Xbox is no longer just a gaming brand, Microsoft has claimed.
Discussing the rebranding of Zune services to Xbox Music and Xbox Video, the firm said that it has proved that Xbox has "made a mark" when it comes to delivering entertainment.
"Xbox is a total entertainment proposition for our customers going forward, and for Windows customers and Windows Phone 8 customers as well," Xbox Live product manager Pav Bhardwaj said.
"It's not Xbox 360, it's Xbox, and we think Xbox stands for entertainment. It's not just gaming, it's beyond gaming, it's so much more than that now.
"I think over the past couple of years we've really proved that gaming is core to our console, but we've been offering music through Zune and music, and we've built on third party applications like Netflix and LoveFilm.
"We really do feel we've made a mark on the entertainment arena and so we want to take that brand to Windows."
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... cause I buy a console for GAMES. Not for Apps and gimmicks and whatever.
Luckily, the last few years the 360 has still had some excellent games coming to XBLA Marketplace, which DID still appeal to me as a gamer (Trials Evo, Mark of the Ninja, Super Meat Boy, etc etc)...
... but other than that, their last 3 E3-presentations have been extremely disappointing (to me) with all the focus on Kinect en Apps for the dashboard, and they haven't really come out with new IPs. Sadly.
Shows where Microsoft's priorities are.
I find it extremely annoying how they seem to be dropping the core gamer at the moment, hopefully it's just because the 360 is near the end of its lifespan and they're investing time into new games for the next Xbox.
that there is a need to extend the appeal and relevance of the platform beyond what it may have started out as.
we have seen this in the past but we are seeing it more and more with both the PS3 and wii included. Especially because of the dynamic nature of these platform and how they can evolve into something more.
Many traditionalists would only look to a game console for one purpose. Games, and i would agree. But that was back in the day when gaming wasnt a mainstream enterprise like it is now.
Buying a console is no longer considered a disposable means of entertainment. It is an investment. I can think of the old systems and how they would try to find some way to still remain relevant in light of new platforms to be released. Be that in the redesign phase to lower cost and get consumers to adopt them or by way of finding new tricks to wring out every last drop of power from their aging inards.
As someone who has played games since the 70's i can say i have seen many companies try to rebrand themselves only to fail into obscurity. Both MS and Sony seem to be onto something with the popularity of their brands.
Taking the names into the next level and creating the infrastructure to expand from is the logical decision.
folks on here on living in the past, these gaming grandpas should go drive their model T's to Woolworth and buy some more depends.
he said tongue firmly in cheek
seriously though this is the future, a one stop shop for entertainment. The line will no longer be don't touch that dial, it will be don't turn off that console
It's called getting with the times, every single device has streams and apps. No more is it only a PC thing you have to understand that.
I know some people who only a use Netflix and Hulu for there console and they play allot of casual games along with some hardcore.
I know N4G it's a horror story. Its my horror story for the sake of the month but it's a story that's based off true events.
Just because they use there console for casual and movies and TV doesn't mean I do? I buy critically acclaimed XBL arcade games, I buy allot of the third and 1st party hardcore games I use partychat for communication and getting with friends in an intense game. And to wind down I watch neflix until I pass out. the next morning I get ready for school.
It's called a lifestyle. Don't let something as trivial such as apps change your image of what the Xbox's core functionality is. Consoles are looked at differently more than ever.
And if you asked me, I like the way gaming consoles are looked at now than 15 to 20 years ago. More families see the positive in consoles these days.
Back in the 90's it was only a pipe dream to see consoles as a "positive" thing.
"PS3 has no games, its ok though, atleast you can still watch movies on it" I remember N4G comments like that
... and I started out loving and playing my 360 more...
... and somehow the last few years things have flipped around, and Sony seems much more intent on keeping their focus on bringing out new original IPs, and as a result I'm now playing more and more on my PS3, buying multi-platform games for the PS3 instead of for the 360.
I really feel MS has dropped the ball this generation by shifting their focus away from games, and Sony has picked up that ball and ran with it. Especially with the excellent PS+ service which puts Xbox Live Gold to shame in terms of value for money.
(Although downloading something from PSN is still awkwardly slow.w.w.w.w.w here in Holland)
I for one am glad that they offer other services besides just games. Netflix has been a life saver for nights where there's nothing on TV also HBO Go is my new favorite app only because of the great shows that come on there.
