Interview with John Schappert..18 mill 360 sold and no plans for a BR add-on.

[EncoreEncore]

I very interesting interview with John Schappert...

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php...d=93248&page=1

Eurogamer: Let's start with your keynote speech yesterday. No mention of hardware stats - do you have any updated hardware sales figures?

John Schappert:I think that we've sold 18 million, the last time I've checked. 18 million hardware units worldwide.

Eurogamero you have a projection for 2008?

John Schappert:No - we haven't talked about that yet.

Eurogamer: You say it's a gaming platform primarily, but you did want to have the HD-DVD drive - it's not like it was forced on you or anything -

John Schappert:We wanted to offer people a choice -

Eurogamer: Sure, so now with that in mind, ignoring the fact it's the competition, would you do a Blu-ray drive and are you going to do one?

John Schappert: I don't think we have any comment on that right now or any plans, but my focus is I'd rather give you community gaming and contribute to more games you can play and focus on the fact that you're walking in, you're buying that box and it plays great games and has the best online service. I think the fact that it does movies and sometimes TV shows in other territories is great but not the primary reason.

Eurogamer: But in the interest of choice, in the pursuit of choice, which is something that you espouse, surely the next obvious thing to do now that this has been decided is to make a Blu-ray drive?

John Schappert: What I'll say is we have nothing to comment there. We have no plans to announce or anything like that right now. But I'd also urge you to look at the attach rate for the HD-DVD drive.

Eurogamer: So you're saying that given that it wasn't as popular as it could have been...

John Schappert: It was a 3 percent attach rate. So again, when you're saying 'the obvious thing', you also have to take into account how did the other accessory do when you look at the future. We have nothing to comment right now on that and my focus is how we make Live better, how we get more great games and how do we empower the community. That's what I wake up and think about, and it keeps me awful busy.

Its 3 pages but a intresting read...but it look like MS got their fingers burned on the HD_DVD.

[Sparc]

Eurogamer: Sure, so now with that in mind, ignoring the fact it's the competition, would you do a Blu-ray drive and are you going to do one?

John Schappert: I don't think we have any comment on that right now or any plans, but my focus is I'd rather give you community gaming and contribute to more games you can play and focus on the fact that you're walking in, you're buying that box and it plays great games and has the best online service. I think the fact that it does movies and sometimes TV shows in other territories is great but not the primary reason.

Eurogamer: But in the interest of choice, in the pursuit of choice, which is something that you espouse, surely the next obvious thing to do now that this has been decided is to make a Blu-ray drive?

John Schappert: What I'll say is we have nothing to comment there. We have no plans to announce or anything like that right now. But I'd also urge you to look at the attach rate for the HD-DVD drive.

In MS speak this means "yes! We'll announce by the end of the year" lol

[Carsonal]

18 million.
They jumped up from 17 million fairly quickly since the last HW update

[LeisureSuitLarry]

It is not in MS's best interest to hasten the widespread adoption of blu-ray. Neither is it in their interest to send Sony a royalty check for every blu-ray add-on sold. It has never been about "choice". This is all about business strategy. Microsoft has never had a large stack in the HD dvd market. Supporting HD DVD was secondary to opposing the format championed by arch-rival Sony. That was the smart move. Now that HD DVD is dead, what has MS lost? Very little. But should MS be in a hurry to jump on the blu-ray bandwagon? Absolutely not. Adding a blu-ray drive will not make the 360 more appealing to those who want a HD player because the additional cost will only make the PS3 more attractive. Expect more comments from MS, like those above, retrenching the 360 platform as a game machine first and foremost when asked about future HD plans.

[radgamer420]

18 million.
They jumped up from 17 million fairly quickly since the last HW update

That 18million includes sold to retailers not just consumers.

[carlosb]

18 million.
They jumped up from 17 million fairly quickly since the last HW update

It was probably 17.?? instead of a solid 17million.

[Guilty-X-Shell]

Thats 18million sold to retailers not consumers.

Are you smoking?he means 18 million sold worldwide,why in the hell and how in the hell can they ship 18 million 360's to retailers?

[LeisureSuitLarry]

Are you smoking?he means 18 million sold worldwide,why in the hell and how in the hell can they ship 18 million 360's to retailers?

Who, what, where, why, and how in the hell are they NOT going to ship to retailers?

[Guilty-X-Shell]

Who, what, where, why, and how in the hell are they NOT going to ship to retailers?

All at once?(25characters)

[Silver&black_Attack]

All at once?(25characters)

18 million have been sold to retailers so far in the 360s lifespan, not all at once.

