Tag Archives: Don Mattrick

Microsoft’s president of Interactive Entertainment Business Don Mattrick, has said the firm’s doesn’t consider Valve a competitor despite the firm readying a living room system of its own.

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According to VentureBeat, Xbox executive Don Mattrick mentioned during a GamesBeat panel that Halo 4 “will work with” Microsoft’s recently-revealed tablet, Surface. No details were given but the platform holder has said that all first-party games will include SmartGlass functionality so you can probably expect something of that ilk. Halo 4 is due exclusively on Xbox 360 in November.

Due to the impending retirement of Mike Delman, Microsoft has handed over the chief marketing officer position of its Interactive Entertainment Business, which includes all things Xbox 360, to company vet Yusuf Mehdi. Starting on December 5, Mehdi will report directly to IEB president Don Mattrick. No word just yet on who will fill Mehdi’s former position as chief audience officer in the Online Services division, but on an interim basis, all of Mehdi’s directs will report to Qi Lu, head of Online Services. Thanks, GI.biz.

Spike TV’s announced it’ll be the exclusive broadcaster of the Microsoft E3 briefing in Los Angeles on June 6.

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Activision’s just announced Call of Duty: Black Ops has grossed $650 million within its first five days on sale worldwide.

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Getting Kinect for Christmas? You may want to get a move on.

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Microsoft has looked ahead to Christmas and has decided it will see 5 million Kinect units instead of the previously forecasted 3 million.

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No loss-leading here.

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Kinect has been given its own biography of sorts, which chronicles the very beginnings of the idea for the tech and onward to its impending release.

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Microsoft’s announced Don Mattrick as the new president of its Interactive Entertainment group.

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If by some chance you missed the end of Microsoft’s press conference, needless to say there was a whole bunch of WTFs and more as Xbox 360 Slim was announced, don’t worry: we have you covered.

Hit the break.

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Update: It’s official. Bach and Allard are to leave the company.

Original: Kotaku‘s reporting that Robbie Bach, president of entertainment and devices of Microsoft, as well as one of the fathers of Xbox, will leave Microsoft this fall.

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Microsoft put out brand new Natal video at CES last night.

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Steven Spielberg has told the BBC that everything he’s working on with EA is now in the bin. Why? Because now he’s got Natal.

“I’m currently making videogames through EA, and right now I’m so excited to be able to write for [Natal],” he said, talking alongside MS entertainment boss Don Mattrick after the Microsoft E3 press conference last night.

“That’s what I’m most excited about, because it sort of changes the paradigm of what I would have written for last week, now all that has been thrown away and it’s a whole new world, a whole new beginning.”

The body-sensing tech, the creator said, will pull down the barriers experienced by many when they first pick up a game controller.

“This is going to try to bring those that are intimidated or scared of the technology, with what the buttons do or what the controller does, this is going to give people that don’t usually play videogames access to a whole new world that we know is compelling but they haven’t quite discovered yet,” he said.

“I think they’ll discover it through Natal.”

Spielberg added that Natal is a step in allowing developers to create truly emotional content.

“I don’t really know of a convergence, and I can’t give you a date for convergence, but so far, the videogame industry has not allowed us the opportunity to cry while we’re playing a videogame because we’re too busy putting our adrenaline rush into the controller, or to wherever we have to swing our arm with the Wii controller, to get a result, to achieve a level of success,” he said.

“Because of that there’s no room for a videogame to break your heart. I think, in terms of a technology, we have a little more room, to be much more emotional with the Natal technology than we ever have before.”

You must watch that interview. Hit this for details on the Nintendo and Sony conferences today. Let’s see if they can do better than this.

Microsoft has confirmed the 30 million global unit milestone for Xbox 360.

The company also said today that more than 20 million people are now actively using Xbox Live.

“We’ve always been confident that Xbox 360 offers more entertainment value than any other console on the market, and these latest numbers show that consumers agree,” said Microsoft entrtainment boss, Don Mattrick.

“We expect our growth to continue to accelerate. Our news at E3 next week will underscore our commitment to bringing blockbuster entertainment experiences to everyone and to growing the Xbox entertainment brand globally.”

Press release after the break.

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Microsoft has announced its to acquire BigPark Inc, a company comprised of industry vets Wil Mozell, Erik Kiss, Hanno Lemke and Don Mattrick who created or had large roles in both Distinctive Software and EA Canada.

BigPark’s founding team has over 80 years of collective experience in the game industry, having produced or overseen titles Need for Speed, FIFA Soccer, Skate, NHL Hockey, NBA Street, and SSX.

The acquisition will meld the developers into Microsoft Game Studios, where the team will continue development on its exclusive Xbox 360 game.

“We are delighted by the opportunity to welcome the BigPark team into Microsoft Game Studios,” said Microsoft Games GM Phil Spencer.

