Lewis: Microsoft Not Fazed By PS3 Launch, Price

In a recent interview with German news site Spiegel Online, Microsoft executive Chris Lewis has commented on the impending launch of the PlayStation 3, Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD, and the different tastes of the German market. Regarding Microsoft's expectations concerning the launch of Sony's PlayStation 3, especially considering the platform's anticipated lofty price tag, Lewis stated: “We don't want to get, nor are we, distracted by what they announce or don't announce. We both know that what they say may not become reality. It's interesting, but from our point of view we're focused on what we're doing. I don't really care when they launch.” When asked about Blu-Ray, which will be a featured technology of the PS3, in contrast to Microsoft's support of the HD-DVD format, Lewis quipped, “Blu-ray right now reminds us of another technology from Sony: Betamax. A bit like VHS -- we think that HD DVD is the format that consumers, film studios and publishers will embrace. As you're mentioning the cost of Blu-ray -- we think it's about giving consumers choice, we think it's about not necessarily asking them to pay over the odds for a technology that, at the moment, is unproven.” Finally, with Microsoft striving to be successful in the global market with the Xbox 360, Lewis commented that some regions have represented different tastes than others. As the executive in charge of the European market for the Xbox 360, he noted that exclusive content is key to the company's success, and that the appeal for different types of content is different in different parts of Europe: “Clever fun is right up there in terms of priorities. We do very well with our strategy game franchise Age of Empires there. You've got a huge, enthusiastic following for that genre. We are very specific about understanding what's important in each marketplace, and Germany's a great example of that.” For more information on the executive's thoughts, you can read the entire Chris Lewis interview in English on Spiegel Online.