Vivendi VP: "I think Xbox probably needs help [at retail]."

[fitbabits]

Thanks to GamesIndustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz) for the news (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=15658).

Adam Roberts, executive VP of Vivendi Europe, has told GamesIndustry.biz that while the PS2 is not yet nearing the end of its life cycle, Microsoft must work with publishers to restore retail confidence in the Xbox.

In an exclusive interview, Roberts said: "I think Xbox probably needs help at the moment. We're in discussions with Microsoft to help generate some impetus."

"I think it's going to be a retail-led decision - if retailers lose confidence in a format, then it's very difficult to get that confidence back," he continued.

"A retailer is there to sell what people will buy, and there's no benefit to anyone to have product on the shelves that doesn't sell. Really it's up to us, in conjunction with other publishers and Microsoft, to keep the retailers' confidence in the Xbox as a business opportunity."

"It's not just the responsibility of the retailer... It's a partnership between the publisher, Microsoft and the retailer, not any one of those in isolation."
I find it interesting that Vivendi are working so hard to secure the short-term viability of the Xbox.

[Vandenh]

I would think retailers prefer to sell 360s?

[fitbabits]

I would think retailers prefer to sell 360s?
Ooh ooh. I'm the first to say the following:

"Not if they can't get them from Micsrosoft."

[MaiXu]

I thought MS has made it very clear that to buy an Xbox now would almost be a waste of money. They want you to buy their 360, and I don't think they care about supporting the original Xbox for long. It's not a good decision, it's just going to lead to an expensive dead-end in retail and likely piss off a lot of customers, but their focus seems squarely on the 360 as this point.

[Morratut]

I can't imagine people wanting to buy a Xbox now that the 360 is out.

Yes I know there is a back catalogue of games you can play on a Xbox. But I wouldn't want to buy a system thats out of date as soon as I open the box.

[kokyunage]

Microsoft should take lessons from Sony of make and sell a viable product for more than 3 years.

[Ajguy]

One way to give the Xbox some life is to ensure that every single Xbox game released from here on out is backwards compatible on the 360. I had thought I read in an article a few months back that MS would release code devs could put right into their new games that will allow them to automatically be backwards compatible. Why this isn't the case is beyond me.

[The Continental]

Keep in mind that Sony still continued to produce and advertise titles for the PS1 during the first year or so of the PS2's launch. Hell they even released the sleeker PSX complete with a pretty heavy marketing campaign.

[MrMeatshake]

Ooh ooh. I'm the first to say the following:

"Not if they can't get them from Micsrosoft."

damn, i was all ready with that :(

[Vandenh]

>I can't imagine people wanting to buy a Xbox now that the 360 is out.


MS is still taking loss on every XBox (thanx to NVidia). Would you sell them when you have a newer product?

[crashedout]

Keep in mind that Sony still continued to produce and advertise titles for the PS1 during the first year or so of the PS2's launch. Hell they even released the sleeker PSX complete with a pretty heavy marketing campaign.
Part of that was due to the poor launch titles with the Ps2, they needed the software sales of the PS1 for profit. Another reason is the two companies are different, MS was/is a software company...the mantra being just upgrade. Sony is a hardware company, their mantra is sell it till it aint profitable. Different types of management ideas. MS got the XBOX to profitablity now they can close the book on it. Since I like cutting edge, I like that way better. Each to his own.

The easiest solution is to keep up the backwards compatibility, then this becomes a non-issue.

[EternalGamer]

Ajguy, I remember reading that same thing. It obviously never happened. And you are right, backwards compatibility is the smartest way to save the Xbox library. I believe the original Xbox still loses money for Microsoft whereas the 360 is getting close to breaking even. They would rather people making new purchases go with the 360. However increasing backwards compatibility would help developers of original Xbox titles appeal to both markets simultaneously.

Dan

[dotbomb]

They could move some old xbox inventory if they reduced the price from $175 and got rid of that forza bundle.

They could move some old xbox game inventory if the 360 was actually more backwards compatible.

But for some reason I don't see either of those happening before the retail chain gets pissed off. I know Walmart doesn't own their inventory so that's a pretty huge loss right there if they stop stocking the original xbox stuff. No idea what kind of agreements other chains have. Vivendi must have a lot of inventory on shelves not moving that they want to sell through.

[absolut taco]

But I wouldn't want to buy a system thats out of date as soon as I open the box.
I guess you can't buy anything. That saying is true for every piece of electronic equipment!

[t3g]

I have not bought an Xbox game in a long time due to getting an Xbox 360 recently, but the system still has some life in it. I agree with the majority of you in aspect of Microsoft getting off of their ass and updating the BC list. The last update was December 2005 and there is no excuse for not bringing out more supported titles per week.

[silv]

While I can see publishers/developers wanting to keep the XBox viable, from MSFT's side I can totally see why they want it to die off ASAP.

I love my 360's and will never buy another xbox game again.

[score]

On a semi-related note, Sony has only just now stopped producing ps1's (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=8672).

[captainspankypants]

I can see a lot of people looking at the Xbox and not buying it because it's obsolete and looking at the 360 and not buying it because it's too expensive or the games aren't there yet. That means people end up buying neither, or maybe checking out the new Kingdom Hearts 2 or whatever on PS2. It just seems like a bad position to be in for MS.

[Dafizman]

I actually decided just a little while ago to pick up a new system, and I went with ps2. Didn't have one. TONS of games I can pick up right now for the cheap. xbox seems to be dying, but no way I'm shelling out that much for a 360 with it's crappy library of games and painful pricetag. Oh, and guitar hero. I guess nothing else needs to be said. Guitar hero.

[92miata]

i love my 360 but i have not bought any games. i only rent. i buy lots of ps2 games because of the price. price matters. most xbox and ps2 games are 20 bucks or so. hell i just bought god of war and gran turismo 4 for 30 bucks together. microsoft has to lower the prices of the 360 games in my opinion.

[Ajguy]

The argument of price will be moot in a few months once the PS3 is out. The only reason 360 is more expensive is because it is the only member of its generation. It was the same deal with Dreamcast and PS2, but no one seemed to care about the DC.

[Heretic Machine]

I actually decided just a little while ago to pick up a new system, and I went with ps2. Didn't have one. TONS of games I can pick up right now for the cheap. xbox seems to be dying, but no way I'm shelling out that much for a 360 with it's crappy library of games and painful pricetag. Oh, and guitar hero. I guess nothing else needs to be said. Guitar hero.

If you are just now buying a PS2, then you are NOT the target audience for a new console.

[Pumped'Up]

Vivendi VP: "I think Xbox probably needs help [at retail]."
In other words, a sinking boat needs help to seal it's leak.