XBOX 360 Future Dependent on Halo 3's Success?

Dyre Straits · Oct 7, 2007, 08:11 AM

By now we've all heard or read about the numbers that the sale of Halo 3 put up on the first day of release: $170 million plus smackaroos. This set an all-time record for one day's entertainment sales as far the money is concerned. Of course, Microsoft/Bungie are laughing all the way to the bank.
(Additionally now, we've also read/heard about the spin off of Bungie from Microsoft. But, that's another topic altogether.)

As is my habit, I sit down and read the newspaper at my mealtimes. So, in the Saturday Edition of the Atlanta Journal/Constitution (Oct. 6, 2007) on Page FF2, I read this statement by Lou Kesten of the Associated Press:

"If 'Halo 3' hadn't done boffo numbers, the Xbox 360 would be pretty much dead."

Now, I, personally, found this statement to be a bit baffling. My reason being that the Xbox 360 is almost two years old now and seems to be going great guns. (At least if my son's -- and his friends' -- addiction to all things Xbox 360 is any indication, the Xbox 360 is alive and well and looks pretty good for the upcoming future as well.)

So, I'm putting it to our readers: Do you agree with the quoted statement of Lou Kesten? Yeah, Nay, or Undecided? And, add your own explanation as to why you do.

Thanks and, Happy Gaming on whatever you use.

Da_Jewish_Fonzy · Oct 7, 2007, 08:24 AM

Halo 3 is the 360. I would be willing to gamble that at least %80 of 360 owners have\will buy Halo 3. Every xbox fanboy clings for dear life to Halo as the saving grace of an otherwise mediocre gaming platform. Ironic really.

BlueMak · Oct 7, 2007, 08:53 AM

This is absurd. Halo 3 is not the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 is doing fine on sales and it looks like it will finish first or second by the time the next generation of consoles arrive.
I don't know who Lou is, or care, but my guess is he was drunk when he wrote that.

BTW, I have an Xbox 360 and I have no plan to buy Halo 3 (or rent it). PGR4, Mass Effect etc yes, Halo 3? pff.

Also, the Xbox 360 is where it is now though Halo 3 was not out.

Necrosis · Oct 7, 2007, 09:01 AM

No

I'm another 360 person who doesn't care about Halo.

Judas · Oct 7, 2007, 09:36 AM

GoW easily surpasses that of halo 3.... imo..

even if it's present on the PC.. but hey.. from what i understand. the GoW xbox/pc version can work together... so it's all good

Erroneus · Oct 7, 2007, 10:08 AM

It depends on if MS fixes the stability problems with the 360's.

I'm waiting for a version with a 65nm CPU AND GPU, which hopefully has fixed all the RRoD problems.

EZero · Oct 7, 2007, 10:30 AM

Quite honestly, I think Microsoft did several things right with the 360.

Since they had time to refine it, Xbox Live is far and away one of the best online systems ever with cross game invites and pretty decent matchmaking. All accounts are also unique and named based so no murking with codes like the Wii.

They're also getting (read: paying) more developers to make games for the 360, which is a boon for gamers. Even if they don't secure exclusives, at the very least some of them will go multi platform, a perfect example being Devil May Cry, a previously only released Sony Playstation & PC.

As far as the comment saying that Halo 3 "saved" the 360, I totally disagree. Other games like Bioshock, Project Gotham Racing, Ninja Gaiden (in the future), Virtua Fighter 5 (in my opinion) and the previously mentioned Mass Effect are great games too.

I think that headline is a perfect example of a person who do not play games writing a gaming article. Totally oblivious to non mainstream titles but writing absurd non factual based headlines just to grab attention.

Dyre Straits · Oct 7, 2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZero

Quite honestly, I think Microsoft did several things right with the 360.

Since they had time to refine it, Xbox Live is far and away one of the best online systems ever with cross game invites and pretty decent matchmaking. All accounts are also unique and named based so no murking with codes like the Wii.

