Microsoft declares War in £14m marketing blitz @ McV

While Nintendo readies its own £12.5m push and Sony cracks open a £7m marketing warchest, Microsoft is set to lead the pack with what is a record spend for the platform holder.

“It’s probably well in excess of double what we’ve typically spent on a Christmas,” Xbox marketing boss Stephen McGill told MCV. “With Sony not being here and Nintendo coming in with limited stock the opportunity for us is pretty significant. Most of the £14 million will be spent on getting consistent TV airtime.”

And as Xbox 360 approaches its first birthday, Microsoft is targeting the platform’s range of product as the key differentiator.

“Our whole thing is about choice. We’ve got two different versions of the console, and a huge choice of games. It's also about how much you want to engage with it - if you want to get online or play Live Arcade games, gamers can go for it. It’s up to them.”

With the small matter of a hardware launch to organise, Nintendo will be looking to make an impact too. As revealed by MCV, the firm is splashing £6.5m on Wii and backing DS with a series of initiatives totalling £6m.

“You won’t be able to miss Wii on TV this Christmas,” Nintendo product manager Rob Lowe told MCV. “We will be supported with our heaviest ever online spend, and a large-scale print and cinema campaign,”

And of course Sony is ramping up its efforts too, with £7 million earmarked to push both PS2 and PSP. “PlayStation has always had a focus on TV at Christmas and this year will be no different,” said UK marketing manager Mary Tristram. “We will make sure that we extend the experience online and in print but the majority of the spend will be based on TV.”

Mad Catz Gears Gamers Up for War @ TeamxBox

San Diego, Calif. – November 09, 2006 - Mad Catz Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSE: MCZ), a leading third party video game accessory provider, announced that it has shipped its line of officially licensed merchandise for Epic Games’ highly anticipated Gears of War video game scheduled for release on November 7, 2006. Mad Catz recently entered into an exclusive 2-year licensing agreement with Gears of War creator, Epic Games, represented by CAA, to produce the new products.

“Epic Games has created one of the most-anticipated Xbox 360 games of the year and Gears of War wowed attendees at the industry’s E3 conference in May. The Gears of War license is an excellent addition to our portfolio of leading entertainment and sport licensed properties and demonstrates Mad Catz’ continued commitment to providing differentiated products by licensing cutting edge properties,” said Darren Richardson, President and CEO of Mad Catz.

“Mad Catz is a welcome licensed partner, enabling us to expand our unique Gears of War IP into the accessory market,” said Mark Rein, Vice President of Epic.

The Gears of War themed products available include faceplates for the Xbox 360 with an MSRP of $19.99; faceplate and Console Skinz™ combo pack including graphics to customize the sides of the console with an MSRP of $29.99; and a Console Crate™ hard case for transporting and storing the Xbox 360 console and accessories with an MSRP of $59.99. At launch, Mad Catz will provide exclusive Gears of War products to several major domestic retailers, with products available at major video game retailers throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. For more information visit www.madcatz.com.