What defines a hardcore gamer?
Age?
Amt. of money spent?
Time playing?
Genre of games played?

And why does "family" always have to be kiddie? (Yes im aware that there are children in some families)

> Microsoft also plans on pushing more casual gaming titles to Xbox Live Arcade

Cheaper simpler games - arcades, puzzles, trivias - would definitely add more value to otherwise plainly hardcore system.

Also, introducing simple controller which would look like simple keyboard would help. Many (most?) people are already familiar with QWERTY - but classical controller definitely looks to me like a barrier.

That comment about Rare 'knowing the score' would probably hold more water if most of their hand-held output didn't suck so badly.

This is in severe contrast with that commercial they put out recently where there's all those kids singing, and everyone's playing Halo 3, Bioshock, and Mass Effect. Might I also point out that depending on Rare for content hasn't been a good strategy for a couple generations.

Star Wars reference FTW.

I hope many bothans died bringing us this information...

Actually, no.

Well start killing bothans, I'll tell you when to stop

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/08/25

"Hey I'd like some of your pie"

Yeah, microsoft are clearly going after a chunk of teh casual market. In the UK there have been ads clearly targeting teh same people who would currently lean towards Wii, and theyre even using the strapline "When anyone can play, everyone can play" (or maybe its vice versa, but the sentiment is the same), which would fit the wii perfectly.

Of course, you also get the hardcore ads too (ala Gears of war/mad world, which one a marketing effectiveness award. I thought it was shit, but there you go).

Its nothing new for other companies to take something nintendo are pioneering/making profitable and copy it, whilst at the same time improving on it. Hopefully nintenod will step up their own "hardcore" (i use scare quotes because i would call mario galaxy a hardcore game, but I know many wouldnt as it isnt a mature theme) stratagy to counter microsofts attempt to steal a piece of there pie.

Its win win for consumers, really. This makes a good argument against a single console format.

Before people start bitching about minigames and stuff like that, this is a smart thing Microsoft is doing. The only way the gaming industry will survive is if games can appeal to everyone, not just a select few of people.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if the next xbox was a bit more family friendly.

If Microsoft wants to start appealing to families, starting off by not calling it the 'Xbox' would be a damn good start...

Good luck - but I guess that's what SceneIt is for! Top quality game right there.

What they need to do is price the lowest end 360 to be even with or cheaper than the Wii.

Then they need to have some software cost less. I think Viva Pinata was cheaper. In my opinion it should have been a pack-in with the Core.

Microsoft wants to capture the family market? With what? Gears of War, Halo 3, Crackdown, Perfect Dark Zero, Shadowrun, Gears of War 2, Halo Wars, Too Human, the Marvel MMO, Mass Effect? Do they not understand what appealing to families means? Are they just figuring this out now? Do they think a "family timer" is suddenly going to make them more competitive with Nintendo? Viva Pinata and Scene-it won't make it happen for them. They need more than a tacked-on, copy-cat strategy.

you know that little boy is playing halo

"Rare's time spent developing for the Nintendo DS has apparently given them new insight into how Nintendo works its magic mojo -- valuable knowledge for Microsoft as it plans its assault"

You mean then didnt already know?

Step 1 Name it Mario, Zelda, or Pokemon
Step 2 ???
Step 3 PROFIT!!!!!

I should totally work for MS

Ha ha ha ha ha!!!!! More proof that the casual market is were it's at! It's okay Microsoft, I new Nintendo was right all along so you can admit it too!

is it just me or does that kid look just like a mini-Mark Rein?

Microsoft is just hoping that parents will buy a 360 Arcade when they can't find a Wii since it is shite and claims to be a family system. Also its packed with 5 games including Pac-Man. All the parents remember Pac-Man.

If a kid wants a Wii thats the only thing that will satisfy them. Microsoft is like the Sketchers of the computer realm. They never actually make anything themselves. They just copy everyone else's good ideas and throw an endless supply of marketing dollars behind it.

If they want to hit a family market they should release a $199 cut feature 360 with a different name and a simple 3 button controller with one analog stick. Then all the hardcore gamers can figure out that all they have to do is plug in a 360 controller and it becomes a fully featured system with a hacked dashboard update.