Microsoft begins marketing marathon as Nintendo stockpiles The Cube
Game on as rivals prepare to lock horns
With the American launches of the GameCube and Xbox looming, (18th November and 15th November respectively,) both companies are gearing up for what will be the biggest face-off in videogame history.
Nintendo has announced that it has readied half of the 700,000 hardware units it is expecting to shift in the days following launch, with the others expected in the following few days. In a report filed to Bloomberg, the company stated that it fully expected to shift the 700,000 units within the first two or three days.
Meanwhile at Xbox HQ, Microsoft is putting the final touches to what will be the most expensive marketing campaign in gaming history. $500,000,000 is a lot to spend promoting a console and Microsoft seems to be taking a certain amount of sado-masochistic pleasure in carrying out such a venture.
"On the marketing side it's all about building buzz," said Robbie Bach, Microsoft's Chief Xbox Officer. "We're ready to rock and roll on November 15th. Our manufacturing facilities are at full strength, full volume.”
"When I got back here, I asked the team to do a logistical double-check and make sure we could make November 8th. In the end we could have made that date, but in looking at the challenges for everything to go right in an environment where not a lot was going right, I said we only get to do this once, so let's do it right." Bach stated when asked about the recently announced delay to the Xbox launch.
Microsoft is also gearing up to take the Xbox to the streets of America, with several pod-trucks driving around, doling out gaming and tacos. Surely a winning combination for wooing our Trans-Atlantic cousins.
Nintendo has announced that it has readied half of the 700,000 hardware units it is expecting to shift in the days following launch, with the others expected in the following few days. In a report filed to Bloomberg, the company stated that it fully expected to shift the 700,000 units within the first two or three days.
Meanwhile at Xbox HQ, Microsoft is putting the final touches to what will be the most expensive marketing campaign in gaming history. $500,000,000 is a lot to spend promoting a console and Microsoft seems to be taking a certain amount of sado-masochistic pleasure in carrying out such a venture.
"On the marketing side it's all about building buzz," said Robbie Bach, Microsoft's Chief Xbox Officer. "We're ready to rock and roll on November 15th. Our manufacturing facilities are at full strength, full volume.”
"When I got back here, I asked the team to do a logistical double-check and make sure we could make November 8th. In the end we could have made that date, but in looking at the challenges for everything to go right in an environment where not a lot was going right, I said we only get to do this once, so let's do it right." Bach stated when asked about the recently announced delay to the Xbox launch.
Microsoft is also gearing up to take the Xbox to the streets of America, with several pod-trucks driving around, doling out gaming and tacos. Surely a winning combination for wooing our Trans-Atlantic cousins.
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