MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg has disputed consumer demand for Home, dubbing the technology as outdated and pointed to Live as a premium experience” by comparison.
In an interview with Kotaku, the group product manager for Xbox 360 said: What Home to me feels like is Second Life for hardcore gamers. It doesn’t feel like it broadens the experience and invites people in.
When they unveiled it, it seemed innovative. I think what’s happened is now here we are a couple of years later and we feel beyond that. It feels like 2005 tech in 2008. I’m not sure that’s what people want.”
Greenberg’s comments about Home – which is due to launch today – arose as he addressed the issues of price cuts. While he acknowledged the ability to lower the Xbox 360’s price has benefited us tremendously”, he did not believe reducing the price of Xbox Live would help add value to the console.
He referred to Xbox Live Gold, which currently costs 40 a year, as an upscale experience”, adding: I think we have seen people are willing to pay for the premium experience. When they compare Live, even to Home, there is still a huge gap.”
