When recently questioned on the Xbox 360 console’s ability to survive for another five years, Xbox’s UK GM, Neil Thompson replied: “Who knows”. Thompson believes that software is the key for the consoles longevity. Thompson also proclaimed that the 360 is branching out into other areas of the online universe rather than being used strictly as a core gaming device. Thompson had this to say when speaking with MCV.
“The 360 constantly evolved and through Live we have added a lot of longevity in what we can offer,”
“Software and services keep the hardware fresh. Now Kinect is an addition of hardware, yes, but combining it with the magic of software is what makes 360 seem new today. We’ve recognised you can reinvent everyone’s console on a regular basis just through a software update. When we launched 360 it was already an incredibly powerful machine, so it had scope to grow and develop. We’ve been leading that view, and that’s really helped us in the UK .”
“We’re still learning where the connected entertainment environment will take us. We’ve just introduced video chat with Kinect that connects people around the world – elsewhere we’ve got Xbox Live enabled phones talking to consoles and PCs,”
“That whole future connected world, and how people take these experiences around with them, that’s the next big piece of learning that we can all go through – and that’s very energising.”
Five more years is a long time. Consoles are already having a hard time keeping up with their PC counterparts, and with the inclusion of 3D, the promise of bigger and better games for the Kinect, Microsoft is truly pressing the upper boundaries of console lifespan with the Xbox 360. Of course that’s just our opinion, and we’re entirely qualified to deliver it to you…this is the internet afterall.
