CEO Paul Raines says "the world is going to stand up and take notice" when Microsoft announces new machine.
GameStop CEO Paul Raines is optimistic about the still-unannounced Xbox 720. Speaking with Games Industry International, the executive said the platform will draw the attention of gamers worldwide when Microsoft decides to announce it.
"We've been spending a lot of time with Microsoft, but we have to let them take the lead on this, but it will be a very hot, compelling device," Raines said. "They are doing some really cool stuff, and I'm eager to hear them start their announcements because I think the world is going to stand up and take notice."
Raines is bullish on the vitality of consoles overall. He said negative sentiments about new platforms is not a new phenomenon for the upcoming console transition. In addition, he said internal data shows strong demand for the PlayStation 4 and noted this enthusiasm is likely to be matched for the Xbox 720.
"We don't subscribe to that. The cool thing with GameStop is, we've got a lot of gamers here and we've got a lot of people [on the team] who've seen every console cycle. And what's interesting to me - I was talking to one of our founders, Dan DeMatteo, and he was telling me every console cycle you get people who will say 'there will never be another console,' or 'what else can the consoles do?' And we just believe it's a cycle and we just haven't had a new product in so long. But we certainly don't believe that the new consoles won't be as exciting," Raines said. "There's a lot of demand for PS4, and I think there will be for the next Xbox as well, once it's announced."
GameStop shares this week climbed to a three-year high.
Microsoft is rumored to have its next-generation platform on store shelves this holiday season alongside the PS4. Though the company has yet to reveal its official plans, Microsoft is believed to hold a one-off media event this month to announce the Xbox 720.
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
1 Like When somebody in his position says "..I think the world is going to stand up and take notice.", that's how you know some serious innovation will come. The Lumiroom looks amazing, and if that was a chip from the tip of the ice-berg, I don't think I'm ready yet.
Microsoft and Sony could both release next next next gen consoles this year, wont matter, I'll be to busy playing GTA V to care.
@nomadski69 they released the cover omg omg omg!!! I'm waiting for the Gta V user manual announcement! lol
@Mortz_88 I'll just be glad when console exclusivity is finally fazed out and there is a more universal gaming format so that games can be played on any device regardless of who makes the hardware
@Mortz_88 ...or at the very least supporting competition which benefits everyone, even if you only own one.
Microsoft is in a good position. Since the PS4 has already been announced and we've seen what's under the hood, Microsoft can be reactive when unveiling their new console. They've had time to sift through all the commentary on the unveiling, and can make adjustments to come out strong.
I didn't own an original Xbox because it had few JRPGs. I don't own a 360 because anything I would be interested in is available on PS3 (with a singular, notable exception...Y U NO PUT GUARDIAN HEROES ON PSN?!111!!11!!). With their next system, I'll be watching closely to see what it brings to the table. Honestly, if not for the RROD in the early days of the 360, I might have not waited on the PS3 to drop in price.
@flyingdutchdog3 You are right. The convo has pretty much disintegrated into fanboy system wars.
1 Like @neowolfgeo Man there are sure a lot of dim-witted assholes here ... you are as dim as they get .... I came here to read and interact hoping for intelligent conversation ... and this is what I get? RROD ... come now you can do better than that can't you .... or can you?
Lol, Microsoft playin catch-up....I've experienced both sides (Microsoft and Sony) and tbh, Sony has much better games and hardware.
PS3 kicks 360's ass....I like to call it the "AssBox 3-Shitty"
PS4 will do the same thing to the 720....
4 Like @spazman44 Please be objective .... you sound so typical of a PS3 fanboy in heat.
Hahaha, karma is a bitch. The hacking they got was well-deserved (at least for the developers and people who decided to market the game with microtransactions). The War Z was an unmitigated disaaster as it was.
Corporations = Failboats. EA, Disney, Comcast, the list goes on. Are any of these companies interested in anything other than capital? Easy answer indeed.
Does this company have some kind of high authority, respect, and clout to keep on making statements like this every couple weeks? Why would I be interested in what they guess; think, on such matters? Why would what they say be so important as to have the need to keep making these statements, most of them not saying anything if real use or value in the grand scheme of things (at least one statement was filled with information that was already confirmed or stated with concrete certainty).
I think they do have insider info, because Microsoft is counting on them to do a chunk of the heavy lifting in selling the device.Their motivation in giving a glowing review of the console is obvious though, as many have already stated.The better they make the picture look for the interest in the PS4 and the potential sales of the ?720? the better their company looks from an investment perspective, which means $$$...I was more interested in their comments concerning the timing of the release than what they have to say about the quality of the device.Let them spin it they?ll say the Wii U is a modern marvel.
1 Like @lance_7 @leimonides - Correct, & as Gamestop's business model relies mainly on pre-owned games,you can guarantee that they will know how microsoft stand on this. For them to paint this rosy picture about the new xbox it would indicate that microsoft will NOT block pre-owned games,as prior to this announcement Gamestop were trying to get customers to boycott the new console & they were not going to stock it.
The comments seem very vague. "stand up and take notice." I think the next Xbox will be just as good as the Ps4 but with a Kenict add on. I just don't know if they will have the backing of some of the studios that Sony has. They have a lot of ground to make up here.
@Incubus420 The kinect will not just be an "add on" you will have to use it with the system in order to play it.
@whitetiger3521 You don't know that for sure do you. All I am saying the difference between these two new systems will be slim to none. So let the best 1st and 3rd party development team win.
