Moore on Xbox 360

An interview in Famitsu with Microsoft's head of Xbox marketing, Peter Moore, has revealed the company's reasoning on how and why it will succeed in Japan.

Fighting the corner for the forthcoming Microsoft console, the vice president and chief of worldwide Xbox marketing told the publication that he was extremely satisfied with the Xbox Summit 2005 presentation last month, as it allowed the opportunity to show the level of commitment third-party publishers have for Xbox 360.

Expressing that the next generation console will provide Japanese publishers the chance to expand in the global market, Moore declared that the good relationship built over time with those companies have helped in the capture of the potentially key titles that were announced at the Summit, including Ridge Racer 6, Rumble Roses XX, and a new Gundam game.

The exec also showed pride in signing former Square-Enix producer Hironobu Sakaguchi to create two titles, Blue Dragon and Lost Odyssey, with the trio of Sakaguchi, Tetsuya Mizuguchi, and Yoshiki Okamoto hoping to kick start interest in Microsoft's machine and avoid the nonplussed reaction that befell Xbox over in Japan.

Regarding his thoughts on Sony's PlayStation 3 going against the 360, Moore believes that while the public sees them as very similar, he thinks Microsoft's concern lies more in the expansion of the games industry but Sony is trying to push in a different direction. The marketing chief went on further to suggest PS3's price won't be affordable to normal households, although pricing has yet to be confirmed for either system.

Xbox 360 should be available before Christmas if everything goes to plan for Microsoft.