It would be stupid for MS to launch the Xbox portable this fall

[soonersfan60]

I can't believe this. MS hasn't said anything official, but this story says Xbox portable might come this fall.

http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=31m,lbqa,spu,5gze,iq0p,kd1,80v7

I think that would be really stupid. MS should focus on building their Xbox 360 lead against Sony and Nintendo instead of splitting their attention--and their fan base.

[Javery]

It's not coming this fall. They would have at least mentioned it at E3 and we would have heard something by now from some developer about them working on a game for it. There's just not enough time to get the hype built up and with 2 other very very very anticipated consoles launcing during that time it just doesn't seem plausible.

[soonersfan60]

I agree with you completely, Javery, on all points: too soon, no hype, no E3, too much competition this Christmas. But this is from a "respected" gaming site, so I had to comment on it.

[shipwreck]

So Microsoft would be able to get a Portable Console to the market faster than Street Fighter II and Poker? Wait a minute, it's so obvious now: Street Fighter and Poker are clearly going to be launch titles for the Portable Xbox and that's why they've been held back.

[ArthurDigbySellers]

The portable device that is being talked about is a supposed "iPod killer" that is rumored to be released before Xmas this year. I don't think MSoft is all that eager to get into the portable gaming market besides possibly the phone market.

The fact that Dean Takahashi, the originator of these Xbox portable rumors, said that J Allard would be overseeing the portable project and the fact that Allard is overseeing the music/video portable device that they are actually working on makes me believe the portable device that Takahashi thought was a gaming device is just another mp3 player.

If Microsoft's past hardware designs are any indication, this media player is probably going to be the size (and weight) of a fucking brick.

[Javery]

I need one of those things that John Popper wears to organize all of his harmonicas except mine would be for portable devices which actually aren't all that portable collectively since I have to lug around roughly a billion of them. Let's see... GBASP, GBM, DS, PSP, Blackberry, iPod, cell phone and all the games for all those systems... the last thing I want is MS releasing something I can't say no to.

[epobirs]

Not remotely in the realm of possibilty. The amount of work involved in just lining up software development would make it pretty much impossible to have it be a secret this close to launch.

A music/video player is a different story. People are going to rip their own CDs to WMA for this or buy/subscribe tracks/videos from any of the many choices for online purchases in WMA/WMV format. So software isn't a problem. It already exists.

There will be some gaming but only very casual stuff like Solitaire.

[Puffa469]

take 'this fall' off the end of the topic title and I agree 100%.

[A Happy Panda]

Does the xbox portable even exist? It's been all hearsay for the past year or so now.

[Brak]

... again, isn't this "handheld" going to be just a portable music player..?

[soonersfan60]

The games rumor appears to be true !

Here's the link:

http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=13183

[trq]

I'd like to give MS more credit than that. As they point out in that link, trying to beat Apple, Sony, and Nintendo at once would be unbelieveably stupid. Though I think the PSP is so poorly designed, there MIGHT be room to slip in something very similar, but actually ... you know ... GOOD at tackling multimedia.

[terribledeli]

Assuming this is coming this year (which I don't), why would Microsoft allow their development teams (Rare Ltd.) to develop games (Diddy Kong Racing) for their competition (DS)?

Unless its not a portable console, but a media device set to compete against the iPod video.

[crazytalkx]

The DS defeats all opponents, and such, Microsoft's portable will succumb to its might.

[trq]

Well, the evidence points toward it being more iPod than PSP yet again, according to Gamespot.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/show_blog_entry.php?topic_id=24794731