>>MS put a lot of money into the project, dont expect them to pull out yet.
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>Oh I don't, I'm just wondering how far they will go (should it not take off anymore) and how much they will spend to make it successful.

I think they will take it until they are utterly defeated, lets face it, MS dont exactly have a cash shortage on their hands, and if there is even a chance that they can get a chunk of this market they will keep going. Theres a lot of money to be made by the right product at the right time. See the original PS for examples of that.


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>They are taking a brave step with the online approach and if it works, they will come out on top, but if it doesn't, it could be the final straw.

I agree, if they dont win the online crowd, more so if they get beaten by the PS2 in online, then I dont think the XBox will have much of a chance, that doesnt mean they wont continue with it though, and try with a new system in a couple of years.

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>What worried me (even though I don't own an X-Box) is that they have already announced X-Box2!
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>That's like MS releasing .Net and then a few months later hyping up another new project that steals the thunder from .Net and replaces it!

In the gaming industry, thats pretty standard, Sony was already saying they wanted the PS3 to be X times more powerful then PS2 before it was released. They have actually also made hints at what they want from the PS 6 or 7, by then they want it to be organic like, and you plug into it, see the movie Exitenz and thats prtetty much what sony have said they wanted eventually. Whether they actually do it is another matter though :)
They are always hyping what may be coming, but dont expect it to come before the console is about 5 years old, that seems the standard update age at the moment.

I really think MS are in a much better online position though, for one they will get people on a lot cheaper then the PS2 will, I think its only $50 US to join the XBox-Live network for a year and you get a headset. The PS2 requires you to buy an external HDD and modem for the PS2 just to connect, then multiple subscribtions to any gaming network you choose to join (owing to the fact it is not centralised like the XBox network). I think that will create a situation like PC Online games are now, where most games have their own network you have to subscribe for, and then when they do put multiple games onto a single network, it only supports some games and then you need to go elsewhere to play something other then Quake or Counter Strike ;)

I know when the money permits, Ill be looking at the X-Box first.