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Microsoft is “absolutely focused on providing stuff for core gamers”, 343 Industries’ franchise development director Frank O’Connor has said, adding that he believes the Xbox 360 “is still the best core gaming console”.
“Microsoft absolutely recognises the core gamer as exactly what it says; it is the core of our audience,” O’Connor told VideoGamer during E3.
“That’s the funny thing about E3. It’s a game show, so the articles tend to reflect the gamer perspective. The reality is that the SmartGlass stuff, and some of the Kinect stuff, and even the browser are all things that I am – and I’m saying this without any sort of corporate veneer – they’re things that I’m absolutely ecstatic about.”
Microsoft has previously been accused of abandoning the core gamer to develop titles and apps that appeal to a more mainstream audience.
The firm’s 2012 E3 conference featured a performance from R&B star Usher in an attempt to promote dance game Dance Central 3 – a move that didn’t go down too well with the core audience.
“I can’t understand how anyone would see having a fast, properly specced browser on their TV as a bad thing,” continued O’Connor, “and the ability to control it with SmartGlass takes care of all my other problems with that concept, which is now that I have a keyboard and a simple way to navigate.
“The problem is, the Xbox does so much more than just core games, that when you start talking about stuff that isn’t core games then core gamers are going to feel like they’re having their information siphoned off. But that’s not the case, Microsoft is absolutely focused and balanced on providing stuff for core gamers.
“And it’s still the best core gaming console, in my opinion. But that’s because I really like Halo and it’s exclusive. We’re making a core game for the core audience.”
