Microsoft EU exec: Wii is almost a GameCube with a DVD drive
Posted on 01/08/06 13:50 by Dan Bell                             
Microsoft EU exec: Wii is almost a GameCube with a DVD drive

EMEA Xbox Platform and Marketing boss Richard Teversham has spoken exclusively to MCV in an interview, declaring no surrender for the Xbox 360. Lashing out at both competitors, he called the Wii nothing more than a GameCube with a DVD player!

Mr. Teversham went on to say that he wondered if whether either competitor would be able to launch this year and also felt Sony was abusing it's loyal fan base by charging such a high price for the PS3.

'Sony has got great loyalty and they are going to seriously use that loyalty to ensure that they sell a console," said Teversham. 'On day one they will have pre-sold most of what they've got. But the question is, will they actually be able to launch in Europe and if they do, what are the tiny quantities going to be in Europe.

'And although Wii is almost a GameCube with a DVD drive, is Nintendo going to have enough quantity to satisfy the demand?"

While Teversham ruled out a cut on 360's SRP before Christmas, he went on to slam PS3's price tag. 'The question is: When are they going to drop the price? I think a lot of gamers out there are going to be saying 'I'll wait for the price to drop,' or even better they'll buy a 360."

Teversham went on to say that there are "a number of surprises up their sleeve" for the fourth quarter, but he wont elaborate. But he did say that we can expect special pricing on games and also special console offers.

Source: MCV

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By I Have Piles, Tue 1 Aug 2006 14:17
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Oddly the DS is way under powered next to the PSP but the DS is miles more fun to play and has held my interest where as my PSP has a layer of dust on it higher then the machine its self. Nothing has offered a quantum leap forwards like the original Playstation (and to some extent the Saturn) did and consequent generations have just got better graphically but offered little new in the way of game play. The Wii looks good fun to play in a way not seen before and given the price it is nearly an impulse buy.
By Crabbyappleton, Tue 1 Aug 2006 14:28
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CrabbyappletonYou know what? This is a good point as it is most important that the games are fun. Whiz bang tech is good for marketing, but when you get right down to it...it's all about gameplay.
By Anthony1uk, Tue 1 Aug 2006 16:16
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The thing i find funny is how MS360 Exec is ridiculing the Wii. When it has included on it the best idea since the Wheel and this is to include the Virtual Game Station that offers complete emulation of every Nintendo machine game ever made. I have read the 360 cant even play most original Xbox games. Which i find is ludicrous. But i would much rather have an Xbox360 than a PS3. But my money is going on a Wii (and six months ago i honestly would have laugh if i even considered this). Now I honestly cant wait to get my hands on the upcoming Wii.
By ultra238a, Tue 1 Aug 2006 16:31
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Does he really ridicule the Wii? From what I remember MS have only ever really praised the Wii. I think the point he was making was that it wasn't that much more powerful than the GC and from what Nintendo have shown so far it has been running on GC hardware anyway so this fact is true. At the end of the day it should be all about game play and Nintendo deliver that in bucket loads and that looks to continue with the new controller. If the game plays well and happens to look pretty too then even better.
By FreqNasty, Tue 1 Aug 2006 16:46
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You can play about 200 Xbox games on the 360 right now and it's rising all the time. I think when the 360 is fully hacked (sooner rather than later) it will able to emulate all the Wii games and probably the ps2 as well.
By gitreel, Tue 1 Aug 2006 18:25
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This is only natural. He is trying to sell more xbox 360's. Why would he advocate a competitors product? If he were to say that the wii was the greatest thing since sliced bread, the shareholders would not be happy, and he would be unemployed.
By tehGrue, Wed 2 Aug 2006 00:08
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Yeah... It's a GameCube with a DVD Drive... And a revolutionary controller... And a download service for classic Nintendo games... And an "always connected" service to ensure there's some kind of new content every day...
By abalone, Wed 2 Aug 2006 06:42
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abaloneM$ will certainly be beatened and shamed by this old, DVD-refubrished GameCube. biggrin
By Shadowman69, Wed 2 Aug 2006 08:49
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I don't really think so. The Wii will be bought primarily by children, Nintendo fans (includind the ones that want the old N games), expecially in Japan. Also in this round all around the world Nintendo will be the third, still strong, player. I'm wondering who will be the first in the next two years...
By Zeroi786, Fri 4 Aug 2006 18:43
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Zeroi786I'm not a fan of either and personally can bairly see a difference between Xbox1 and Xbox2 lol. The wii is interesting to a point but it will all come down to weather or not the controller is gameworthy or not. nintendo has had flops and this controller is a risk and it could make or break the system. personally it looks uncompfortable but I will have to play it.

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