Microsoft's ability to convert occasional players of online video games into regular gamers is key to growth for the next-generation Xbox 360 console, a company executive said on Tuesday.

He was speaking at a conference a day after the software giant announced the debut of a video download service for its Xbox Live online service that will make some television shows and movies available in high-definition video by November 22.

"The real growth here is getting to that moderate gamer. We need to bring them to the box," Peter Moore, vice president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division which oversees Xbox, told investors at the BMO Capital Markets conference in New York.

Source: CNET 

Being able to download movies and TV shows that you've purchased through the newly announced Xbox Live Video Marketplace is all very well. However, what do you do when your tiny 20GB hard drive is full?

According to Microsoft, that's no problem at all. Just delete the content you've paid for and then download it again at no cost any time you like.

According to Ovum analyst Jonathan Coham and this writer, Microsoft has got to be kidding. Coham says: "In terms of capabilities, the Xbox 360 only has a 20GB storage capacity. This significantly limits the console's ability to store premium content, especially considering it is required for game updates and save files. This means that users will need to delete content they have paid for. Although Microsoft has said these users will be able to re-download the content free-of-charge, this would be a bizarre concept for most. Microsoft should concentrate on providing better storage capabilities, either externally, locally or via network attached devices."

Source: ITWire 

GI.biz reports Electronic Arts CFO, Warren Jenson, says they don't believe Sony will hit their year-end PS3 shipment of 2 million consoles for North America and Japan. The North American shipment was to be between 1 and 1.2 million units. This 2 million target keeps being debated back and forth. A few weeks ago Sony had us spinning over a Bloomberg report (since pulled), that didn't jive with a Gamespot interview, to the point where the spin had become so bad, all we could confirm was a direct quote from Sony's Jack Tretton saying, "Sony Playstation 3 is in full production and our target quantities for North America remain unchanged ... We plan to have more than one million systems in North America by December 31, 2006"

 Source: JoyStiq

Nintendo claims that it is ready to pull off the largest worldwide videogame console launch in at least a decade, with around four million Wii systems being made available globally soon after its American launch. 

The games company will have four million units ready to ship during the six weeks between Wii's 19 November launch in the Americas and the end of 2006.

Nintendo is also hoping to keep up with demand during the busy Christmas period using a rapid replenishment programme designed to keep retailers' shelves fully stocked.

Source: Vnunet