MS Defends Missing Xbox 360 Hard Drive

Company steps in to shield the console from criticism pouring in after the revelation of two hardware packages.

The days since Microsoft's announcement last week of two packages for the upcoming Xbox 360 have been filled with talk about the hard drive, or more specifically, the lack of one in the cheaper core system version of the console.

Xbox boss J Allard said in an online chat this weekend that Microsoft decided to leave the hard drive out of the core system package to reduce the obstacles standing in front of would-be gamers:

"The thing to remember is that while we designed a no-compromises game system, a huge percentage of our customers are not like the folks in this chat room. Recognize that more than 75 per cent of the folks on Xbox have not played Halo."

"By introducing the core system we are sending a signal to the market that we are committed to this part of the market just like with the Xbox 360 premium bundle that we are committed to [hardcore gamers]."

However, thanks to the modular design of the Xbox 360, those who do decide to buy the £209 core system - a small percentage initially according to Microsoft's Peter Moore - will still be able to build up their systems to get the hard drive, wireless controller and headset found in the £279 premium package.

Some games, such as Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, will
make extensive use of the hard drive

Allard pointed to other examples where companies have reached out to the lower end of the market as part of their strategy to get their products into more people's hands:

"Similar to the [iPod] Shuffle, the [Porsche] Boxster, the 4:3 [non-widescreen] TV, and the 1-megapixel camera, we designed the core system as a way to get folks to come into the family at a cheaper price and decide if and how they scale the system."

"The great thing about our approach, unlike these examples, is that the core owner can upgrade the system and match the capabilities of the premium system when the time is right for them."

Allard stressed that the omission of the hard drive doesn't mean that games have been hampered in any way:

"Our first-party team and our exclusive content developers are just as committed to using the hard drive and, like they demonstrated with this generation, our third party cross-platform developers are committed as well."

While all Xbox 360 games will be required to work without the hard drive, several developers, such as epic RPG Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion developer Bethesda, are clearly building their games with the hard drive in mind.

Probably the most important thing Microsoft has to do to avoid mass confusion among console buyers is to make sure that retailers make people aware of what the different versions of the Xbox 360 can and can't do.

An important example of this is backwards compatibility with Xbox games, which requires a hard drive and will not be possible with the core system.

Microsoft is already in touch with retailers and has send out explanatory flyers, which have leaked onto the Internet.

The apparently genuine documents lay out what each of the packages can do, but not without factual gaffes of their own.

The leaked documents show the core system as containing both wired and wireless controllers, which is not the case, highlighting how important accuracy is going to be if Microsoft wants to avoid thousands of angry e-mails and phone calls this Christmas season.

Alex Wollenschlaeger
Editor, Kikizo Games