Xbox: Don Mattrick didn’t want to sell 30 million consoles, but 300 million

Game news Xbox: Don Mattrick didn’t want to sell 30 million consoles, but 300 million

The opening

“When I got to Microsoft, Steve Ballmer told me that Xbox had to make other products. To do that, we had to focus on new categories, innovate, and achieve new successes in video games and entertainment.“This is what Don Mattrick says in Power On, whose words have been extremely rare since he left Microsoft. “When Don Mattrick arrived the idea was to hold a bigger audience.

“Explains Drew Angeloff, Software Development (2008-2010). He adds: “At a meeting he said: “We are not going to make 30 million consoles, but 300 million”. The strategy was to create experiences for the casual audience”. To achieve this, Microsoft relies on entertainment. Already in the cinema, with applications for renting / watching streaming films. The Netflix app appears on the console at the request of Mattrick and success is immediate. Then comes HBO, as well as Facebook and Twitter. “Our Xbox Live community, video streaming services, gamertags, achievements, experiences, customers were enthusiastic and the competition envied us“Remembers Don Mattrick.

The eye of the storm

In 2006 Nintendo released the Wii and it was a real hit. Motion gaming is becoming a social phenomenon. Parents and grandparents play along again and make Nintendo’s machine the ultimate family console. As he moves in front of his TV, medical professionals say that video games are good for the body, which has not happened in a long time. “You have expanded the audienceSony’s Jack Tretton analyzed. Bill Gates’ overwhelming success annoys Bill Gates who attacks Xbox teams. “Why we missed this wave of motion gaming” he asks. The challenge for Microsoft is to catch up with the Wii by getting into motion gaming as well. The idea of Kinect Germ under the impulse of Mattrick. When it was released the accessory was a huge hit. The Redmond-based company is finally offering varied and entertaining games for the family, a field that is normally dominated by Nintendo. In the first 60 days of its existence, Kinect sold eight million copies worldwide. Certainly the accessory works very well with the public saying “casual

“But hardcore gamers avoid it. “With the Xbox 360 we had a great product that was finally a success. The ecosystem was doing well, with consumers engaging in North America and Europe. It was the best-selling consoleDon Mattrick insists. “It was a great second generation for MicrosoftHe concludes.

Friday 2013

Most the big worries come with the announcement of the Xbox One in 2013. “If I had been told that later, our competitors would not be Sony and Nintendo, but television and media. Damned“Albert Penello, former Marketing Director, explains thoughtfully. Don Mattrick found it exciting to think of a console devoted entirely to entertainment. “We wanted a system that combined play and entertainment“He agrees. “Don thought about what we were going to sell after Kinect, and he thought about television“Admits Aaron Greenberg, current Xbox Marketing Manager. In order to meet his desire for size initiated with the Xbox 360, Microsoft is launching Xbox Entertainment Studios. Xbox, the video game brand, becomes Xbox, the entertainment brand.

TV, TV, TV,

On May 21, 2013, the American giant held a conference to showcase its future game console. Don Mattrick talks about TV shows, Kinect, new types of content … but he talks very little about games. Eventually, the conference does not convince the fans

. “It wasn’t right at allSays Larry Hryb, known as Major Nelson on Xbox. “We could have reassured people more about the games“Recognizes Don Mattrick. The feedback is poor and Microsoft’s lack of precision is damaging the brand. “The new generation of games is a fucking voice remote for your TV!“Scream the fans. The Redmond company plans to raise the bar three weeks later at E3 2013. Lots of games are presented, the conference is going well, but everything is spoiled by the announcement of the console’s price: $ 499. The console is expensive, and gamers find it hard to accept that the price is inflated due to the presence of the Kinect v2, an accessory they don’t like. A few hours later, during its E3 press conference, Sony made the point by announcing its PlayStation 4 for $ 399. The Japanese company also makes fun of the political decisions made by the Redmond company to rent games. The situation is perfectly summed up by Bonnie Ross of 343 Industries: “Xbox 360 is the best console for developers and hardcore gamers alike. And changing the situation, the new Xbox is no longer for developers and gamers. It’s an entertainment console”. “Users and journalists criticized us, they asked us whether it was the right choice. Reviews were correct, but choices were limited. We wanted to bet on the internet” says Don Mattrick. “It is an extremely dark time for us and it is very painful”Concludes Aaron Greenberg.

Power On: The Story of the Xbox is available in full via here.

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