Itagaki Speaks:

Itagaki is first asked to comment on the Xbox 360's Japanese price, which, with tax, just manages to squeeze in under the 400 dollar mark. Itagaki states that he wishes the price were a little lower, but this is his stance as a game maker and not a gamer. For the gamers, who play games as a hobby, any price would be okay if the system's capabilities and software lineup are good. Given a lineup that appeals to gamers, the overseas price of the system and the price of past systems don't matter.

He suggests standard CRT over other types, devoting a lengthy rant to his displeasure with LCD televisions. Itagaki states that Team Ninja has "flagship class" LCD televisions throughout its offices, and he's not impressed with any of them. The problem, he states, isn't so much with response time, but with inaccurate color. Combine that with the high prices, and he comes to the conclusion: "buying a CRT is, as a gamer, a wise choice."

"Without a hard disk," he explains, "it's difficult to do things like the Ninja Gaiden Hurricane Pack. There are also problems with caching." He suggests that smooth startup sequences for games would be difficult. Also regrettable, he states, is that, minus a hard disk, he won't be able to manage sound in the way Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball does now, where music is copied over from the game disk.