They're also getting (read: paying) more developers to make games for the 360, which is a boon for gamers. Even if they don't secure exclusives, at the very least some of them will go multi platform, a perfect example being Devil May Cry, a previously only released Sony Playstation & PC.

As far as the comment saying that Halo 3 "saved" the 360, I totally disagree. Other games like Bioshock, Project Gotham Racing, Ninja Gaiden (in the future), Virtua Fighter 5 (in my opinion) and the previously mentioned Mass Effect are great games too.

I think that headline is a perfect example of a person who do not play games writing a gaming article. Totally oblivious to non mainstream titles but writing absurd non factual based headlines just to grab attention.

Actually, it's not the headline of the article. It's a statement made within the article itself. Still, I have to wonder just how much real gaming experience the guy has to make a comment like that.

dipstick · Oct 7, 2007, 12:45 PM

A game will boost sales no doubt, like the Halo series has always done, but with the 360 MS needs to restore customer confidence in its hardware. It amazes me how many people have heard that its unreliable (which is definitely true imho)

OmegaRED · Oct 7, 2007, 02:50 PM

Before Halo 3 was around GoW became the must have title and before that it was, uh, ok, there was no before that. Point is, MS has tons of games for the 360 and quite a few franchises going on such as the Tom Clancy ones and Call of Duty series, not all are exclusive but they're certainly enough to make the 360 the first choice of gamers.

EcPercy · Oct 7, 2007, 06:27 PM

I don't have a 360, but I have to say that Halo 3 has nothing to do with the success or failure of the 360. As others have mentioned (and I tend to agree) the 360 is already well established with a good lineup of games.

I would get one, but I recently got myself a Wii and realized once again the hidden costs of getting a new console. (e.g. games, extra controllers, etc.)

JohnDoe47 · Oct 7, 2007, 09:20 PM

Halo 3 isn't on my list of games...

Forza Motorsport 2
GTA 4 (which was originally meant to be 360 only) &
Metal Gear Solid 4 are the only reasons I would get a 360.

Zardon · Oct 7, 2007, 09:26 PM

considering MS have put 1 billion into repair support for the 360, its plausible if surprising.

Geminiwave · Oct 7, 2007, 09:32 PM

though to be fair...im not sure how MS does it but i know with apple they talk about "repair costs" and when they replace parts in your mac they say it costs them say...$600 for the LCD in a macbook (thats what it said on the statement i got last time my mac was fixed) when we all know it doesn't cost apple that much. But we also all know thats what they're going to report and thats what they'll write off in taxes. So "1 billion" put into Microsoft's repair policy is all well and good but I suspect its far less than that in actuality. I'm not discounting them. They're really going out on a limb and saying "We're sorry for screwing up so badly" which I have not seen companies do often. It makes me really pleased.

Oct 7, 2007, 08:53 AM	#3
BlueMak HH's Asteroids' Dominator Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Hellas->Macedonia->Thessaloniki Posts: 13,465 Rep Power: 349 System Specs	This is absurd. Halo 3 is not the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 is doing fine on sales and it looks like it will finish first or second by the time the next generation of consoles arrive. I don't know who Lou is, or care, but my guess is he was drunk when he wrote that. BTW, I have an Xbox 360 and I have no plan to buy Halo 3 (or rent it). PGR4, Mass Effect etc yes, Halo 3? pff. Also, the Xbox 360 is where it is now though Halo 3 was not out. __________________ The people who are regarded as moral luminaries are those who forego ordinary pleasures themselves and find compensation in interfering with the pleasures of others(Bertrand Russell)"You go into Afghanistan, you got guys who slap women around for five years because they didn't wear a veil,You know, guys like that ain't got no manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to shoot them." - Lt. Gen. James N. Mattis This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm *Sic semper tyrannis.*

Oct 7, 2007, 10:08 AM	#6
Erroneus Get off my lawn! Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Denmark Posts: 13,417 Rep Power: 119 System Specs	It depends on if MS fixes the stability problems with the 360's. I'm waiting for a version with a 65nm CPU AND GPU, which hopefully has fixed all the RRoD problems. __________________

