What exactly is Microsoft up to?

Today we posted up the lists of confirmed games that Microsoft and Sony will be showing off at E3.

The major question here is, what haven’t we been told. What schemes and surprises are in store for us. We have now also heard that Microsoft is planning to announce two major games as well. A trusted source of Videogaming247 has told them that the announcement are going to be “interesting, partly spectacular and a bit desperate.”

Now what is this guy trying to tell us?

There are two major rumours that have been flying around the web lately when it comes to Microsoft. One is that they have been working on a motion controller. The second is that Microsoft are planning to release an Xbox 360 SKU with a Blu-Ray drive.

Now since the announcement is going to be games, i think we can remove the Blu-Ray rumour from this equation. The motion controller, can on the other hand, still have a part to play in this story. The source says that these announcements are going to interesting, partly spectacular and a bit desperate. I hope this isn’t going where I think it’s going.

“Interesting and spectacular”, a possible crossover of major Microsoft franchises? “Desperate”… what could make him say that.

What can Microsoft boast about? A decent line up of games, some good exclusives and Xbox Live. Good. What areas and markets are they desperate to reach? The motion controller is starting to make a lot more sense. If not that then maybe some other idea to reach casual gamers.

They don’t have something to counter Blu-Ray and they don’t have anything that captures the casual market the way that the Wii does. So it will be interesting to see what strategy they are going to use at E3 to broaden their horizons.

If I was Microsoft (and thankfully I am not), I would release an interactive Blu-Ray movie that stars Cute versions of Marcus Phoenix and Master Chief going on adventures around the world that allows you to alter the story and interact by waving around a tv-remote looking device at key points in the story all while standing on some sort of fitness board that assists in getting you in shape.

The Final Fit Fantasies of Master Heroes exploring the Uncharted Galaxies of Metal Gears of War. That should cover just about everything.

Did I mention that it’s a good thing that I don’t run Microsoft?

source: Microsoft to make “spectacular, desperate” play in E3 press conference – Videogaming247

Last Updated: June 13, 2008