GameStop Corp. (GME), Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): The Future of Gaming Looks Like the History of Gaming

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The second highlight of this whole thing is how poorly Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) planned the Xbox. While the final product is going to make everyone happy, the company clearly didn’t see this coming. In a separate statement, Don Mattrick, president of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s interactive entertainment business, said:

You told us how much you loved the flexibility you have today with games delivered on disc. The ability to lend, share, and resell these games at your discretion is of incredible importance to you. Also important to you is the freedom to play offline, for any length of time, anywhere in the world.

Why, in the name of Icarus, would that be a revelation? That’s information that the company should have either known intuitively or discovered in early market research. To be forced to backtrack on an announcement in the face of a competitor does not speak to the division’s ability to plan ahead.

Luckily for Microsoft investors, the stumble is unlikely to make a meaningful difference in sales once the new machines are actually released. The small amount of embarrassment now has allowed the Xbox to pull back even with the PlayStation. Now all we need to do is wait for the games.

It’s been a frustrating path for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) investors, who’ve watched the company fail to capitalize on the incredible growth in mobile over the past decade. However, with the release of its own tablet, along with the widely anticipated Windows 8 operating system, the company is looking to make a splash in this booming market.

The article The Future of Gaming Looks Like the History of Gaming originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Andrew Marder has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of GameStop Corp. (NYSE:GME)and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT).

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