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Yankeez
04-11-2005, 03:47 AM
NEW YORK -- The revolution will be televised. Xbox 2 -- aka Codename Xenon, the next-generation gaming console from Microsoft -- will make its first appearance on a yet-untitled half-hour special that will be broadcast globally across all MTV stations.

The move bucks industry protocol to make major debuts at E3 in Los Angeles-the largest trade show in the gaming industry. "It doesn't make sense to unveil the product behind a closed door, at a trade-only event. We wanted to talk directly to the consumer first," said Peter Moore, corporate vp-worldwide marketing and publishing for Microsoft Xbox.

The MTV special, hosted by actor Elijah Wood on May 12, will feature a performance by rock band the Killers. Athletes and celebs will show off the console's new features. MTV will air teaser spots prior to the event and screening parties will be held in countries in which MTV airs.

Moore said the launch strategy is to not only "feed the core" gamers, but also to "captivate the masses." The unveiling on MTV is a "signal of the strong change in the way we do business." Themes of optimism and community will be stressed in the campaign, said Moore. McCann Erickson, New York, handles.

Ourcolony.net provides further insight. The viral Xbox 2 site, currently counting down the minutes to the MTV event, states: "Colony isn't about alternate reality gaming, it is reality. It's about the reality of your world, your friends, your life. Colony isn't political, it's global."

Launch partners will be global in nature as Xbox tries to combat the perception that it's an American brand, said Moore. The console is expected to launch this holiday season. Microsoft spent $14 million on media in 4Q 2001 to launch Xbox, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus.

Source: BrandWeek.com (http://www.brandweek.com/brandweek/headlines/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000874671)

Bakeman
04-11-2005, 05:14 AM
yay can't wait

TOTTEN
04-11-2005, 09:07 AM
I cant wait either. I wonder how much information will be revealed.

StudioAlex
04-11-2005, 10:18 AM
That's a really cool idea. I can't believe someone didn't think of this years ago.

Variation-XBA
04-11-2005, 10:52 AM
Wonder if I even will get the channel =/

mattgame
04-11-2005, 11:17 AM
I just marked my calender. Yes.

Ninjermy
04-11-2005, 12:48 PM
1 month and counting. I hope there will be alot of new info and not just repeating alot of what us XBA'ers already know.

CRAYMAN
04-11-2005, 12:55 PM
Well, it'll obviously have either gameplay, a look at the console and its features or both.


Launch partners will be global in nature as Xbox tries to combat the perception that it's an American brand, said Moore.
Why must we battle the perception that it's an American creation/product? I think that's a POSITIVE!

Anthony4sho
04-11-2005, 02:13 PM
Man... it amazes me... it just seems like MS knows exactly what to do to win this console war. I really do see it being a no contest in this next generation. MS has just been doing everything right.

MixMasta
04-11-2005, 02:18 PM
Man... it amazes me... it just seems like MS knows exactly what to do to win this console war. I really do see it being a no contest in this next generation. MS has just been doing everything right.

Except confirming backwards compatibility. I really want it, just because, my Xbox is an old piece of almost crap, and I would rather invest the money in a new Xbox 360 with more games than another Xbox and fewer launch games for the Xbox 360.

SamSmith
04-11-2005, 04:18 PM
*enters date into calendar*


wow, im looking forward to this!! this is the closest i will get to E3!

Whisper
04-11-2005, 09:43 PM
interesting.. hopefully gates isn't there.. because we all know the bad luck gates has demonstrating his products infront of audiences

just imagine.. the xbox 360 crashing repeatedly live on MTV infront of millions world wide

Sammael
04-12-2005, 10:33 AM
That would be awesome!

Spaztic
04-12-2005, 10:58 AM
Very smart move IMO. Sony has their work cut out for them!

