Five thing Microsoft can do to win back Europe
Posted by Brian Vaughn at 2/8/2008 9:49 AM 
Categories: Europe, Microsoft, Gaming, Xbox 360, PS3, Sony
Categories: Europe, Microsoft, Gaming, Xbox 360, PS3, Sony
After having a very successful 2007 in terms of games sales and console moved it is currently being thought that the Xbox 360 will have a down year in 2008. The PS3 is now outselling the Xbox 360 in Europe and some think Sony can start gaining ground on Microsoft in the US markets. Here is my list of five things Microsoft needs to do to get the lead back in Europe.
In the past Microsoft had a much larger presence in Europe and even had their own game conference where they showed off their games. Well X06 was the last true Microsoft games conference in Europe. This conference was a way for Microsoft to show off their games without any other vendor to steal their thunder. Bringing back this games show would show to Europe that Microsoft is serious about winning them over. Microsoft has the games but they need to have a larger presence in Europe to show off their games.
Why hasn't the Xbox Live Marketplace gotten movie and TV downloads to the European continent? True this service is finally launching in the UK but what about the mainland? Movie downloads is one of the best features of Xbox Live in the US and should be made available world wide. Microsoft needs to get movie downloads into this market soon or Sony will beat them to the punch.
The biggest mistake Microsoft did in 2007 was not talk about the games of 2008. No one really knows for sure what's coming to the Xbox 360 in 2008 except what 3rd part publishers are releasing on both consoles. Sure the Xbox 360 will be getting Devil May Cry 4, Grand Theft Auto 4 and Burnout Paradise but so is the PS3. Microsoft needs to talk about their exclusives because exclusives move consoles. Right now no one knows what's coming from Microsoft this year and it has killed all the buzz around the console. Everyone thinks 2008 will be a down year for Microsoft because they haven't talked about the 2008 games.
Sony can say their best market is not thier home market and Microsoft can say their only good market is their home market. That has to change. Microsoft has to stop treating the rest of the world like some red headed step child. Big whoop you botched a world wide release. What have you done for Europe lately? Release the Elite half a year after the US? Bring movie downloads a year and a half later? Charge over $100 more for a console than what the US pays? Microsoft needs to face the fact that 1 Euro is not equal to 1 US Dollar. Microsoft needs start giving Europe the respect it deserves.
If Microsoft wants to actually win this console war they need to radically change their pricing structure. The Xbox 360 must get a huge price cut in Europe. I'm talking at least 150 Euros dropping the Elite to €299, Pro to €199 and the Arcade €125. A price cut of this margin would be a deathblow to Sony who can not match those kinds of price cuts. Last years price cut was a joke and Microsoft needs to compensate for their mistakes.
Now I do not think Microsoft will bother to do any of these suggestions. Microsoft is very content right now being 2nd in the US and having a nice foot hold in England and Australia. Microsoft will most likely release price cuts but they will be too small to make a difference. Movie downloads will probably never actually make it to the continental Europe and those countries will never see another X0 games show.
In the past Microsoft had a much larger presence in Europe and even had their own game conference where they showed off their games. Well X06 was the last true Microsoft games conference in Europe. This conference was a way for Microsoft to show off their games without any other vendor to steal their thunder. Bringing back this games show would show to Europe that Microsoft is serious about winning them over. Microsoft has the games but they need to have a larger presence in Europe to show off their games.
Why hasn't the Xbox Live Marketplace gotten movie and TV downloads to the European continent? True this service is finally launching in the UK but what about the mainland? Movie downloads is one of the best features of Xbox Live in the US and should be made available world wide. Microsoft needs to get movie downloads into this market soon or Sony will beat them to the punch.
The biggest mistake Microsoft did in 2007 was not talk about the games of 2008. No one really knows for sure what's coming to the Xbox 360 in 2008 except what 3rd part publishers are releasing on both consoles. Sure the Xbox 360 will be getting Devil May Cry 4, Grand Theft Auto 4 and Burnout Paradise but so is the PS3. Microsoft needs to talk about their exclusives because exclusives move consoles. Right now no one knows what's coming from Microsoft this year and it has killed all the buzz around the console. Everyone thinks 2008 will be a down year for Microsoft because they haven't talked about the 2008 games.
Sony can say their best market is not thier home market and Microsoft can say their only good market is their home market. That has to change. Microsoft has to stop treating the rest of the world like some red headed step child. Big whoop you botched a world wide release. What have you done for Europe lately? Release the Elite half a year after the US? Bring movie downloads a year and a half later? Charge over $100 more for a console than what the US pays? Microsoft needs to face the fact that 1 Euro is not equal to 1 US Dollar. Microsoft needs start giving Europe the respect it deserves.
If Microsoft wants to actually win this console war they need to radically change their pricing structure. The Xbox 360 must get a huge price cut in Europe. I'm talking at least 150 Euros dropping the Elite to €299, Pro to €199 and the Arcade €125. A price cut of this margin would be a deathblow to Sony who can not match those kinds of price cuts. Last years price cut was a joke and Microsoft needs to compensate for their mistakes.
Now I do not think Microsoft will bother to do any of these suggestions. Microsoft is very content right now being 2nd in the US and having a nice foot hold in England and Australia. Microsoft will most likely release price cuts but they will be too small to make a difference. Movie downloads will probably never actually make it to the continental Europe and those countries will never see another X0 games show.
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