Microsoft Mimicking Nintendo?

Apparently the chaps at Engadget think that Microsoft is doing a 180 with its 360 (their pun… not mine)… following Nintendo’s line of thought about gaming in general. I think a snippet from the article says it best:

Microsoft’s positioning has changed as completely and dramatically as one of its new console’s removable faceplates. According to its Xbox executives, it’s (now) not about better graphics. It’s not about better sound (this time). It’s (suddenly) not about more capacity. It’s not about having a custom CPU (or presumably a new graphics processor). It’s not even about the potential Microsoft advantage of launching earlier than your competition. And it’s not about serving as a more affordable Windows Media Center or more powerful Media Center Extender. Surprise, it’s about the games.

The article is pretty bleak about the future of the 360, the author seems to think that without the crazy 3rd party support of the Ps2, the amazing in house games of Nintendo, or the graphics advantage that Xbox had… the 360 has only Xbox Live in its favor.

Me? I think BioWare, Sega, Team Ninja, and Rare are reason enough for me to buy an Xbox 360. That being said… the only reason I own as many Xbox games that I do is that any multiconsole release automatically goes to Xbox because it should be the best looking. Looks like that isn’t the case next generation. These console wars are going to be interesting.

source: Engadget