ChrisLewis
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Microsoft says to expect non-casual, 'hybrid' Kinect games 'over the coming 18 months'
Excited by some of the possibilities Kinect offers for non-casual games? Then it looks like you might have a bit of a wait in store. Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, Microsoft's VP for Interactive Entertainment in Europe, Chris Lewis, went to some length to point out that Microsoft isn't ignoring core gamers, but would only go as far as to say that non-casual, "hybrid" games that use both Kinect and a standard controller would likely become available "over the coming 18 months or so." Not many more details beyond that, unfortunately, but Lewis did divulge a bit of UK news, saying that sales went up "1,000 percent week-over-week with an 84 per cent market share" following the release of the new, redesigned Xbox 360.
Microsoft hires former Nintendo exec to expand Euro footprint
Microsoft has opened its doors and brought on former I-Play and Nintendo Europe executive David Gosen to fill the role of Strategic Marketing VP for Microsoft's game business in EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) territories. In his new role, Gosen will focus on expanding the European Market for the Xbox 360.Prior to putting on his Microsoft hat, Gosen spent more than five years as managing director of Nintendo's European arm, and most recently served as the CEO of mobile game developer and publisher I-Play. He will now report directly to Microsoft's European Interactive VP Chris Lewis, who sees the appointment as all part of Microsoft's new "laser-sharp focus" and its grand scheme to "widen the market for Xbox as a mass-market proposition," no doubt part of that whole 'Europe is key' party line the company toed late last year.
Xbox 360 to have over 1,000 titles by Summer 2008, says MS rep
If there's one thing we appreciate about a home console, it's prolificacy -- and for quite some time now, the PS2 has claimed top honors in that respect. Sony's last-gen system currently holds the console record for having the most games (with more than 1600 titles), which we never expected to be toppled in this day and age, where console generations seem to pass more and more like smoke through a keyhole as technology continues to advance.However, according to Chris Lewis, the Xbox Vice Prez for Microsoft Interactive Entertainment Europe, the 360 might yet pass the PS2 in its lifetime, as the system, he claims, will play host to over 1,000 games by this summer. While this news may come as a boon to MSoft fanboys, keep in mind that this doesn't mean there will be 1,000 good games for the system -- lest we forget, for every Bioshock that makes its way to store shelves, there will be an unavoidable handful of Bomberman: Act Zeroes.
MS: PS3 online plans "plagiarism," Blu-ray "forced"
Quotable Chris Lewis of Xbox Europe calls Sony's vague online efforts "plagiarism" and throws in a a car business analogy for good measure. Excerpt: "I'm flattered that they've followed our clear direction," Lewis told UK site Eurogamer. "Plagiarism is a good thing - that in itself isn't such a problem, it's what the market wants. But we've known that's what the market wanted all along."Meanwhile, UK boss Neil Thompson pours salt on an old wound:"This is the company that brought out Betamax – we don't quite know where they're going to go with this," he added, in a pointed reference to Sony's defeat in the format war against VHS...Both execs slam Sony's strategy of "forcing" Beta-ray...I mean Blu-ray on consumers. I have to say I love these guys and their slightly more Churchillian approach. More fanboy fodder here in video form.
Microsoft to announce HD DVD at E3?
So word on the street is Microsoft's all set to announce the Xbox 360's external HD DVD drive at E3 -- which makes perfect sense, in all reality. They did, after all, claim it would be released "this year" when Gates unveiled their plans at CES, and since they launched the 360 at E3 last year, they've got to have something to show off this year while Sony and Nintendo get closer to their respective impending PlayStation 3 and Revolution launches. Chris Lewis, Microsoft Regional Vice President for Europe, the Middle East and Africa sat down with Spiegel Online and let them know that we'll more than likely be seeing an HD DVD announcement at E3 (in addition to that Xbox camera we heard would launch next month), and alluded to the inclusion of HDCP compliance for the Xbox, which could only imply they'll finally release that freaking DVI cable. On the PS3 and Blu-ray, Lewis even volunteered that "Blu-ray right now reminds us of another technology from Sony: Betamax." without even being directly asked. Oh, this war is on, friends, make no mistake about it, and we'll see you at the battlegrounds of E3.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
