This is something any respectable XBOX or possible XBOX 2 owner should read...

MOORE: XBOX 2 REVELATIONS? YES PLEASE...

Microsoft' s corporate vice president gives us some console sequel nuggets to chew on

14:47 Microsoft corporate vice president Peter Moore has told how the Redmond giant has " no intention of losing" the next-generation console war in a recent interview with the Nikkei Business newspaper in Japan, while also speaking about that object of virulent speculation, Xbox 2.

Highlighting the Xbox faults he believes are responsible for the lackluster pickup of the console by the Japanese punter - too large, inadequate software for the market and delivered two years after PS2 - Moore goes on to comment in reference to the next generation of consoles and Xbox 2 that Microsoft will " not repeat these mistakes next time" .

A sleeker design and more suitable software - at least where the Japanese market is concerned software-wise - are obvious targets for Microsoft then (OK, a bit of a no-brainer that), with Moore reiterating " We will not be later than our rivals," words we' ve heard from the company on more than one occasion in connection with Xbox 2.

" The winner in the game industry is not decided in one generation," Moore told Nikkei, putting into words Microsoft' s strong commitment to the hotly contested console battlefield.

Dropping further hints about what to expect from the Xbox' s successor, Moore said that Microsoft plans to build on its online game plan set out with Xbox Live, the service' s user-friendly qualities and the likes of voice communication remaining very much part and parcel of an enhanced online package.

Reports also state that Moore additionally revealed in the Nikkei article that Microsoft is done and dusted with delivering all the necessary support tools for game development. Whether or not these are specifically Xbox 2 tools or more ' a close approximation' of wasn' t made clear.

Stuart Bishop

I don' t think Moore ' gets it' , lol.. The X-box 2 could launch 2 years ahead of the rest of the competition, UNLESS Microsoft can score significant support from Square Enix early on, it would take the PS3 probably no more than one week at most to catch up to its lead.

Remember how the PS2 sold extremely close to 1 million units at launch in Japan? I think the figure was 980,000 units and that number isn' t because they ran out of early adopters at launch, that number capped off at 980,000 because there was a shortage.

Imagine a situation in Japan where the PS3 has no shortage problems at launch? That would be Microsoft' s nightmare, lol.. Microsoft should forget about trying to buy Square Enix and focus on trying to get their support by any means.. Prostitute their wives, their daughters, and maybe even their sons to the Square Enix higher-ups. Whatever it takes.

Fortunately in America Square Enix isn' t a factor in making a console #1 and the #1 position is always up for grabs here but in Japan unfortunately, the #1 spot is reserved for the console that scores the Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy series.

The X-Box is inherently different to all other recent consoles just because it comes from the US as opposed to Japan. Surely Microsoft didn' t expect to break Japan without support from Square Enix or other Japanese developers? While I admire them wanting to try and please them with the X-Box 2 Terry hit the nail on the head, no Final Fantasy means no success.

Microsoft has a big fight on its hands of it wants to wrestle away franchises from Sony. But out of the rest of the competition it’s a fight they have the best chance of winning. A big factor is the money they have behind them.

I agree. M$ has always used its cash reserves to influence developers into its fold.

Some are stronger than others, so they can hold out longer. But in the end, M$ does what it takes to get each developer to negotiate and finally agree to develope for their console.

I wouldn' t be surprised to see Sony making games for M$...not that there are many games that Sony actually makes that I would want...