Whisper
04-12-2005, 08:42 PM
it would be smart if they did this in a prime time hour the day before the PSP release.. too late for that

CuartoDePuto
04-13-2005, 11:16 AM
I can't wait to see it, but why Elijah Wood, is he going to frodoize it?

actually, i guess i respect him a bit more after sin city, he isn't just frodo anymore

Whisper
04-14-2005, 08:24 AM
yep.. now he's hannibal's unknown son.. but he will forever be known as Frodo.. those damn hobbits

Slowride
04-14-2005, 05:10 PM
Elijah Wood is a stupid little b*tch.

I'm looking forward to this.

m4oH
04-14-2005, 05:14 PM
*enters date into calendar*


wow, im looking forward to this!! this is the closest i will get to E3!
Ditto. Can't wait. :cheers:

LynxFX
04-14-2005, 08:11 PM
yep.. now he's hannibal's unknown son.. but he will forever be known as Frodo.. those damn hobbits
Nah, he will always be remembered as the good son!! Dirty little culkin and his sadistic ways.

iloveRPGs
04-14-2005, 09:02 PM
Not to rain to hugely on ya'll's parade, but this is MTV. They aren't going to start rattling off the system's specs.

They'll definetely mention the non-game things that it does and the main-stream games(spiderman 3, madden, maybe a LOTR since "frodo" is hosting it, etc.).

MTV is trying to get main-stream viewers, not exactly what I would call anyone who comes to game forums(no offense intended, main-stream doesn't necessarily mean cool :cool: )

Just saying we'll get a look, and a little minor info. But this isn't E3, so don't expect [only way I know how to put it] nerd-talk (such as graphics processors or harddrives)

skorp
04-16-2005, 05:13 PM
Xbox marketing boss tells why the new console gets it's first unveiling on MTV--and what Microsoft is saving for E3.

In 1999, Sega used the MTV Video Music Awards to introduce the Dreamcast to US audiences. The man behind that effort? Peter Moore, then marketing boss for the US subsidiary. The following year, the VMAs were the chosen platform to give the Sega.net initiative standing with the coveted gamer demographic. Again, it was Moore who spearheaded the effort.

This year, Moore, now part of the massive Xbox team at Microsoft (he is Corporate vp of Worldwide Marketing and Publishing) has once again chosen MTV as the primary vehicle for introducing a new product to the North American marketplace--this time the next-gen Xbox

We spoke with Moore earlier this week.

GS: Peter, how does a deal like this evolve?

Peter Moore: A year ago my team and I sat down to try and figure out how we bring this platform to life, not only to the trade show crowd at E3, but more importantly, to the tens of millions of people that have got us to where we are today with Xbox. And the tens of millions of more that are going to join us in the next generation.

We discussed how do we do it in an entertaining way, in a constructive manner, and unexpectedly. And how do we do it with a great partner, and do it simultaneously, globally. And tie in music and celebrity, and all that cool stuff.

GS: So you picked MTV…

PM: As you might remember, in my past life, I worked with MTV on a regular basis, using the VMA's as a launch platform for one particular console.

So I went to see my old friends there in April of last year; we got into some great conversations about an entertaining way to do this. We've been working on this ever since.

Only a few weeks ago, finally got all the details nailed down and felt comfortable in announcing this at the right time and the right place, and that's what we did last week.

GS: Does this send a message that E3 isn't as big as it used to be--as a platform to broadcast news to the game industry?

PM: Not at all. Not at all.

We have so much to say. We wanted to say things first to the consumer, and give them a sneak peek--albeit in a 30-minute television show--that will give them a peek under the tent of what's going on and allow them to see it at the same time as the rest of the world does.

GS: What's left for the E3 audience?

PM: Then on the Monday night, May 16, we do a real deep dive and will show the games in their full glory--getting into more detail in the Rob, J and Peter show [Robbie Bach, J Allard, Peter Moore].

And, of course, then on the E3 show floor itself…where we can really show you the power of the platform.

GS: What grade do you give Xbox, version one, in the area of marketing and advertising?

PM: I'd say a B. One of the things that probably stopped us from being an A- is, [even though] we created a very cool and aspirational brand, we need to broaden the appeal of the brand. Not losing, or disenfranchising in any way, the gamers that got us there today--which is always a marketing challenge--but we have to grow.

