Shane Kim: RE5 was 360's 'big announcement' at keynote

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 24th 2007 at 7:15PM }

This story about Shane Kim, VP of Microsoft Game Studios, has to be prefaced by saying this is one of those moments where you totally want to take the guy out for a drink afterward and, in your best Jeff Bell ghetto voice, say, "Tough break, my brotha'. You'll show 'em next time."

In a recent interview with Game Informer, Kim – who should honestly know much better – was evidently unaware that Resident Evil 5 was announced for the Xbox 360 two years ago. Peep part of the cringe-inducing (though not nearly Jamie Kennedy bad) exchange after the break.

Kim: Yeah, but here's the thing: I think one of the most important, subtle announcements at the Xbox 360 briefing is that Resident Evil is coming to Xbox 360. Yes, it's from Capcom, who's been a great supporter of us.

GI: But we knew that two years ago.

Kim: What?

GI: Resident Evil. It was shown at TGS two years ago.

Kim: No, but coming to Xbox 360.

GI: Yeah. It was at the press event.

Kim: I don't think so.

GI: I'm positive. I was there.

Kim: Really?

GI: It was shown at both press conferences.

Kim: That RE5 was coming to...?

GI: Yep.

Kim: I'm going to have to confirm that. That was supposed to be the big announcement. Anyway, my point there though is that every major Japanese publisher is supporting the Xbox 360. ...

Awkward! Kim quickly changes the topic after that. While we kinda feel for the guy, it does help explain why Microsoft thought we'd be surprised by anything at their press conference ... although the HDMI-equipped 20GB Halo 3 Xbox still makes us wonder about future iterations of the console with HDMI installed. Considering the RE5 trailer was also part of Sony's presentation, maybe we should call Jack Tretton and ask him if he was surprised by it being on the PS3?

[Via X3F]

Tags: Capcom, jacktretton, re5, residentevil5, shanekim

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

loungemonkey @ Jul 24th 2007 7:21PM

Haha poor fellow. Let's sit back and watch if people tear this guy a new one like they would a Sony rep.

Bloo @ Jul 24th 2007 7:24PM

Hello left hand, meet right hand.

zwarrior @ Jul 24th 2007 7:31PM

His next Big announcement will be that GTA4 is coming to the 360

Grant @ Jul 24th 2007 7:33PM

i thought that sounded familiar.
go 2 year old announcements!

copa @ Jul 24th 2007 7:35PM

I want to see Shane Kim and Jeff Bell star in the next Rush Hour movie.

Jeff: "Shane! Never touch a black man's radio!"

Lijik @ Jul 24th 2007 9:14PM

http://www.maj.com/gallery/Lijik/SHTJ/rushhourposter.png

I could not resist making a crappy photoshop edit for this, since that'd be the most kickass movie ever.

Phi Nguyen @ Jul 24th 2007 9:54PM

LOL. That's awesome!

Brian B. @ Jul 25th 2007 2:04AM

Touché!

BPM @ Jul 24th 2007 7:36PM

Better be careful with this guy. Don't let him know that they bought Rare, or he might explode from the excitement.

Fernando Rocker @ Jul 24th 2007 7:40PM

This is the proof that those executives doesnt know anything about videogames. They only want money, money and more money. They dont care about the players.

All videogames executives should be like Phil Harrison, Reggie and Moore.

zwarrior @ Jul 24th 2007 7:49PM

That's what usually gets them hired. I remember reading a Perry Kaplan interview where she mentioned that NOA were not looking for a videogamer when they hired her, just someone who was strong in PR. So their passion doesn't have to necessarily be videogaming, but to be good at whatever position they're getting hired for.

In Shane Kim's case, it wouldn't hurt to at least do your homework

Mr Khan @ Jul 24th 2007 8:06PM

Yes; but this guy is the DIRECTOR OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT STUDIOS, not head of the division itself

If anyone should have the 360's software bragging rights straight, its this guy

zwarrior @ Jul 24th 2007 8:33PM

BillNabors65 said it well, he's in charge of First party games, so that's an even better defense to why he would be ignorant about a 3rd party game. I don't expect Miyamoto to know about anything Take 2 is planning.

The interview is still funny anyway

Negativecool @ Jul 24th 2007 9:09PM

Another one ranting about money money money...Ugh.
Understand the nature of business.

1st - Get a college degree in business. Perhaps follow that up with graduate studies...and maybe a PhD if it makes you happy.

2nd - If you are good enough at what you do to be hired by one of the most successful international companies in the world, you can pretty much rest assured you can be hired by any company, anywhere, selling anything--

Example - Peter Moore goes from Dreamcast-->xbox-->EA. Look up Howard Stringer on Wikipedia...he's been everywhere before landing at Sony in 1997.

It isn't about how much you know about the industry, it's how well you can sell it. I would prefer to have someone that knows how to sell my system and its games but isn't really into gaming vs. someone that knows every game ever made, but can't sell anything.

Side note, if you really believe that Moore, Harrison, and Reggie are real gamers then you've been duped by how well they sell their product.

Gavin @ Jul 24th 2007 7:40PM

I heard they have some game coming out on the Xbox called "Halo"

don't tell Kim I told you though

OrganicShadow @ Jul 24th 2007 7:42PM

WOW 6 comments? That's it? Man....I don't even feel like ragging on this guy now if people are too ashamed to let him have it.

