Microsoft - "Xbox Support to Continue Through 2006"

[fitbabits]

Gamesindustry.biz (http://www.gamesindustry.biz) has more details (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=14278).

Rumours circulating the Internet suggesting that Microsoft has ceased manufacturing of its Xbox console and shifted its focus entirely towards its next-generation machine have been dismissed by the company.

"We remain very supportive of the Xbox platform and there have been no announcements about plans to cease or alter production."

"While we do not have other titles to announce at this time, we are committed to providing existing Xbox customers with exciting gaming experiences in 2006. There are 200 Xbox titles expected to ship this year. It is the responsibility of the first party to create genre-defining games for its platform and we are taking that stance with both Xbox and Xbox 360. We feel we have an amazing ecosystem with third parties providing content to Xbox at this time. We have done a great job on the Xbox side with such franchises as Halo, Project Gotham Racing, Fable, and Forza, not to mention our pioneering work we’ve done for Xbox Live," the spokesperson concluded.
That squashes that rumor then.

[Montolio]

Y'know I'm almost afraid to buy an Xbox game now because a 360 version is normally right around the corner i.e. Black comes to mind. Although I could save myself $10 ;-)

[fitbabits]

Y'know I'm almost afraid to buy an Xbox game now because a 360 version is normally right around the corner i.e. Black comes to mind. Although I could save myself $10 ;-)
As far as I know, Black is not confirmed for the 360.

[Borys]

200 Xbox games? That's... quite a lot.

Anybody can name at least 10? Black and SC:4 are the only two I can think of ATM.

[fitbabits]

200 Xbox games? That's... quite a lot.

Anybody can name at least 10? Black and SC:4 are the only two I can think of ATM.
Yeah, that was my thought. A quick browse of the EB Games coming soon list reveals this (http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/categories/products/deptpage.asp?wherefrom=comingsoon&web_dept=XBOX) - 60 in total.

[JediSanf]

EBgames lists 60 starting with EA's Arena Football and ending in November with StarCraft: Ghost. So only looking for 140 now.

Edit: Well fit, now you just made my post kinda insignificant, did'nt ya.

[Montolio]

As far as I know, Black is not confirmed for the 360.

Right. I just read something about it somewhere recently so I'll try to dig that tidbit up once I get home. The only EA quote on the topic (forum.eagames.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=14510) I can find at the moment doesn't confirm it either but it certainly doesn't shut the door.

[fitbabits]

Right. I just read something about it somewhere recently so I'll try to dig that tidbit up once I get home. The only EA quote on the topic (forum.eagames.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=14510) I can find at the moment doesn't confirm it either but it certainly doesn't shut the door either.
I would be more surprised if it didn't get a release on Xbox 360. EA may be keeping schtum right now so that Xbox sales are not affected.

[jacktion]

That squashes that rumor then.


Not really. Microsoft marketing is the Great Deceiver.
All joking aside, you'll notice that they don't say that they are still making Xboxen.
They say they will support it. They say there are games coming out for it. But the big question is; have they stopped producing these from factories? And that question is unanswered.

In this era of PR spin and political marketing from the government, you need to be able to see the truth.

The question: "Has Microsoft stopped manufacturing Xboxen from it's factories?"

The answer: "Microsoft supports the Xbox."

So this settles nothing.

[EGO]

So what if Microsoft has stopped producing X-Boxes?

If you have one, what does it matter?

There are plenty new and used ones in the channel, so what does it matter?

It doesn't make business sense to continue producing hardware they were taking a bath on in the first place, when they've got new business to build.

Why must people be so reactionary and silly?

[fitbabits]

Not really. Microsoft marketing is the Great Deceiver.
All joking aside, you'll notice that they don't say that they are still making Xboxen.
They say they will support it. They say there are games coming out for it. But the big question is; have they stopped producing these from factories? And that question is unanswered.

In this era of PR spin and political marketing from the government, you need to be able to see the truth.

The question: "Has Microsoft stopped manufacturing Xboxen from it's factories?"

The answer: "Microsoft supports the Xbox."