Oct 7, 2007, 02:50 PM	#10
OmegaRED Relapsed Gamer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Ottawa , Canada Posts: 5,688 Rep Power: 173 System Specs	Before Halo 3 was around GoW became the must have title and before that it was, uh, ok, there was no before that. Point is, MS has tons of games for the 360 and quite a few franchises going on such as the Tom Clancy ones and Call of Duty series, not all are exclusive but they're certainly enough to make the 360 the first choice of gamers. __________________ E Penis Specs: <------------- See System Specs

Oct 7, 2007, 09:32 PM	#14
Geminiwave I Have lovely Breasts Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: In the closet... Posts: 5,395 Rep Power: 63	though to be fair...im not sure how MS does it but i know with apple they talk about "repair costs" and when they replace parts in your mac they say it costs them say...$600 for the LCD in a macbook (thats what it said on the statement i got last time my mac was fixed) when we all know it doesn't cost apple that much. But we also all know thats what they're going to report and thats what they'll write off in taxes. So "1 billion" put into Microsoft's repair policy is all well and good but I suspect its far less than that in actuality. I'm not discounting them. They're really going out on a limb and saying "We're sorry for screwing up so badly" which I have not seen companies do often. It makes me really pleased. __________________

Oct 7, 2007, 08:24 AM	#2
Da_Jewish_Fonzy Me>You Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Da Hood Posts: 507 Rep Power: 0	Halo 3 is the 360. I would be willing to gamble that at least %80 of 360 owners have\will buy Halo 3. Every xbox fanboy clings for dear life to Halo as the saving grace of an otherwise mediocre gaming platform. Ironic really.

Oct 7, 2007, 09:01 AM	#4
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	No I'm another 360 person who doesn't care about Halo.

Oct 7, 2007, 10:30 AM	#7
EZero HardwareHeaven Lover Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 119 Rep Power: 52 System Specs	Quite honestly, I think Microsoft did several things right with the 360. Since they had time to refine it, Xbox Live is far and away one of the best online systems ever with cross game invites and pretty decent matchmaking. All accounts are also unique and named based so no murking with codes like the Wii. They're also getting (read: paying) more developers to make games for the 360, which is a boon for gamers. Even if they don't secure exclusives, at the very least some of them will go multi platform, a perfect example being Devil May Cry, a previously only released Sony Playstation & PC. As far as the comment saying that Halo 3 "saved" the 360, I totally disagree. Other games like Bioshock, Project Gotham Racing, Ninja Gaiden (in the future), Virtua Fighter 5 (in my opinion) and the previously mentioned Mass Effect are great games too. I think that headline is a perfect example of a person who do not play games writing a gaming article. Totally oblivious to non mainstream titles but writing absurd non factual based headlines just to grab attention.

Oct 7, 2007, 12:45 PM	#9
dipstick HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: USA Posts: 3,609 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	A game will boost sales no doubt, like the Halo series has always done, but with the 360 MS needs to restore customer confidence in its hardware. It amazes me how many people have heard that its unreliable (which is definitely true imho)

Oct 7, 2007, 06:27 PM	#11
EcPercy HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Iraq Posts: 1,535 Rep Power: 0	I don't have a 360, but I have to say that Halo 3 has nothing to do with the success or failure of the 360. As others have mentioned (and I tend to agree) the 360 is already well established with a good lineup of games. I would get one, but I recently got myself a Wii and realized once again the hidden costs of getting a new console. (e.g. games, extra controllers, etc.)

Oct 7, 2007, 09:20 PM	#12
JohnDoe47 HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 319 Rep Power: 0	Halo 3 isn't on my list of games... Forza Motorsport 2 GTA 4 (which was originally meant to be 360 only) & Metal Gear Solid 4 are the only reasons I would get a 360.

Oct 7, 2007, 09:26 PM	#13
Zardon DriverHeaven Founder Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 32,480 Rep Power: 179	considering MS have put 1 billion into repair support for the 360, its plausible if surprising.