Reggie perhaps?

Word of the street. @ Jul 24th 2007 7:46PM

o-O?.I heard about this weeks ago,is still funny.I wonder if someone told him about Devil may cry 4 coming to the x360,His head would explode lol.

I have to say that I love Micorsoft E# conference,While there was nothing new to see it was fun to watch it live in Gamespot.The RE5 trailer was awesome.

zwarrior @ Jul 24th 2007 7:50PM

At least he knew that its xbox 360 now and not the original xbox

red @ Jul 24th 2007 7:59PM

I think its hard to rag on someone whos done the job so well for himself.

GodisaMyth @ Jul 24th 2007 8:03PM

I wonder what else he is not aware of. If there was ever a time for a Homer "doh" Simpson...that was it.

Phil and Reggie really have their shit together. As did Peter.

RE5's teaser trailer looks sick. 360 and PS3 owners have even more HD gaming bliss to look forward to.

Man, a year or 2 from now I wonder how much better this hardware generation can get...especially on the PS3.

Revolver @ Jul 24th 2007 8:05PM

I'm not positive, but I think Kim may have been confused when Game Informer said "It was shown at both conferences". Maybe Shane Kim thought GI was referring to the trailer itself?

BillNabors65 @ Jul 24th 2007 8:15PM

Shane Kim is head of first party games (Halo, Mass Effect, Forza, etc.) not third party relations. I'm not too shocked he didn't know this since he's been busy with running the studio, not signing third party deals.

OMGOMG @ Jul 24th 2007 8:45PM

I guess Shane Kim must be the head of the Zune as well. What?? What's an iPod?

razer @ Jul 24th 2007 9:43PM

And people wonder why Sony is going to kill MS in first party titles.. You got this clueless guy at the helm.

I think they missed the target with Peter leaving.. Look at the stinkers MS has done with their first party dev's beyond Halo.. He should of been canned a long time ago. MGS FTL!

Tony @ Jul 24th 2007 10:13PM

I don't really know of many "stinkers" they've done as a first party studio this generation. Even stuff like PDZ was simply mediocre... you can't pretend Sony (or even Nintendo) doesn't have its share of that stuff.

Honestly, the entire interview kind of paints him as clueless. Maybe being VP of Microsoft Game Studios he's just not privy or knowledgable about other facets of the company... which I guess is understandable... but definitely not someone you want people interviewing lol.

Figboy @ Jul 24th 2007 10:45PM

i can't help but think that if this was a Sony exec, the folks on this site wouldn't let him/her, live it down.

there'd be no "aww, this makes us want to buy the guy drinks afterward," for a Sony dude.

gullum @ Jul 25th 2007 8:22AM

You are right. It would be more like "Look, thats concrete e-vidence Sony is gonna lose the war!!1"

Grant @ Jul 25th 2007 8:49AM

you are completly right....
but we're all gamers and we want consoles to thrive.
If you look at Sony's recent business plan, they seem to think they own the video game market and do whatever the hell they please, which is obviously not gamer(or consumer) friendly.

People have only been so critical recently because sony has screwed up so many times. The first time or so is a pass, the 30th mistake will just get pure cynicism.

Figboy @ Jul 25th 2007 3:44PM

while i completely agree, i have to say that oh, i dunno a 33% failure rate is a rather big screwup on Microsoft's part.

the *ONLY thing keeping me from running out and buying a 360 right now is the failure rate.

for the $500-$600 price tag of the PS3, i've gotten a quality piece of hardware, and the games are coming (with enough good games out now, multi or not, to make it worth having now).

when i'm being blown away by, say, a Resistance, or a VF5, or Ninja Gaiden Sigma, i'm not thinking about how arrogant or cocky a Sony exec was when they were pimping the PS3. i'm too busy enjoying myself.

with the 360, not being able to play those games (multi or exclusive) *AT ALL, because of failure rate, is a problem for me.

i'd choose cocky execs over a defective console anyday.

i'd really like to own a 360, but if i'm paying $400 for *ANYTHING, i expect it to work.

just like i expect my PS3, at the $600 i paid for it, to work properly. and it does.

i don't fear turning on my console. i don't have to wrap it in a towel. i don't have to cross my fingers whenever a firmware update is installing, praying that the system doesn't get bricked. i just have to pop in my disc, and enjoy gaming.

3 year warranty or not, we shouldn't have to be concerned about a malfunctioning system *PERIOD.

i just don't get how Microsoft gets such a free pass from a lot of their fans, when if it was Sony with defective PS3's the shit would be hitting the fan, and even if they were to extend the warranty for 3 years, they'd *STILL be hit with a class action lawsuit for the defect.

scratching discs is a fine lawsuit, but the RROD seems to be the more detrimental issue, and MS is covering their own asses with the warranty extension. they aren't doing it for their consumers (for the record, Sony wouldn't extend the warranty for it's consumers either, they'd be covering their asses also; business is business), but everyone is commending them for it.

Microsoft: fix your damn console, then i'll give you my money. no ammount of Fable 2, Mass Effect, Too Human, Bioshock, and Alan Wake are worth the constant stress of not knowing if your system is going to take it's last breath randomly, and for a reason you still haven't successfully disclosed to us, the consumer (my roommate plays his 360 once every few weeks, because he doesn't want it to go on him; he plays his PS3 all the time. it sounds ridiculous, but MS put him in that state to begin with).