maingon

From N4G.com

in 2010, Microsoft is prepared to fight. They plan to give Sony and Nintendo hell with a new "shock n awe" campaign that will be the biggest the industry has seen. Reports of Microsoft giving Natal a launch like a major console, and the plans to release some of their games like they were Hollywood blockbusters.

Microsoft is not kidding around with their new Motion technology dubbed Project Natal. In earnest, the software giant is looking to change the industry with their new peripheral. And the only way to do that is by spending major bucks and a lot of R&D plus over-the-top hype. You can expect MS to takeover TV stations, gaming websites, magazines and all other forms of media in what many expect will be total shock n awe advertising campaign

Exclusive games will be get Hollywood blockbuster movie release budget: There are many exclusives coming to the PS3 in 2010, but not to be outdone, Xbox 360 has some big hitters of its own. Amongst the best of the best you'll find Splinter Cell: Conviction, Mass Effect 2, Halo Reach, Crackdown 2, Fable III and Alan Wake are just some of the bigger names.Microsoft wants these titles to sell extremely well, but also, they plan on creating the impression that their games are the biggest in the industry, hence the planned Hollywood blockbuster release treatment.

One example is Alan Wake. A source inside Microsoft revealed to MCV that Alan Wake will be released in May of 2010 worldwide, and the giant plan on having a release budget so big, it'll rival that of any Hollywood blockbuster movie.

Chris_D

The coolest thing about Natal is the fact it was developed by the Israeli military. Apart from that, well, I'm not too into the whole motion control thing. I like my traditional controllers.

Considering this is likely to be a longer than average console release cycle, I can definitely see the reason for trying to have a kind of second wind for the 360.

Giantrobo

I wonder if games will jump to 69.99

Supermallet

Yeah, if Microsoft is planning to spend that much money, I'm worried as to how much of the price will be shuffled along to the consumer. Given that Natal is (as far as I can tell) trying to take sales away from the Wii, it would be suicide to raise the prices on games that are, imo, already too expensive (Amazon deals notwithstanding).

mhg83

They could make this thing better than anything we've seen and the greatest thing since sliced bread ; But it all comes down to price. The bottom line is When people see $70 for games they're gonna turn away and go to the cheaper ones on ps3 and wii.

The Bus

It doesn't necessarily mean higher prices for games. A movie ticket to a $200MM blockbuster costs as much as a movie ticket to a small indie in the same theater, to follow the same "games as big as movies" analogy used in the OP.

The Bus

I turn away when I see $60.

SonOfAStu

The only question remains, will the Red Ring of Death get it's own marketing budget?

FantasticVSDoom

Yeah, what would be "shock and awing" isnt all the hype they are talking about, but if they decided all new releases would be 39.99 from here on out... Then color me excited.

chuckd21

Oh good, they plan war atrocities, great.

What titles are coming out in Oh Ten that merit giant Hollywood premiere treatment, just out of curiousity?

The Bus

None, which is exactly why they need to be marketed to death.

PixyJunket

Cool. The closer video games get to Hollywood blockbuster nonsense, the sooner I can check out.

Of course, smaller things like the DS, PSP, XBLA and WiiWare will keep me in (and how).

Groucho

Just because a game has a big marketing budget doesn't mean it's a bad game.

PixyJunket

Of course not, but they're usually the games I have no interest in.

Spiderbite

They can keep this motion controlled stuff. I generally stay away from our Wii because of the poor motion controls with too many games. Many seem like they are thrown in for the Wii just because they think they have to have some sort of motion control in the game...and then it poorly conceived.

Unless it is Tiger Woods Golf or something like that, all multi console releases get played on the 360 due to their current controller.

You should see my 5 year old battle the motion controls on some of these Wii games. It makes me wonder what people actually see in the Wii.

Michael Corvin

Where this thing is going to succeed is in other applications, not necessarily games. Games are just the gateway into another market just like Blu-ray was for Sony. Controlling the dash and all your media without a remote sounds pretty fucking cool. I think MS is looking 'Big Picture' here tossing out all these marketing numbers. They could theoretically get Natal to become standard on TVs, DVDplayers, DVR boxes, etc. I have no doubt that is what they are eying.

mr.snowmizer

It's got to be better than their Snooze N Lose strategy of late.

Outmarketed, outbundled, outsold.

Groucho

Microsoft is going to go the way of Sega!

mr.snowmizer

No, they're simply going the way of a third-place finish in new console sales for the last 1/3 of 2009 with a surprisingly underwhelming effort.

Michael Corvin

I didn't know the November and December NPDs had been released. There's usually a thread.

Groucho

I shall counter your clever argument with a dollar sign:

M$ (get it get it?)

UncleGramps

I think somebody needs a hug!

mr.snowmizer

Quite interesting reactions to simply stating the obvious that MS hardly went all out this holiday, in what looks like an effort to conserve some resources in order to make a bigger splash next year instead.

SonOfAStu

Let's look at who the reactions came from....nope not interesting or surprising at all.

Canis Firebrand

Except that you didn't "simply state" that MS hardly went all out this holiday.