes, because we all know that adding the letter "X" to anything increases its coolness factor by 12 billion. That was a stroke of genius, right there.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 7:09PM (Unverified) said

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LoL J Allard such a loser. Here is your answer as to whether or not he can make Microsoft hip:

http://www.geekonstun.com/mt/archives/hd_allard_050605.html

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 8:22PM (Unverified) said

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God, anyone here who isn't a fanboy, please raise his or her hand. Go away please. Looking at this article in a different light, I respect what Allard has done. Hell, the Xbox did far better than any of us thought it would, right? Right? I think they've done about as good as they can given the circumstances. And no, they haven't received as much profit as Nintendo, but they genuinely didn't fare too badly last generation and built up some credibility at least.

And you, Andy, you suck. Want to know why? You did not specify any reasons why the Zune sucks, thus you are a moron.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:11PM Huey2k2 said

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As much as I loved my Xbox and I love my 360 I have to agree, J Allard is a tool.

Posted: Nov 28th 2006 12:11AM (Unverified) said

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Throw me in with the "thank god they didn't buy Nintendo" bunch.

Nintendo is a pretty huge company financially, that would have been pushing the boundries even for M$ methinks.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 8:07PM gLitterbug said

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We've come far if someone like him is considered cool. But then I guess cool means that teenage kids feel superior when having certain things, so maybe it'll work on that audience.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:25PM (Unverified) said

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Isn't that the lead singer of Minor Threat?

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:31PM (Unverified) said

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He should go back to his old image, we'll soon see how cool everybody thinks he is.

Check this out...
J Allard gets upgraded: http://i-am-random-j.blogspot.com/2006/11/upgraded.html

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 7:00PM (Unverified) said

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"I also find it amusing how MS thinks acquiring Nintendo was simply a matter of their choosing. Yamauchi (still a majority shareholder) has repeatedly said he is not interested in selling. Spin by MS here, or simple delusions of grandeur?"

Nope thats how microsoft thinks they can take over, by buying everything up or by bleeding its competitors, which by all means they have the resources to do that,i.e Bill Gates, but that doesn't mean i have to respect them for that, which is why i don't like MS, but i do like the 360

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 6:54PM (Unverified) said

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It hints at in the article that a price drop could be comming soon. They are compairing the xbox360 to the ps3, and they mention that the xbox could be poised for a price drop. Is it a leek, or just another mag. that knows little about what it is talking about.

Posted: Nov 28th 2006 12:52AM Negativecool said

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I think I read somewhere that Nintendo was actually considering being acquired by Microsoft until the brass of each company met to talk business. The VP's of Nintendo were completely insulted by Microsoft's attitude toward them, like they were a completely inferior company with childish resources. They were so insulted by Microsoft's disposition that they said "f--- you guys, I'm going home!" So yea...it was TOTALLY AJ that led the charge into completely new territory...my ass. Sounds like someone is trying to put a "Braveheart" spin on his leadership skills, when in reality he is just a pawn that can't grow hair and he thinks that's cool.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 7:31PM (Unverified) said

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He looked a lot better in 2001 imo, even if he did look like a computer salesman.

Posted: Dec 1st 2006 7:07PM (Unverified) said

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I don't know why people don't like him..
I dont even have an opinion of him. I haven't seen anything about him almost since the 360 released.

Posted: Nov 28th 2006 1:42AM (Unverified) said

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J. Allard and Lex Luthor were seperated at birth.

@ rjg - he only wishes he was Ian MacKaye... :)

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 7:43PM (Unverified) said

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"...and Microsoft ultimately vaulted ahead of Nintendo."

Why are you all confused by that? They mean in coolness by the casual Joe Walmart and the public. People still think Nintendo is for kids and the Xbox/Playstation is what's "in" and "cool" for videogames. The everyday teenager would pick GTA over Mario Sunshine 9 out of 10 times. We're talking about the teenagers who shop at the mall,download ringstones of MTV bands,and play Xbox/Playstation.

It's not the point of wether you agree or not that the group of average teenagers are "brainwashed" or like "garbage",it's the point that they think Xbox is cool,that's the topic we're on.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 7:47PM ill trooper said

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"Savior of Cool?"