When every web-enabled TV in the near future has these apps to access freely, MS are gonna have a real hard time justifying these things that they do. I just hope people can wake up to that sort of thing.
"every web-enabled TV in the near future has these apps to access freely,"
Well until we get there I'll be content with what I have.
really believe what you typed? I have to ask because it looks like neither of you understand appeal and relevance.
Especially this late in the gen.
I believe Nintendo came out and said just about the same thing recently, they are an entertainment company, not just a game company. That doesn't mean they don't make games for their consoles, it just means they do MORE than just make games for their consoles.
In the future if consoles want to survive, they will need to do more than just play games, it wont be just Microsoft offering more than gaming, it'll be Sony and Nintendo too. I'd just be careful when bashing Microsoft for saying they want to do more than just gaming, because Nintendo has said it as well and obviously Sony already has a ton of media apps and will probably advertise the PS4 as more than a game system as well. Sony does movies, televisions and a ton of electronics...
I'm Emperor Obama, and I approve this message.
But it is funny to read all these comments, most likely from Sony fans. Do you forget that a lot of consumers bought a PS3 just for bluray?
Everyone wants to be that sole entertainment device for the living room.... Sony, MS, and even Nintendo.
Just seems MS has just way ahead of the competition. Just check out the latest smart glass video below.
Related video
Also remember, most of these "Sony fans" are actually former 360 gamers who have just lost faith in Microsoft and have gone where the games are. This place used to have far more 360 fans than Sony back when games like gears of war were just coming out.
Microsoft's amount of game releases in the last 3 years has been so weak that it's almost sad how poor it is. The games are solid but they're not something I would buy the Xbox 8 for.
I'd rather have a much larger library of different games. They really have to convince me in the next E3 if they want me or pretty much any hardcore gamer to buy their console over Sony's who keep releasing next and exciting IPs almost every year.
I'm not personally interested in Netflix or any music service. I bought the console for the games, not some music/tv services.
At a press conference before the opening of the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) trade show here, Sony executives summed up an array of hardware add-ons and software and service partnerships--most of them previously leaked to the media--that will transform the PS2 into an all-purpose home entertainment and whatnot center.
"We see a convergence of entertainment--film, music, broadcasting," said Kaz Hirai, president of Sony Computer Entertainment of America. "We are obviously the brand for the living room."
"...(the PS3) is not a game machine."
- Ken Kutaragi
"Speaking about the PS3, we never said we will release a game console...it is radically different from the previous PlayStation. It is clearly a computer. Indeed, with a game console, you need to take out any unnecessary elements inside the console in order to decrease its cost...this will of course apply to the PS3 as well...however, the PS3 is a computer..."
- Ken Kutaragi
Microsoft aren't dropping their support for games, rather, they're just saying that they're re-branding their other services (video, music, etc.) with the "Xbox" name. These services have always existed, but now they're just being re-branded. I think that's the point of what they're trying to get across.
And I think we're seeing a major slow-down in their production of 360 games, with the exception to Halo 4, Forza Horizon, Judgement, because they probably have all of their other major studios working on next-gen games.
Why are you people on here if you hate MS so much?
XBOX 360 is the entertainment center of the living room, all in one place, movies, music web browser etc etc for just $250
360 started out like a house on fire with games, games and more games. Back then Xbox fans were "Its all about the games".
Nowadays the "games" don't matter according to 360 brethren.
So the 360 camp should be happy with what they have now.
That said, MS and Sony has said they want to own the entertainment room years ago even before this generation started so i dont see why so many are so surprised by both Sony and MS plans.
MS developing an Xbox ecosystem is a step in the right direction.
Will most likely go with Xbox 720 next gen as a multipurpose device appeals to me, especially when i can still enjoy AAA gaming.
I'll take games from Nintendo and Sony over Microsoft's brand of "entertainment" any day.
Nintendo says they aren't a gaming brand but an entertainment brand now. They now have tv and media on the wii u.
Just because you are doing more than one thing on a console doesn't mean you can't do both well.
Why should we artificially restrict ourselves when the device is capable of so much more.
Ms has not had the same level of dedication to it's core gamer base, which has seen a significant drop off in content geared towards them. Ms putting a heavy emphasis on kinect/casuals is what, is likely causing many xbox owners to respond to this with a cynical outlook.
Nintendo is just now adopting experiences/services sony and ms have been using/heading towards for several yrs now.
If the 360's last half was as hardcore/core(whatever) focused as it's first half, this wouldn't even be a relevant topic.