Worry no more.
You see, Microsoft have recently reiterated their stance on the generations of their console and fans of the system will be pleased to know that they have no plans, as of yet, to upgrade the Xbox 360 in the near future. I use the term "upgrade" very loosely though. Of course, we all know how much effort has gone into making the Xbox 360 very competitive in the current market and all of the updates it has received to ensure that it is not left behind by the other systems. We all know about the fist dashboard update that transformed the 360 into a more casual gaming experience for younger gamers and people who generally wanted a little more from the console. Of course, we all now know about Project Natal and the updates that it is very likely to bring.
Microsoft seemed to have stuck to the line that thy will continue to grow and stay relevant through software and hardware upgrades that are completely optional to the user. Once again, Natal is a prime example of this and we all know how Microsoft can really take a massive leap forward, if this is executed well and most companies are on board. The last estimate I seen of this, is that 70-80% of companies affiliated with Microsoft and the development process are on board and this looks promising. However, the announcement that Microsoft are allowing their ageing console to "live" a lot longer brings one question to my mind and that question is a big one for me...
Why?
Now, the company line is that it can continue to grow by additional content becoming available to the user and hence, it is not necessary to upgrade. However, I think it is more than that. I think that Microsoft have realised that the gaming industry has come to a stand still. Let's face it, there is nothing after Natal that will really get people to go out and buy a new console. Can you think of something otherwise? I can't. That being said, it is smart business from Microsoft in this current financial climate and although I think that it shows a lack of creativity and originality from Microsoft, they really cannot be blamed... Can they?
You see, Microsoft have recently reiterated their stance on the generations of their console and fans of the system will be pleased to know that they have no plans, as of yet, to upgrade the Xbox 360 in the near future. I use the term "upgrade" very loosely though. Of course, we all know how much effort has gone into making the Xbox 360 very competitive in the current market and all of the updates it has received to ensure that it is not left behind by the other systems. We all know about the fist dashboard update that transformed the 360 into a more casual gaming experience for younger gamers and people who generally wanted a little more from the console. Of course, we all now know about Project Natal and the updates that it is very likely to bring.
Microsoft seemed to have stuck to the line that thy will continue to grow and stay relevant through software and hardware upgrades that are completely optional to the user. Once again, Natal is a prime example of this and we all know how Microsoft can really take a massive leap forward, if this is executed well and most companies are on board. The last estimate I seen of this, is that 70-80% of companies affiliated with Microsoft and the development process are on board and this looks promising. However, the announcement that Microsoft are allowing their ageing console to "live" a lot longer brings one question to my mind and that question is a big one for me...
Why?
Now, the company line is that it can continue to grow by additional content becoming available to the user and hence, it is not necessary to upgrade. However, I think it is more than that. I think that Microsoft have realised that the gaming industry has come to a stand still. Let's face it, there is nothing after Natal that will really get people to go out and buy a new console. Can you think of something otherwise? I can't. That being said, it is smart business from Microsoft in this current financial climate and although I think that it shows a lack of creativity and originality from Microsoft, they really cannot be blamed... Can they?