But at the same time, we need to make sure we continue to talk to the more hard core gamer, the early adopters. That has been an important part of our success, and we fully intend to do that. At the same time, we need to provide an even more approachable feel and tonality to the brand, and we need to do things differently.

GS: Is there an area you feel Xbox excels at?

PM: We're the thought leader in this generation. We need to turn that into market leadership in the next generation, and this is just one small example of how we will do that, and do that in a very aggressive manner, globally.

GS: Is there a little bit of cat and mouse with Sony behind this move--to show off the new console the week before E3?

PM: Not really.

GS: Not really?

PM: A number of people have asked me: "was this in response to Sony moving their press conference and getting first place for the unveil?" I don't know. As I said, regardless of what our competition wants to do, we had a very clear plan in mind that goes back a year now to meetings in New York at the MTV headquarters.

GS: Is it a two way street with MTV…any upside for them?

PM: We are very important to them. We're starting to drive an entertainment business that rivals music. As Nielsen reported two weeks ago, consumers are spending more money on video games than they are on music. That wakes people up.

But you have to have your own strategy and you've got to stick with it once it's nailed down. This is part and parcel of a strategy that's been in development over fifteen months now.

GS: How many people are you expecting to reach with this MTV effort?

PM: We haven't put any metrics behind it, but clearly you want millions upon millions of people to see it. I certainly think that with MTV, we should get those numbers.

What I've always been impressed with--and my consumer marketing hat goes on here--is how they've changed their entire persona to the outside world, from a network that just broadcasts three-minute video music clips to being the originators of reality television with Real World, and Pimp My Ride, and MTV Cribs, and Meet the Osbornes; when you think of all the stuff on TV right now, it was born on MTV--someway, somehow. Celebrity Deathmatch, Jackass…

GS: This is the Xbox audience?

PM: I think that they are a major part of the generation that is part of Xbox nation, yes.

GS: You called the MTV program a "first look." What are you going to talk about?

PM: We'll talk name. We'll show the hardware--as much as you can do in a television show. You'll get a little glimpse of games, but we're saving most of that for you guys at E3.

GS: Is the MTV event all figured out?

PM: We're still developing the script, if we can find ways to talk entertainingly about features, we will do that, but we won't do anything that is boring or feels like an infomercial.

GS: You talked about 'you guys,' by which you mean the enthusiast press. Who's got the power now to best communicate your message? The enthusiast press? The mainstream press?

PM: Particularly in the early go, the enthusiast press still has the ability to create the stories that talk to the evangelists. But let's make no bones about it, it's not you, me, or anyone...it's the consumer that has the power. It's the guy that had to fish several hundred dollars out of his or her wallet when they want to make a purchase on a console--and over the lifetime, total cost of ownership, several hundred dollars more. Those are the people that are in control, and we've got to find ways, we--and I mean you and I--have got to find ways of talking to them in a relevant and entertaining manner, otherwise they're not going to read your stuff and they're not going to buy my stuff.

GS: What's the connection with The Killers, the musical group in attendance on the May 12 MTV broadcast?

PM: A: We love them; B: They've been on Game with Fame, on Xbox Live. They are hard core Xbox gamers--and very good gamers. I can't think of a hotter band right now. I've been listening to their album Hot Fuss for about six, seven weeks on my MP3 player as I run. I love Mr. Brightside. I think they have the right attitude.

GS: And what happens to Ourcolony.net on the night of May 12?

PM: Don't know. Don't know. Have to keep watching that thing. I'm not quite sure about that thing. It's difficult for me to follow...I'm from a different generation. It's way too complex.

GS: Ah yes, Peter...way too complex [wink, wink]. Thank you, Peter. We'll be watching.


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Variation-XBA
04-17-2005, 04:12 AM
I'm glad they arn't at least showing all their cards at once and leaving us goodies for E3 as well.