So this settles nothing.
I'm guessing you missed this quote:

"We remain very supportive of the Xbox platform and there have been no announcements about plans to cease or alter production."
To quote Law & Order, question asked and answered.

[Salesmunn]

...there have been no announcements about plans to cease or alter production."

Let's put it in Law and Order terms, as someone said earlier....

...I never admitted to killing that man

That's not the same as....

...I never killed that man.

No one ever said Microsoft will stop supporting the Xbox. According to the rumor, they just aren't manufacturing them anymore.

They could quell it by saying, "we are still manufacturing xbox consoles" but they haven't done that. They state that they do not comment on manufacturing processes.

[Atepsflame]

Huh. I had thought they'd announced that they were pulling support for the X-Box. Hm... Maybe I misinterpreted.

[jacktion]

I'm guessing you missed this quote:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Microsoft Spokesperson
"We remain very supportive of the Xbox platform and there have been no announcements about plans to cease or alter production."

To quote Law & Order, question asked and answered.


No, I didn't miss that quote. And I'm surprised you were fooled by that. I thought you were smarter than that.
They didn't say, "We are still making Xboxes".
They said "We haven't said we are stopping making Xboxes."

All they said was there are no announcements. That means they haven't declared what they are doing. They could still be doing it.

Microsoft isn't stupid. They know that it looks bad to stop manufacturing Xboxes so soon and that people will trash them if they do so. So if they have done it, they aren't going to announce it. Then when you ask them about it they will say "We haven't announced anything yet."

This is grade-school PR stuff. We really need this added to our public education curriculum. "How to decode Marketing and PR speak" It would really help people. We are constantly being deceived by companies, by advertisers, by our government. It is sad that people can't see the truth.

This is a black and white issue. Until Microsoft says "We are still making Xbox's." Then they haven't said anything. They can't come right out and lie. But then again they don't need to when they can just ramble and make it sound like they said something when they didn't and people eat it up.

[fitbabits]

No, I didn't miss that quote. And I'm surprised you were fooled by that. I thought you were smarter than that.
They didn't say, "We are still making Xboxes".
They said "We haven't said we are stopping making Xboxes."

All they said was there are no announcements. That means they haven't declared what they are doing. 1. They could still be doing it.

Microsoft isn't stupid. They know that it looks bad to stop manufacturing Xboxes so soon and that people will trash them if they do so. So if they have done it, they aren't going to announce it. Then when you ask them about it they will say "We haven't announced anything yet."

This is grade-school PR stuff. We really need this added to our public education curriculum. "How to decode Marketing and PR speak" It would really help people. We are constantly being deceived by companies, by advertisers, by our government. It is sad that people can't see the truth.

This is a black and white issue. Until Microsoft says "We are still making Xbox's." Then they haven't said anything. They can't come right out and lie. But then again they don't need to when they can just ramble and make it sound like they said something when they didn't and people eat it up.
1. Or they could still be producing them!

You're going on what Microsoft are not saying rather than what they are saying?

Plus, don't forget that this rumor originated from a website that's hardly the bastion of accurate information.

Oh, and I'm plenty smart, although I appreciate your concern.

[Zurik]

Of course they're going to keep supporting the Xbox right now. How much stuff is out for the 360 yet? All their money is still in Xbox games.

[Grifter]

Does it really matter? So they stop Manufacturing Xboxes, from what a see this really wouldnt affect any one here as long as the games keep coming, also if they stop making XBoxes then they can possibly re-structure their plants and use them to make more 360's.

[amusedtoe]

Well good since I have no interest in giving up my XBox for a 360 anytime soon after they went the weak sauce route with backwards compatibility.

[mister_slim]

I would be more surprised if it didn't get a release on Xbox 360. EA may be keeping schtum right now so that Xbox sales are not affected.
I think EA's probably just being quiet. And Renderware is apparently running on the PS3, so perhaps Black will end up on that as well.
1. Or they could still be producing them!

You're going on what Microsoft are not saying rather than what they are saying?
What did they say? "No comment", basically.