Xbox UK boss on Zune, mo-control, 720

Xbox UK boss Stephen McGill
Xbox UK boss Stephen McGill

Xbox UK boss, Stephen McGill took a sideswipe at competitor Nintendo this week, claiming that Xbox is the only place where both casual and hardcore gamers can both get their gaming fix.

"We are going broader with some of our content – Lips, You're In The Movies, Scene It… new Disney content, Rock Band and

Guitar Hero

doing really well," McGill told TechRadar.

"I think that has been a big change. Having that fun, party, social gaming experience which we didn't have back in 2005. As a platform we were known as the gamers' console of choice back then. And we continue with that 'label'…. We have the best content and the greatest choice for gamers AND… and it is that 'and' (not 'instead of')… we have great content for girls, for the family."

McGill hit back at the frequent accusations that Microsoft has somehow 'copied' Nintendo with its new Xbox Live Experience, with its avatars resembling Nintendo's Miis.

Accusations of copying

"I think, well, we've been going down the journey since J.Allard first introduced what Xbox 360 stood for. Nintendo didn't invent character pics. You know, for us, we've had gamer pics there for you to personalise your console experience since day one…[and] what we are showing with things like the avatars – I don't see this as copying at all… we are very focused on what we think we should be doing with our products and our services and we will leave the competition to figure out their own strategies."

And finally, what of Zune? Has Microsoft perhaps 'forgotten' about Zune in the UK?

"We don't have any announcements on that right now."

Check out TechRadar's full and frank interview, with more on Live Anywhere, motion control, celebrity developers and McGill's response to those Xbox One rumours.

Adam Hartley