G. Turner: If this special proved anything, it was that Microsoft is trying to beat Sony at their own game, using their own tricks. While watching, I couldn't help but think of the PS2 hype machine, whirling up but with one major difference: they really didn't show us anything. Where were the promises? Other than 'eBay for Games', there was virtually nothing extolled, promised or even hyped about the Xbox 360's new features.
R. LeFeuvre: Are you jazzed to know the next generation of gaming has skinnable front covers!
G. Turner: I am! I can put even more stickers on my consoles now!!
R. LeFeuvre: At least we'll get some interesting skins in the US finally, as opposed to having to drool over all the Japanese and UK versions but I'm surprised that that info was one of the few things put out there. Other than specifics like "the inside is a monster".
G. Turner: Frankly, that's technical enough for me. I haven't been able to follow game console specs since the 'We're 16-bit but not really' Turbo-Grafx 16 was released.
R. LeFeuvre: I learned more about the system from the three leaked Engadget pictures than I did in those 30 minutes of video.
G. Turner: Hardly a word about the potential hard drive!
R. LeFeuvre: Maybe I'm just foolish to expect information about the Xbox 360 during an Xbox 360 infomercial. And might I add, what's with the normal TV ads during the extra long Xbox 360 ad?!
G. Turner: I guess they couldn't get companies on-board to spring for advertising on the faceplates.
R. LeFeuvre: I have to assume that there was a lot more going on that just wasn't used for the show. You can't bring all those famous dudes and dudettes down a green carpet to stand in a big circle and clap when the "Applause" light turns on.
G. Turner: I think you can! Just tell them the camera's on.

R. LeFeuvre: Or tell them they'll get a free system! Poor Lil Jon.
R. LeFeuvre: And continuing this assumption of a "launch party for the stars", why didn't they use any of that? It would have been a hellava lot more entertaining than seeing an old Xbox getting "pimped". Or even better, invite people with the game industry to show up! I'm really sick of video game media being coated in Hollywood icons.
G. Turner: Especially if most of the game industry folks can clean up like J Allard!
R. LeFeuvre: J Allard 360! With changeable faceplate!
R. LeFeuvre: I died when they said the character's had 5000 character polygons. That has to be before it was pushed to the 360. The current Xbox can do that. Some current generation games push 10,000 polygons characters!
G. Turner: Maybe they were just taken aback by the 'interviewer's' hard hitting questions and stern disposition.
R. LeFeuvre: I just don't know why of all the technical details, they used that one. People that don't know a lick about poly counts will ignore it and those that do will laugh at it.
G. Turner: It certainly seemed odd that the questions thrown at them were of a graphically technical nature, and not a darn thing about ... well, anything else. Although, that seems representative of the entire infomercial.
R. LeFeuvre: Do you really think any aspect of the infomercial is going to impact if people buy into this machine four years after the first Xbox hit the shelves?
G. Turner: I don't think it'd be a problem if there was a concrete message saying 'this is what the Xbox 360 will bring to the scene that your current Xbox lacks.' But there was no message there, no points, nothing. Not even much of any substantial message about Halo 3. You have to wonder whether people are looking at this as an infomercial. I mean, do people view this and see it as a video game version of Comedy Central's reel film infomercials, pimping the latest SNL-derivative flick?
R. LeFeuvre: When people look back next year at the Xbox 360 launch I don't think anyone is going to say "Man that MTV infomercial was really what made the difference". A system is only as good as it's games and we barely saw any of that.
G. Turner: Exactly. There was no revelation in the 360 games, and absolutely no footage that evokes a 'wow.' The closest we saw to that was the Madden footage. And then there's Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero, two titles that were supposed to come out this generation, and even the Perfect Dark Zero deathmatch was surprisingly sparse with the in-game footage!. I'm suspecting most casual gamers are wondering where Halo is too.
R. LeFeuvre: Tony Hawk himself introduced the world to Tony Hawk's American Wasteland, which will most likely be called by the somewhat obvious yet terrible nickname THAW. If the biggest change to the Tony Hawk series is no load times then I'm a little worried about the game situation due to this early push.

G. Turner: Were there any original IPs shown in the ad?
R. LeFeuvre: Gears of War was shown. And Kameo counts... it's just not a fresh IP. Kameo wilted long ago.
G. Turner: Regardless - that's weak.
R. LeFeuvre: Honestly, Gears of War was one of the highlights of the 22 minute Xbox-a-thon. Too bad it's entire screen time can be best count in frames.
G. Turner: Yeah, I don't even remember its appearance. But you're probably right in that this ad was probably a waste of time and energy, or at least it will be if Microsoft doesn't keep their ad campaign hot, heavy and constant until the console is finally released. This infomercial wasn't impressive enough to induce salivation in any way, shape or form.
R. LeFeuvre: It did generate a lot of web hype. Regardless of the merits of the actual show the pre-show press coverage was large. Leaks and pictures and digging for info. I don't think it makes up for the fact that the final product was bunk, but at least they got some buzz.
G. Turner: But a good deal of the buzz was ourcolony claptrap, or blogs and print magazines trying to one-up each other on who had the earliest 'exclusive'. Not to mention a slight press backlash at being left out of the premiere.
R. LeFeuvre: True, and even at my school, where game development is taught, Xbox 360 leak info wasn't really "water cooler talk".
G. Turner: I think they may be overextending themselves by pushing out too much, too soon, too fast with too little substance.
R. LeFeuvre: Certainly. Unless they have a bunch of kickass playable games ready for E3. Which I doubt.
G. Turner: Likewise. So, after seeing the infomercial are you more or less interested in the Xbox 360?
R. LeFeuvre: Neither. Maybe E3 will change that, but their half hour block of Xbox love did nothing for me.
G. Turner: I have to say I came away disappointed. I expected something at least a little shocking, or a little surprise. But instead, we got what looks like a slightly retooled Xbox. Maybe there's more to it, but I'm feeling like the emperor has no clothes.
R. LeFeuvre: There was something positive though - it made me want to buy something! The Killers CD. What a great ad!
G. Turner: Wow, MTV selling music. What is the world coming to?