“The team is composed of some of the most experienced and creative minds working in the industry today. The combination of the BigPark and Microsoft Game Studios talent pools will be an accelerant for growth and innovation. We believe BigPark has tremendous potential to create new properties and innovative gaming experiences for our platforms, one of which we’re looking forward to showcasing at the E3 Expo in June.”

Full thing below.

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Microsoft has responded to claims from Bill Roper that Don Mattrick isn’t a “fan” of the MMO genre by saying 360 is already creating “memorable” MMO experiences for its 17 million Live members.

Cryptic design boss Roper told VG247 yesterday that he thought it unlikely Microsoft would announce a first-party MMO for 360 at E3, as Xbox boss Mattrick isn’t keen on the sector.

In a statement issued to VG247, a Microsoft US spokesperson said:

We’re already tapping into the robust Xbox LIVE community of more than 17 million members to create memorable massively multiplayer experiences on Xbox 360. In fact, we already have MMOs on the console, including “Final Fantasy XI” and “Phantasy Star Universe,” and even more on the way with “Age of Conan.” We’re even introducing the first a whole new type of massively multiplayer online game later this year with “1 vs. 100,” a dynamic, interactive game that lets the LIVE community play along in front of an audience of thousands and an actual host for a chance to win real prizes.

MMO games are a growing category on consoles today and they hold great potential for the future, and Xbox 360 is the only console with the rich online capabilities of Xbox LIVE to deliver those kinds of innovative experiences in the living room.

Roper himself is working on Cryptic’s Champions online, which is in development for 360 as well as PC.

Don Mattrick is unlikely to announce a Microsoft MMO for 360 at E3, Cryptic design director Bill Roper told VG247 in a phone interview today, as the Xbox boss isn’t a fan of the genre and doesn’t have the infrastructure to support a perpetual online 360 product.

“I actually would be a little surprised,” he said when asked if we’re likely to see a first-party Microsoft MMO revealed at the show.

“I don’t think that’s something they’ve been really pushing towards. From any discussions I’ve ever had, or heard with Don Mattrick, Don’s not necessarily a huge MMO fan.”

Roper added: “[There's a] a sticky and difficult thing they’re still going through of how do they do it with third-parties. All those same concerns about business models and technology are going to be the same on the Microsoft side, and they don’t really have that online server platform, especially on the console, because they’re not developing one.

“I would actually be surprised, pleasantly surprised, but I actually would be surprised if they were announcing something first-party.”

Roper said that console MMOs in general are unlikely to be a hot topic at this year’s E3 due to the problems involved in getting them up and running on first-party hardware.

“There could be a lot of people sticking toes in the water, but maybe less than you would imagine, only from the standpoint that there are so many logistics to work through,” he said.

“There’s just so much to go through in terms of how technology interfaces and how the business model works. So much has to happen outside the walls of the developer or a publisher.

“That’s the thing that would potentially be slowing people down from saying they’re going to be creating MMOs on the consoles, but I think we’ll probably see one or two big announcements about it, would be my guess.”

Roper’s Champions Online is currently in development for 360, but no date’s been set for the game’s launch as yet. It’s PC SKU is out June 14.

It’s so on. Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have all said in this ESA press release that this year’s E3 is going to be a whopper, with Microsoft’s Don Mattrick saying the company’s showing this year is going to change the way people think of home entertainment. Forever.

“Microsoft is gearing up for a big presence at E3 which will completely transform how people think about home entertainment,” said Mattrick. “We’re excited about the momentum that is building in the industry in anticipation of our June 1st media briefing, which will kick off E3 in blockbuster style.”

“Nintendo has been a long time attendee of E3 and it has our full support,” said Nintendo’s Reggie Fils-Aime. “E3 brings a wide variety of key audiences into contact with products from many companies, including Nintendo. It’s the place where creativity is on display, and as a ‘sneak peak’ for our entire industry it helps generate excitement for gamers around the world.”

“Sony Computer Entertainment America is looking forward to another great showing at this year’s E3 Expo,” said SCEA boss Jack Tretton. “The audience of North American-based and foreign media and key industry partners makes E3 Expo an ideal place for us to unveil the latest PlayStation news and products at our press event on June 2.”

E3 runs from June 2-4 this year. It’s going to be amazing. Full thing through the link.

Xbox super-boss Don Mattrick will keynote GDC Canada on May 12 in Vancouver, organiser Think Services confirmed today.

His time on stage will focus on the Canadian games industry and how it’s evolving.

“While it’s one thing to discuss the thriving game development field in Canada, it’s another thing entirely to have shaped the transformation of this growing industry yourself; Don Mattrick has done just that,” says Think Services events heaf, Izora de Lillard.

“The mark Don has left, and will invariably continue to leave, on Canadian game development makes him the perfect person to discuss the future role that Canadian developers will play in the industry.”

Press release after the break.

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