In a sudden change of heart, Microsoft changed its Xbox 360 tune. Two years after the initial launch of Xbox 360, Microsoft suddenly realized that its gaming platform has reached a point in its life where it can be used by anyone, not only by the core gamers.
So, in a strategy inspired by Nintendo Wii’s success, Microsoft has praised its Xbox 360 as the ideal gaming console for every casual gamer out there.

David Hufford, Microsoft’s director for Xbox product management, quoted by the New York Times, said it loud and clear. “For the last few years we have consciously and continuously fed the core gamer audience, and now we are reaching that inflection point where we have to reach out to the mainstream consumer and bring them into the Xbox 360,” Hufford summed up the new Microsoft strategy.
Besides introducing its “new” strategy, Microsoft unveiled a series of services and games that are intended to lure the casual gamers to buy the Xbox 360.

For example, the Redmond-based company has introduced Lips, the only singing game that offers wireless motion-sensitive microphones and the ability to sing from your own music collection.

Also, the Xbox Live service will start to offer individual avatars, a feature which resembles to Mii avatars introduced by Nintendo. The avatars are supposed to reflect the gamer’s personality better than the picture can. Users will be able to dress their avatar as they see fit, thanks to what will probably be a collection of virtual clothes from which the player will be able to choose.
The fact that the avatar is animated would generate an increased lifelike feeling, and its motions might be a tool for the gamer to express his or her feelings or state of mind.

Also, the company promised the best and broadest entertainment lineup the Xbox 360 has ever seen. In its strongest broadening play yet, Xbox announced Xbox LIVE Primetime, the next evolution in game shows slated for Xbox LIVE this fall, TV shows and movies from world leaders in entertainment including NBC Universal, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, SCI FI Channel and USA Network domestically and Constantin and MGM internationally and games like “Rock Band 2,” “Scene It? Box Office Smash,” “You’re in the Movies” and “Final Fantasy XIII.”

Although Microsoft’s strategy seems to copy some of the key elements that ensured the Wii’s success, Shane Kim, head of strategy and business development for Xbox, denied the accusations in an interview quoted by BBC News.

"We're not claiming to invent music games, or avatars. But we're innovating by bringing something new to these games, and taking them to the next level," he said. Microsoft’s move to casual gaming is not surprising. The Xbox 360 has been constantly outsold by Nintendo Wii and in the past few months it seems like even the PS3 has managed to attract more gamers than Microsoft’s gaming platform.

Two years after its launch, Microsoft hasn’t make any major improvement on Xbox 360 and the games that were able to boost the sales were the ones already released. So in order to keep up with its competitors, Microsoft seems to decide to go after the casual gamers.
However, stepping on Nintendo’s turf could be as dangerous for Xbox 360 as walking on quicksand. Nintendo Wii was always about casual gaming , unlike Xbox 360 which was conceived as a console for real gamers. Since its launch, Nintendo has reinvented the casual gaming, thanks to its innovative gameplay and accessories. Xbox 360 is risking not only to not be able to win the hearts and minds of the casual gamers, but also to alienate its original audience, the core gamers, for whom Xbox 360 means real games like Halo or GTA IV.

Maybe Microsoft should have invested its money in development of new games for Xbox 360, instead of going into an uncertain race on an unknown ground.