Notes for the mainstream and underground press outlets: "Cool" moves on in stealthy ways, whether you notice it or not - and when you peg someone as the 'next' cool, it's really like branding them as 'WAS Cool."

Jake, that link kills it dead! Dude can never live that 2001 image down, he looks like 'sidekick' grade stuff from a Will Smith movie. 2006 is better, but 2001 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 8:58PM (Unverified) said

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"Uh, if by "vaulted ahead" they mean "losing billions of dollars while Nintendo rakes in the profits", I guess."

The point is MS can sacrifice "billions of dollars" in order to get market share which is ultimatley what they were after. They said it all along right from the outset and creation of the original Xbox, it was about building market share and a user base no matter how much they lost and the second generation was where they were going to make their push.

Makes sense really if you can afford to that then why not? Nintendo could never afford to that, they don't have anywhere near the deep pockets that MS does and so they have to be profitable on what they do...

Posted: Nov 28th 2006 5:04AM (Unverified) said

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I think you're all tools.
J Allard is one of the greatest men on earth.

You guys are all complaining about what he used to look like. Well at least he did something about it and isn't like many other american fatties who just sit around and do nothing.

If anything, I think this man deserves some praise. I don't think he became "cool" but it's certainly a step up (if not a jump).

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 8:52PM (Unverified) said

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Lex Luthor is father of the xbox?

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 9:28PM (Unverified) said

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No kidding. I don't understand why American culture feels it has to bash everyone and everything. You know it is ok to live and let live. I promise I won't tell your girlfriend that you didn't insult something today.

Who here has met JA? I'm sorry, but quit being so freaking judgmental about someone just because he shaved his head, lost some weight, and sports an earring. Who gives a shit?

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 9:43PM (Unverified) said

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If there's anything cooler than making enraged comments about unimportant crap on a gaming blog, I'd like to know what it is.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 10:23PM GLPP said

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Let me see... He lost some weight (pretty important), has become a bit more stylish (not all that important), has found a way to stay a major player in the industry in which he works (very important), has a bunch of people who make far less money than him conversing about him on a blog (sad for us, myself included)...

Yep. He is cooler than me.

Yes it is silly if you compare the pictures. Yes it is probably a corporate makeover. But those of you that refuse to let that 2001 picture go really need to send in some pictures of yourselves over the past 5-10 years. I am willing to bet that J. Allard is in the minority in that he looks better now than he did then.

Way to go J. I don't care if it was a part of your job or not... good for you.

Posted: Nov 27th 2006 11:40PM (Unverified) said

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Ultimate Poseur. Seriously, who legally changes his name to "J" in a desperate search for cool? Is "James" really so tragically unhip? I seem to recall guys boringly named "Steve" and "Bill" doing quite well...

I laughed when he verbally threw down the gauntlet at Apple and then came out with that miserable excuse for a wannabe iPod, Zune. The boys at Microsoft have about as much creativity as Jonathan Ive's dirty sock. And Zune ads are as contrived as Allard's New Extreme Hipster Makeover.

James: there's nothing wrong with being a computer dork. Embrace it. You don't have to go all THX 1138 on us for street cred. Stick with what you guys know: mediocre office productivity software and operating systems and backroom market manipulation.

Posted: Nov 28th 2006 4:03AM Wesscoast said

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Uh, if by "vaulted ahead" they mean "losing billions of dollars while Nintendo rakes in the profits", I guess.

--

Thank you. And this past week, more profits were 'lost' by MS with their 'discount'... yay.. for MS giving stuff away and... asking for credit..

Posted: Nov 28th 2006 3:52AM (Unverified) said

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fools thinking MS has lost billions of dollars , thats just what they have spent to make the buissnes.
i know alot of you grew up with MS being this huge beast of a company , with only an eye for proffit .
me, im a gameplayer who has had million's and million's of dollars spent on him ,yeah MS bought my loyalty , but in return i have a fantastic games machine under my TV , with some great media software in it. and some of the best games and ip's around .

windows isnt so bad aswell really , some of you just out right lie about how bad i is.

Posted: Nov 28th 2006 5:44AM alibanana said

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For me he is the embodiment of modern videogames marketing, and in a good way. Yes he's changed his image and good on him, he looks a lot better for it. Saying he's a 'tool' without quantifying your arguments without any evidence is pathetic.

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