windbane said: Sony's first party lineup is still far better. Granted, Microsoft is doing a good job buying exclusives, but that list still isn't better than Sony or Nintendo overall. The RPG strategy is pretty clear, but it doesn't seem to be solving their Japanese problem.

Even if the PS3 or the Wii pulled out of the Japanese market, it won't solve their "problems" there. What it does solve is the issue that 'all' the Xbox360 games can be bought on the PC and it offers nothing to PC gamers. A lot of PC gamers buy consoles FOR the JRPG genre as its completely different from what is available on the console. So it definately solves that problem for the Xbox360. @ Rock I included Lost odyssey and the other RPGS but I didn't want to include much more content as the post was getting too long already so I jumbled it together in one line. Ninja Gaiden rocks! So im definately looking forward to GOW3 as the next big installment for the genre. I didn't count it because it didn't specifically fit into their strategic plans IMO anyway. Its just another good game that came out on the system.

They have an interesting financial strategy too: Take away every possible great games away from other consoles by bribing companies in order to make your console look better. Looks like it pulled through...

tedsteriscool said: They have an interesting financial strategy too: Take away every possible great games away from other consoles by bribing companies in order to make your console look better. Looks like it pulled through...

 

 They could have bought every single company. So they were nicer than they could have been. Actually its a fair strategy considering that Sony and Nintendo have already bought up a bunch of promising studios and Microsoft hasn't. So their footprint of annoyance is smaller IMO.

@ squilliam

The day Microsoft buys every massive franchise they can get their hands on is the day I quit gaming. I hate monopolies (except the game, its fun). First they control the office with PC, then the living room with the 360, they are starting to have an influence on cars with SYNC, what next? Will they require me to get a chip implanted in my wrist that I have to scan every time I want to drink from a microsoft branded drinking fountain for 25 cents a sip?

They are really pushing in the JRPG genre. Hope atleast some of them sell well on the 360. Of course, FXIII will sell atleast a million copies on the 360 alone.

tedsteriscool said: @ squilliam The day Microsoft buys every massive franchise they can get their hands on is the day I quit gaming. I hate monopolies (except the game, its fun). First they control the office with PC, then the living room with the 360, they are starting to have an influence on cars with SYNC, what next? Will they require me to get a chip implanted in my wrist that I have to scan every time I want to drink from a microsoft branded drinking fountain for 25 cents a sip?

 

I just can't listen to someone with a Journey album cover as their avatar.

yeah, they HAD a strategy, now what are they gonna do?

Wow microsoft had a stratergy :O , that was unexpected / sarcasm.

Erm... Final Fantasy is not exclusive, and will not be coming out stateside in 2009, so you can put 2010 down for their "strategy". (I can't believe no one called him out on this... well this is the MS forum)

Here's the thing about this strategy though. Once the momentum shifts, you're left in the dust. This is why Ninty and Sony have moved to more internal development. In a few years, on the next wave of game consoles, if Third parties aren't feeling XBOX, they'll move on, and because of Microsoft's lackluster internal development, they'll be out in the cold.

And there's no question that MS will still finish last this generation. There's no more exclusives to make multi-plat and/or steal. Now I can't wait until next year's MS E3 conference. Nothing to steal, so their conference will have to stand on it's own.

DMeisterJ Why dont you buy a PS3 and sale your XBOX360. You are definitely antiXBOX guy, although being owner of the machine...

Interesting...