[sorrow880]

I really can't picture MS releasing a blu-ray player anytime soon. Especially since it would be worthless for gaming and since they are trying to push downloads instead of physical HD media. It also wouldn't be price competitve without a price drop...20 GB 360 (350) + (200) blu-ray add-on = $550, vs. $400 40 GB blu-ray ps3. It just wouldn't make since and wouldn't have any profit in it for MS.

[EncoreEncore]

^^Yep...MS should just stick with the 360 for now and deal with adding blu-ray into their next xbox, assuming they don't have another HD storage media in their sights in 2 years time.

[MossadAgentO]

No plansfor a blu ray drive...? WTF!!! I thought it was totally and orderly guarenteed it was happening, i read it here for months and months??! WTF!!

[Baki]

18 million.
They jumped up from 17 million fairly quickly since the last HW update

How is that possible when they only shipped 17.6M worldwide (last year). I wonder how much they've sold in Europe. Me thinks they're not supply constrained. I'm also guessing these numbers are shipped.

[radgamer420]

Are you smoking?he means 18 million sold worldwide,why in the hell and how in the hell can they ship 18 million 360's to retailers?

Well thats what you guys from this board come over to the ps3 section and say when sony announces 10.5 million sold world wide. So which is it then? You cant have it both ways. If microsoft numbers are sold to consumers than sony numbers would have to be as well.

[Infinite Daremo]

Well thats what you guys from this board come over to the ps3 section and say when sony announces 10.5 million sold world wide. So which is it then? You cant have it both ways. If microsoft numbers are sold to consumers than sony numbers would have to be as well.

Shhhh, that logic dont work around deez hills.

[Baki]

Shhhh, that logic dont work around deez hills.

I don't know about the Sony Numbers but we do know that MS has sold approx. 10M in USA and only 500K in Japan. I find it hard to believe that they have sold 7.5M in PAL.(Since SCEE announced that they'll eclipse the userbase in EU by summer and the Wii is only @ 6M there.)

[Infinite Daremo]

Yeh if SCEE says they're going to do it ill believe them. Are you forgetting the years head start? Just because you wan't to disbelieve does not make it true. I bet you're the type to believe any Sony PR statement but Nintendo's or MS's statement are open to conjecture straight away. You find it hard to believe, i find it hard to care. All that really affects me is the one console they have sold to me any of the 17,999,999 consoles theyve sold affect me in no way shape or form.

[Carsonal]

How is that possible when they only shipped 17.6M worldwide (last year). I wonder how much they've sold in Europe. Me thinks they're not supply constrained. I'm also guessing these numbers are shipped.

They're selling them to unsuspecting Ugandans as heaters.
Works great in those chilly African winters on the equator.

[Baki]

Yeh if SCEE says they're going to do it ill believe them. Are you forgetting the years head start? Just because you wan't to disbelieve does not make it true. I bet you're the type to believe any Sony PR statement but Nintendo's or MS's statement are open to conjecture straight away. You find it hard to believe, i find it hard to care. All that really affects me is the one console they have sold to me any of the 17,999,999 consoles theyve sold affect me in no way shape or form.

I mean seriously did you not read anything I said? Secondly I doubt the PR would say anything which wasn't remotely possible, look at Nintendo's PR statement about overtaking Xbox 360 install base in America. Feasible? Yes or no.

Oh and I have hard numbers to back me up.

UK, PS3 reached 1 Million in 47 weeks, Xbox 360 reached 1 Million in 60 Weeks. (Chart track confirmed the PS3 outselling the Xbox 360 on a weekly basis recently).

France: Xbox 360 userbase eclipsed.

Italy: Xbox 360 userbase eclipsed.

And more....

All here..(source)

So next time think before you throw accusations at people.

Oh and I also find problems with Sony PR as well, I too doubt that the 10.5M sold is sold to consumer. It's from the financial report which is sold to retailers. (As of Jan 31st)

@Carsonal: It's cheaper than central heating.

[Rareware]

With all of the shortages of the 360, I would venture to say that shipped to retailers is pretty close to actually in consumer's hands at this point.

[EncoreEncore]

For the love of god do we need another thread derailed down the PS3 vs 360 in every stupid little way possible oneupmanship road, that's not what the topic is about.

[Baki]

For the love of god do we need another thread derailed down the PS3 vs 360 in every stupid little way possible oneupmanship road, that's not what the topic is about.

So....I wonder if they'll release a new SKU. Maybe a BD drive one? Wi-Fi integrated?

[EncoreEncore]

Yes they no doubt will , but not until 2010, and assuming MS don't have another HD storage format in sight.

[Baki]

Yes they no doubt will , but not until 2010, and assuming MS don't have another HD storage format in sight.

But remember hwo they want to offer everyone choice. I could definitely see them implementing an external BD drive or an internal one to undermine Sony's PS3.