Microsoft E3 2011 Discussion Thread (Press - 6/6)

[Flawless]

Michael Pachter

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Jesse and I in Redmond today, had to write my predictions down in advance so I wouldn't reveal. All I can say is Xbox has a great E3 planned

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Official Microsoft Blog

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For the last 10 years at Microsoft, we’ve been turning up the heat on how we think about Xbox, and next week at E3 you will get a chance to see how far we’ve come.

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Let’s look at the numbers and then take a look at what they mean and what the future holds. Just for starters, we’ve sold more than 53 million Xbox 360 consoles, and Xbox has been the top-selling console in the last year. There are more than 30 million Xbox LIVE members. And more than 10 million Kinects have sold to date. Those are pretty big numbers for a device that, until recently, had primarily been purchased by hardcore gamers. But something interesting has happened in the last few years. While people are still playing a ton of video games, 40 percent of all Xbox activity now is non-game. Put another way, we’re seeing an average of 30 hours of video consumption per month per Xbox, a number that is growing fast. And people are expecting more – more options, more games, more videos, more entertainment.

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Games that extend to your Windows 7 PC and your Windows Phone 7…and, of course, other devices to come…

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The vision for Xbox is straightforward: All of the entertainment you want. With the people you care about. Made easy. That is why you’ve seen us invest in partnerships with ESPN, Netflix and Hulu. That is why we’ve baked social directly into the experience with Xbox LIVE – connecting gamers, friends and families across the globe. That is why you’ll see Xbox marketed more as an entertainment brand this year. And that is why we’re investing so much in Natural User Interface technologies (speech, touch, gestures) to make the entertainment experience that much easier—and more fun. With Kinect, we’ve made NUI real for millions of people, and we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what’s possible. Next Monday at E3 in Los Angeles, the Xbox home entertainment pot will be boiling over during a 90-minute event that you can view live on Spike TV, Xbox.com or on the Microsoft News Center. We’re continuing to deliver mind-blowing gaming experiences, and we are turning up the heat on a whole new era of home entertainment.

[Cyros]

I hope Pachter is right.

[DaveDQ]

I think instead of newer console, MS is going to introduce newer, dynamic software for the 360. I'm expecting an emphasis on making Xbox Live more social by utilizing Kinect and other dashboard improvements. I just don't see them introducing a new system. They don't have to. Xbox Live has grown beyond online gaming. It now covers various forms of entertainment that can be specific to each subscriber. I'm looking to see MS expand on viewing TV/Movies over XBL with added emphasis on using the 360 as a set top box.

To me MS has done a remarkable job of paralleling Xbox Live with the 360. I think we'll especially see that in this year's E3. To me it's going to be all about software and how it will enhance gaming and the other various forms of entertainment the 360 offers.

[Pete1210]

Could E3 be Microsoft's launch pad for Project 'Orapa'?

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Maybe the “big reveal” will be Project Orapa. For those who need a quick codename refresher, Orapa is the working name for a combination of Xbox Live and Microsoft’s Mediaroom IPTV.

[jmood88]

Quote: Originally Posted by Pete1210

Could E3 be Microsoft's launch pad for Project 'Orapa'?

That's what Pachter talked about on the Bombcast a few days ago. I'm not sure how useful it would be to me but I still think that it's cool controlling stuff with voice commands and gestures.

[Flawless]

[DaveDQ]

Major Nelson posted this today about the new longevity in consoles the 360 has created.

http://majornelson.com/2011/06/03/a-...-head-into-e3/

"Today we announced that by extending the capabilities of the Xbox platform with Kinect and Xbox LIVE, Microsoft has “changed the tail” of the typical console lifecycle, showing dramatic gains in the fifth and sixth years of this generation."

Putting this up right before E3 obviously has an intention to it. I see MS's theme being "You don't need a new system." With all that has been upgraded on XBL, the inclusion of Kinect, and then what they reveal next week, I see them trying to reinforce the longevity of the 360 and steering away from a new console.

[Flawless]

Eurogamer:

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Improvements made by Microsoft to the way the Xbox 360 works with Kinect mean it will detect finger movement – and even pointing. Eurogamer sources have indicated that gamers should see "pretty big improvements" in the short term via new software updates. Improvements to face recognition, skeletal tracking and voice recognition are all planned. Eurogamer understands Microsoft will soon announce that Kinect can detect voices in additional languages. Currently, it only understands English and a handful of other languages. An announcement may be made during Microsoft's E3 2011 press conference. 123Kinect.com reported today that Kinect Sports developer Rare will take to the stage next week for a demo that "will involve the voice aspect far more during gameplay".

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Project Orapa is a codename for Microsoft's combination of Xbox Live and Mediaroom IPTV. If an Xbox app is planned, it could allow Xbox owners to control their TV settings, social networking, music and video with Kinect-fuelled gestures. "Microsoft is currently in last minute negotiations to secure the necessary agreements in time," said a source. Microsoft plans to make Xbox Live Diamond available in November.

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Eurogamer understands the second wave of Kinect games, many of which will be unveiled at E3 next week, will work much better than last year's launch titles. "So many games were rushed for launch and early release," said a source. "For everyone, it was like, this is a bit new and different. Everyone's starting to get into it now and say, hold on a second, we're going to design this one properly. "I know internally at Microsoft there's a lot of work going in on how you can push it to the limit. "You're going to see some pretty big improvements. The hardware is slightly more capable than the software. There are so many places it can be improved through clever software. Microsoft is doing its bit low level. Game designers are learning how to deal with this kind of data. Everything is going to be drastically improved through software."

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A source told us Microsoft is expected to "serve the hardcore" at the show with its Kinect announcements.