Q&A: Microsoft's Peter Moore

At Tuesday's X04 Canada event, GameSpot caught up with affable industry veteran Peter Moore, VP of sales and marketing for Xbox International at Microsoft.

In between the demos and ice cold sodas, we spent some quality time with one of the Xbox team's most visible boosters.

GameSpot: Peter, let’s put you on the spot out of the gate. What is the best-looking game here at X04?

Peter Moore: C’mon! How can I answer that? [laughs]. OK, I think Forza Motorsport looks spectacular.

GS: Why?

PM: Some of the things the developers are doing with the tracks, the level of detail, mapping down to almost a square foot. We’re really at the stage with the Xbox where developers are getting the most out of the hardware, as you can see here. Obviously, Halo 2 looks spectacular too, but I don’t think it’s the way it looks that people are blown away by. Rather it’s the way it plays. People are also hyped about the way Conker looks because the last time they saw him was on the Nintendo 64. But the best-looking game here is Forza, with Halo 2 not far behind.

GS: What are your proudest achievements in the 18 months you’ve been with Microsoft?

PM: I’m delighted at the strides we’ve seen around the world in market share--also, the company’s commitment to online gaming. I stood on the stage at E3 in 2001, when I was still at Sega, and I was one of the only third-party publishers at that point to support Microsoft. At that time, we had no Xbox Live content…and then, to pass the million subscriber mark a couple of months ago--as we continue to set our goals at 1.5 million subscribers at the end of this fiscal year--I think Microsoft has done a phenomenal job.

GS: The industry has come a long way in online console gaming.

PM: When I think about where we were--when SegaNet went live on a 28.8K modem with NBA 2K1--and now I look at this baby [gestures to Halo 2 on a nearby TV screen], it’s amazing how far we’ve come in less than three and a half years. And with DOA Ultimate from Tecmo being a full, online fast-twitch fighting game, it’s incredible how the marketplace has changed.

GS: And your competitors?

PM: Certainly Sony has individual online games but nothing compared to the Xbox Live experience.

GS: But what about your achievements since you’ve been at Microsoft?

PM: I’d rather focus on the team that we have. I have about 1,500 people in my organization. It’s not about me but the team that makes it all happen, whether it’s the folks at Microsoft Game Studios, our third-party developers, or our aggressively going after market share, such as in Japan.

GS: Speaking of Japan... What grade do you give the Xbox Japan team thus far?

PM: We had a tough launch, but we have a new management team in there. Looking back, there are a lot of things that we probably would have done differently or better, but I think what we've done in the last six months, especially with Xbox Live in particular, and some announcements we'll be making at the Tokyo Game Show next month, I think people will start to understand we’ve very committed to the Japan team and very committed to the marketplace. We still see Japan as a huge springboard for the industry. The publishers that we have there--Sega, Konami, Capcom--are very important to us, so it’s important we still aggressively market our products there. They need to walk out of their front doors and see our stuff. And we’ll continue to do that.

GS: Are there any decisions you wish you could make over again?

PM: Yes, but I’m not going to tell you! [Laughs]. As you know, this industry is a fast-paced industry, and we make decisions whether to maintain content or kill content, whether to do marketing campaigns or not do campaigns, and how to do them. So you’re making 20 to 30 decisions a day. Therefore, they’re not all correct. But you’ve got to make them. And I've got to say that it is incredibly motivating to work for a company like Microsoft that is not afraid of making large investments very quickly. All the way to the top, from both Bill [Gates] and Steve Ballmer, [both men] are very engaged in the Xbox business. I was with Bill yesterday talking about where we’re at and where we’re going in the future, and he is incredibly enthused. He can’t wait to play Halo 2!

GS: What do you think the hottest indie studio is on the planet right now?

PM: BioWare is a great example. They’re a Canadian company. Every build of Jade Empire gets me more and more excited. They’re a great partner, and I hope they continue to be for many years to come. They have the ability to tell great, deep stories. Those guys really nail it with the storytelling. There are other companies, of course, but BioWare are the guys I really admire, and I’m glad we have a relationship with them.

GS: For the record, has Microsoft made an attempt to acquire BioWare? That seemed to be part of the pre-E3 buzz this year.

PM: If we did, I’m not going to tell you [laughs]. We have a great relationship with BioWare, so let’s leave it at that.

GS: Another E3 question: Was that Halo 2 tattoo real? Can we see it?

PM: No comment! I have a long sleeve shirt on, so you can’t see.

GS: Hmmm. Speaking of Halo 2, how many units will be at retail at launch?

PM: That will be determined by our retail partners, but the demand is huge. When I look at the numbers right now on a global scale and, in particular, in North America, there is no doubt in my mind that the first 24 hours of Halo 2 will be bigger than the first 24 hours of any movie at box office or music CD. They will pale in comparison. Halo 2 will be the biggest 24 hours in entertainment retail history. This is bigger than video games. It’s a pop culture phenomenon. The anticipation for the November 9 launch is huge. Our retail partners will have thousands of stores open at midnight, with hundreds of thousands of copies snatched up right there.

GS: How many units do you think will sell over the first 24 hours?

PM: I can’t say for the first day.

GS: At the end of the first month?

PM: It’ll be in the millions. Interestingly, the first Halo is still a top 10-selling game on the charts. But if I told you that I knew what Halo 2 will do, I’d be lying. Our retailers are really behind it.

GS: Let’s change gears for a moment. Is there anything you miss about the Sega days?

PM: I think we did a terrific job launching the Dreamcast. People still come up to me and tell me they pull out their Dreamcasts to play Soul Calibur or Ready 2 Rumble. I miss the people we worked with--some great people who are now dispersed throughout the industry. Actually, some have come to work with me at Microsoft, such as Mike Fischer, who was my VP of marketing when I left Sega and is now VP of marketing in Japan. I am very proud--extremely proud--of what we did with online gaming back in the Dreamcast days.

GS: How do you think Sega is doing today?

PM: I think they’ve turned a corner and have again become a major player in Japan. I’m not too familiar with the relationship with Sammy, but it seems to be a plus for them, both financially and broadening the business they can do. I’m very hopeful. You know I have a soft spot in my heart for them. I’m hopeful they’ll eventually become the power that they were some years ago during the [Sega] Genesis days. I think the industry misses them. We have a relationship with them. We’re publishing OutRun 2, and they’re a great partner.

GS: Lastly, Xbox Next. What’s the word?

PM: We won’t be beaten to market by our competition. That’s about all I can say right now. The Xbox, right now, is doing so well, and there are a lot of legs in Xbox before we need to worry about the next gen.