The Xbox360 will be in store on November 22nd and Microsoft is looking at all the demographics. One group their aiming for is a bit non-traditional for the gaming market, women. This is part of Microsoft’s plan to make the Xbox360 a family affair.
Back in the summer, when Bill Gates first showed off the Xbox360, he said he wanted it to be “convivial.” He wanted a place where a family or a group of friends could gather and have a primary entertainment unit. The unit, in this case the Xbox360, will not only play games, but it will allow DVD viewing, MP3 play, digital photos, and one must expect at some point IPTV even.
To that end, Microsoft is making a concerted effort to bring women on board for the game consoles. Not just teenagers though, they’re aiming for moms and wives. They’ve sent out brochures to a number of their major retailers promoting promotions for women. Microsoft is telling them to show other features other than just a game system. This is the complete package, a “one-stop-shop” home entertainment center .
The International Herald Tribune quoted Bill Nielsen, the marketing chief for the Xbox360, saying, “The point is to help a game player convince the women in the family that “this is for you, too.”
The Tribune does point out that the other options won’t necessarily sell it though and analysts are wary of the repositioning. Microsoft has a lot of ground to make up because right now they are third in the game wars behind both Sony and Nintendo.
The DVD wars may yet play a part though, particularly if, by some strange chance, they get the HD DVD into their console in the November release. While Gates said this won’t happen, it would be a brilliant move that would give Microsoft a huge advantage of the playing field, at least for now.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