1 Like The specs for both consoles are going to be close enough that it won?t really matter.People talk about games looking better on one console or the other but really most times it is barely discernible differences that you don?t really notice while playing the game.It is really going to come down to preference.Which is better is going to depend on what you want from your console.Microsoft will probably have more app support, just like it already does with things like HBO Go; Sony will have more exclusives.Microsoft will probably still focus on FPS style games, and Sony still seems to be focusing on RPG style games.There won?t be a ?better?, just a ?different?.
1 Like @lance_7 @Incubus420 most definitely agree. In some ways I think that is what the atmosphere is now; without a doubt for this next cycle this will be the case.
@darlofc67 ODST Sold because there was an established fan base, based on the previous success of other Halo games. I don't even know what the hell U-Draw is. I see what you mean though. Games companies should listen to fans, however, that type of thinking can get you into hot water. How do you know you're listening to the right fans? Not every fan has the same desires? What should really happen is this - Developers should be listen to the fans, but Hardware manufacturers should be listening to the developers. That's what I mean. If you disagree then you disagree.
@Incubus420 - ODST still sold,coz customers bought it,unlike THQ's U-Draw which bankrupted them coz no one bought it. At the end of the day if the customers don't buy it the game flops no matter how much the dev's rave about it.Seems were in disagreement with most things in this thread..Not saying your wrong,just dont agree with your opinions.
@lance_7 If you read my comment again you will note that I was not talking about you as the FPS meathead. Also, I believe that a healthy industry needs great competition. Economics 101. If you read my original comment I think MS's system will be just as good as Sony's.
@darlofc67 @Incubus420 wrong! There needs to be a balance of what both sides want while still maintaining creative and corporate integrity. Developers are the ones that create the games we end up falling in love with. I never told anyone that I wanted a wicked hard action RPG game, they just developed it and it was sick. Halo fans never told Bungie that they wanted a revolutionary shooter, they came up with that on their own. What fans did want was shit like ODST and other crappy spin offs. So I stick by my comment of pleasing developers before your fans. Because without these great/creative developers fans wouldn't have good games to be fans of.
@Incubus420 - Are the devs buying all the consoles then ? I think you will find the most important people to listen to are the customers, without them Sony wouldn't have a business.
?Yes, Halo and Gears are amazing, but those are just for the videogame equivalent of a Meathead, which I assume you are.?
Well you know what happens when you ass-u-me.I own Sony and Microsoft?s consoles and plan to do so again; I don?t care about a ?winner?. I never even said Microsoft was #1. I said that it will be a matter of personal preference and what your taste in games happens to be. I think anyone that is concerned with a ?winner? is either an employee or a fanboy, and I?m guessing you?re the latter. I want them both to do well, that just means a healthier industry for us as consumers to enjoy our hobby. I think they can both coexist and be successful. I?m hopeful that Sony will have a stronger launch this time around given the reception they have received from their presentation. But if you really want to scream about winners and losers then pay attention to the price announcement because that will probably be the deciding factor with two similar consoles launching in the same window.
@leimonides @lance_7 I agree only in the slightest with what you speak of here. Only slightly. @Sevenizz You are 100% wrong you think Xbox is #1 but that is only here in the states. And it's not by that much. UK and Asia buy Sony and Nintendo more than Xbox which was just recently reported as failing in Japan. In terms of the next generation I believe Sony's going to win out right this time around because of this early marketing push and enthusiasm for the newly announced System. The two systems will be almost identical and the only thing separating them at this point will be the games. And if history serves me correctly, Microsoft didn't have a host of exclusive games that really blew me out of the water. Yes, Halo and Gears are amazing, but those are just for the videogame equivalent of a Meathead, which I assume you are. Sony is doing it right and will win this next race because they finally are listening to the right people...Not the fans...The developers.
1 Like @lance_7 @Incubus420 With that logic - the next Xbox already won since we don't care about turn based RPGs (for the most part) and we love our FPSs.
2 Like Doesn?t that basically sum up the current generation?
Microsoft = Halo/ Gears of War
Sony = God of War/ Uncharted
Both great games, but that is the focus of each console.You want COD you probably play it on 360 and if that is one of your favorite games then you probably own an Xbox.If one of your favorite games was Final Fantasy then you probably own a PS3.
2 Like @Incubus420 Yea, being the top console in North America and most of Europe means they have 'a lot of ground to catch up on'.
So Atlus doesn't make Xbox games. Who in North America really cares? I could most definitely live w/o Shin Megeni Tunsei or w/e that piece of garbage franchise is called.
1 Like @Sevenizz @Incubus420 Not the top console in the world though as PS3 has shipped and sold more than Xbox 360 :)
@sleepnsurf @Sam_021 @Sevenizz @Incubus420 And many hate to see RROD and Ads.
"Don't shoot I own both consoles lol"
Talk about a fluff story. It's not like the future retailer can say 'what a piece of garbage it'll be'.
Eh, I'll be getting one (or two) on release day anyway. I'm tired of buying japanese systems. They don't want to buy my system - why on earth would I buy theirs?
Why not console is the only profitable source of business for GS either hardware or software..
1 Like After how hot the original Xbox 360's got... I wonder if I should be taking this "a very hot" thing literally.... :-P
I am very curious what they are going to put out. No way will they take a backseat to Sony after tearing them a new one this gen. If it has better specs, I am in!
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