If you want to play online, get an Xbox

Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has declared that the strategy for Xbox 360 is "working perfectly", questioning Sony and Nintendo's next-gen console offerings.

Gates observed that the original Xbox was "20 per cent better" than its rivals.

However, he continued, "It didn't matter. We were a year late, didn't have the best games. We had this bigger box. We did have online. We didn't switch positions on that."

But as for the strategy for Xbox 360, "It's working perfectly. We wanted to be the guy with the small box that costs less. We wanted to have the most games. We wanted to play to our software strength, and tools and online.



"We wanted to swap positions with Sony. We wanted to not be a year late, not be a big box, not be a more expensive box. How are we doing on that?"

According to Gates, Nintendo "clearly did some things right" in the past - such as building a close relationship with UK studio Rare. ("In my household, everybody plays Viva Piñata," Gates revealed.)

But he questioned Nintendo's strategy for the Wii, saying, "Look at the resolution you get with a controlled experience like that. Say to yourself, how in terms of using a game for a long period of time, what kind of accuracy and capability do you want?

"Look at the classic Nintendo positioning. Look at the graphics. Look at Nintendo's execution in terms of online capability... If you want to play online, get an Xbox. We're not standing still.

"Look at what you saw today connecting up the world to the Windows PC. Do you expect Nintendo to rev up a team to create cross-device gaming and tool kits to develop those things? Not very likely."

Gates also criticised Sony and the way the PlayStation 3's processors have been developed. "They were going to have the Cell be the video processor. But they didn't know what they were doing... They turned to Nvidia at the last minute, but Nvidia can't do embedded DRAM.

"Go look at the bandwidth problems... They took their year and burned it by not having a decent CPU strategy and then turning to Nvidia at the last minute. It's a very unusual thing. Those processors are isolated from each other."

Gates went on to say that he doesn't believe any of the first batch of PS3 games will look better than Halo 3, and questioned whether the option to create games at 1080p gives Sony's console a great advantage, stating, "Go ask the game developers."

A round-up of all of the latest Gamez news

THQ has signed an agreement with the Ultimate Fighting Championship to create a series of games, with the deal lasting until 2011. The publisher has the rights to produce games for all consoles, PC and handheld systems.

Lego Star Wars developer TT Games and publisher Eidos will release Bionicle Heroes for the Wii this Easter. The title is the first Lego Bionicle release for Nintendo's new home console.

Capcom has revealed the recently released Lost Planet: Extreme Condition has shipped one million units worldwide. The Xbox 360 title is the second to reach the target, following Dead Rising's success earlier in the year.

Ubisoft plans to target the younger gaming market with the release of Cosmic Family on the Wii. The point and click interactive adventure is due for release mid-2007.




Two titles from Koei will miss the launch of the PlayStation 3 in Europe. Bladestorm and Fatal Inertia are now scheduled for release this summer.

Namco Bandai will be bringing the DS title QuickSpot to North America. The game is due for release in the spring, and is an updated take on 'spot the difference' puzzles, utilising the DS touch screen and multiplayer features.

The publisher has also lined up Tamagotchi Party On! for the Wii, also due for release in the spring.

Atari will release War Front: Turning Point in the UK this March. The game is an alternative reality RTS for the PC, from developer 10tacle Studios.

Electronic Arts is to release a new line of story driven games in The Sims franchise. The first, The Sims Life Stories is due this spring, with Pet Stories and Castaway Stories due by the end of the year.

Nintendo DS title Mario Vs Donkey Kong 2: March of the Minis is due for release across Europe on March 9.

Post-Christmas blues as next-gen consoles suffer drop in sales

Next-generation consoles have suffered a slow week of sales in Japan, with the PlayStation 3 recording its worst figures since release.

The PS3 sold 25,531 units for the week ending January 14.

Nintendo Wii sales were estimated at 93,708 units, the second worst week since it sold just over 85,000 units immediately after launch.



The news wasn't impressive for Microsoft either, with the Xbox 360 managing just over 9,000 units sold in the same period.

Sony recently announced it has shipped over a million units of the PS3 to Japanese retailers.

Looking at sales data for software, Wii Sports is the number one title in the region, selling over 61,000 units. Resistance: Fall of Man is the highest ranking PS3 title in the charts at number 40, while there are no Xbox 360 games in the top fifty at all.

HMV is PS3 launch partner

Sony is due to announce full details of the European PS3 launch and price point next week - that the 60GB model will hit the shops on March 23, priced at £425.

HMV will be Sony's official launch partner, with a special midnight event set to take place at their Oxford Street store.

HMV are currently discussing a range of possible options. I can't say right now whether this will include an official launch event, as such, but it's certainly the case that more and more publishers and games companies are approaching HMV following the success of a number of major launches over the last few years."



Most recently, HMV hosted the launch event for World of Warcraft expansion pack The Burning Crusade, which took place on Monday night. According to Ellis, "The midnight launch attracted a staggering 1500 fans, making it by far the biggest event of its kind ever staged by our Oxford Circus store."

HMV was also Nintendo's official partner for the launch of the Wii in December, and was previously chosen by Sony as its partner for the PSP launch in September 2005.

WoW Burning Crusade First lvl 70

Video on the first lvl 70: Gawell (Mage, Millenium on Archimonde EuFr)



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