Microsoft also recruits Star Trek's Zachary Quinto for multimillion-dollar marketing battle against Sony's PS4 launch
Microsoft declined to comment on the cost of its Xbox One campaign, the largest ever undertaken for its flagship games console brand. However, the cost of such a global marketing blitz including TV advertising is likely to be at least $100m, according to industry sources who have worked on such campaigns.
Piers Harding-Rolls, director, head of games, at analysts IHS, said that the launch is critical in Microsoft's battle against rivals such as the Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation franchise.
"Xbox One is enormously important to Microsoft and represents the company's core strategy for engaging the consumer in the living room," he said. "Microsoft aims to spread its gaming and entertainment wings on to new Windows platforms and third-party devices to maintain direct engagement with consumers across multiple screens."
