Who cares? The xbox is now the best video game system there is. The wii is...well no explanation needed and the PS3 is just way overpriced.
The zune hd, though yet to be proven the best, is showing to be a serious competitor in the mp3 market. As long as the consumer benefits and doesn't get raped on expensive hardware, accessories, and content for their device, it's a win-win.
That's how it works: Developers get paid to develop, or they don't develop. Most developers leap at the opportunity to get cash up front. Sure beats investing your own money, and then having your app rejected by Apple.
If this story is in fact true, I like what's happening here.
Right now there are a ton of high quality apps on the iphone and if "buying off these developers" is the catalyst needed to initiate a momentum for another platform....AND ultimately spawn a creativity/innovation competition between the 2 companies, I'm all for it!
Competition is and always will be the main driving force for innovation.
How can microsoft handing out buckets of money to it's developers possibly be considered bad when contrasted with Apples draconian rain of terror? Seriously, I know who I would develop for.
@WickedEast: Great points! I'm sure you convinced him with that indisputable logic. He has probably realized the errors of his ways and will go out and buy a PS3 now... or, you know, not.
Ok didn't mean to turn it into a 360 vs ps3 thread, but what I meant was 360 gives you the best value proposition for your money. The system costs less than the PS3 and if it's getting all of the games because Microsoft is throwing money at the developers, well then we, the consumers, can get the less expensive system with the most games - all for less of a cost than the competition. It's a win-win for both Microsoft and the consumer.
Same situation for them paying developers to make apps for the Zune. Less expensive hardware with apps, means both the consumer and Microsoft wins.
@Jordan >>It's a win-win for both Microsoft and the consumer. Only so long as there is competition for Microsoft, and Microsoft's goal is not merely to be first in a market but to be the only choice in the market. They'll burn cash (Xbox) and cut corners on quality (X360) to get there if they have to.
Its been proven time and time again the the XBOX is far from the best value. 120 gig hard drive for almost 120 bucks, 75-100 bucks for wireless and 50 bucks for live, add then to that the waiting for your replacement to get back from MS for the 3rd time. I just put a 500gb HD in my ps3 and it cost me 95 bucks.
"Apple pays squat for their apps" WTF are you talking about? Do you even know how the app store works. Apple doesnt pay you squat, you pay apple 30% of what you bring in, so if your app sucks and noone buys it then noone makes any money, if it rocks and many people buy it then it only costs you 30% to not have to deal with a credit card account, and hosting etc etc, and if it is really really good they put it in a commercial for FREE.
Of course i should at this point assume that just about anything said about apple here is so far from informed or intelligent that i should just ignore it, but we all know its hard to ignore ignorance. Maybe one day the comment system will get dragged out of the garbage and all you wonderful MS extremists that down-rank EVERYTHING all the time for no reason other than spite, will get put back where you came from, which i imagine is 4chan or the pbsKids site.
@Roach: Because Apple will sue anybody who installs any of their software on devices they didn't specify it for
@Tsing Tao: If you buy a system to play the games you buy in the store, xbox is the best value. The things you mentioned are not part of the average xbox experience and are not required to play.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Classic Microsoft.
They bought developers for the xbox360.
They will do the same for the zune/winmo.
Who cares? The xbox is now the best video game system there is. The wii is...well no explanation needed and the PS3 is just way overpriced.
The zune hd, though yet to be proven the best, is showing to be a serious competitor in the mp3 market. As long as the consumer benefits and doesn't get raped on expensive hardware, accessories, and content for their device, it's a win-win.
It's not working.. Throw more money at it!
So?
They aren't forcing anyone to do it. They are offering compensation for work. What a bunch of bastards.
I'm just puzzled as to why this guy turned down real money in this economy.
That's how it works: Developers get paid to develop, or they don't develop. Most developers leap at the opportunity to get cash up front. Sure beats investing your own money, and then having your app rejected by Apple.
If this story is in fact true, I like what's happening here.
Right now there are a ton of high quality apps on the iphone and if "buying off these developers" is the catalyst needed to initiate a momentum for another platform....AND ultimately spawn a creativity/innovation competition between the 2 companies, I'm all for it!
Competition is and always will be the main driving force for innovation.
How can microsoft handing out buckets of money to it's developers possibly be considered bad when contrasted with Apples draconian rain of terror? Seriously, I know who I would develop for.
Well, you get what you pay for.
Apple pays squat for their apps, you get crappy apps.
Xbox360 sucks and PS3 is not overpriced.
@WickedEast: Great points! I'm sure you convinced him with that indisputable logic. He has probably realized the errors of his ways and will go out and buy a PS3 now... or, you know, not.
Wow, how did you numb-nuts turn this thread into a 360 vs. PS3 pissing match?
BTW, throwing money at things seems to be a good Microsoft technique. Are you second guessing a winning strategy?
Ok didn't mean to turn it into a 360 vs ps3 thread, but what I meant was 360 gives you the best value proposition for your money. The system costs less than the PS3 and if it's getting all of the games because Microsoft is throwing money at the developers, well then we, the consumers, can get the less expensive system with the most games - all for less of a cost than the competition. It's a win-win for both Microsoft and the consumer.
Same situation for them paying developers to make apps for the Zune. Less expensive hardware with apps, means both the consumer and Microsoft wins.
@Jordan
>>It's a win-win for both Microsoft and the consumer.
Only so long as there is competition for Microsoft, and Microsoft's goal is not merely to be first in a market but to be the only choice in the market. They'll burn cash (Xbox) and cut corners on quality (X360) to get there if they have to.
Then you get Windows ME.
@fanman who? android?
Why doesn't MS do what Apple did, build something look bootcamp and call it the day.
Its been proven time and time again the the XBOX is far from the best value. 120 gig hard drive for almost 120 bucks, 75-100 bucks for wireless and 50 bucks for live, add then to that the waiting for your replacement to get back from MS for the 3rd time. I just put a 500gb HD in my ps3 and it cost me 95 bucks.
"Apple pays squat for their apps" WTF are you talking about? Do you even know how the app store works. Apple doesnt pay you squat, you pay apple 30% of what you bring in, so if your app sucks and noone buys it then noone makes any money, if it rocks and many people buy it then it only costs you 30% to not have to deal with a credit card account, and hosting etc etc, and if it is really really good they put it in a commercial for FREE.
Of course i should at this point assume that just about anything said about apple here is so far from informed or intelligent that i should just ignore it, but we all know its hard to ignore ignorance. Maybe one day the comment system will get dragged out of the garbage and all you wonderful MS extremists that down-rank EVERYTHING all the time for no reason other than spite, will get put back where you came from, which i imagine is 4chan or the pbsKids site.
Oh no, not a company paying people for their work!
@Roach: Because Apple will sue anybody who installs any of their software on devices they didn't specify it for
@Tsing Tao: If you buy a system to play the games you buy in the store, xbox is the best value. The things you mentioned are not part of the average xbox experience and are not required to play.
I fail to see any scandal here.
Apple doesn't own freelance developers, and if somebody wants to pay to compensate for developers time that goes for porting, good for both of them.