The man who heads up Microsoft Game Studios has called Sony's PS3 online service into question, claiming that it is already way behind Xbox Live and can't match up with the new Live Anywhere system.
Speaking exclusively to CVG at E3 today, Kim told us that "Sony still has a lot to prove with its online service" if it's going to challenge the established might of Xbox Live. When we asked him what would happen if Sony's online service matched Xbox Live, Kim's doubts over the PS3's ability to match up were evident. "It's a big if," he said. "We've already gone to the next level, and I don't think Sony can do what we're doing."
But Kim pointed out that there were no plans to 'spoil' the launch of the PS3 with Halo 3 - or any other game. "If we wanted to use Halo 3 as a pawn in our strategy then yeah, we'd release it on PS3 launch date. But Halo 3 is not a pawn. It won't do anybody any good to have Halo 3 rushed out just to spoil someone else's console launch."
Kim reckons that the Halo 3 trailer - shown for the first time at Microsoft's Pre-E3 press conference yesterday and available for viewing right here - was a far stronger statement than either Sony or Nintendo managed. "It was a great way to end our briefing as opposed to the way some other people ended theirs. It was great to finally confirm that the new Halo game will be the third in the trilogy and that Master Chief will be finishing the fight in 2007."
And what about those rumours that the next Halo game would be some kind of spin-off from the trilogy? "Hopefully we've put to bed any concerns or confusion about what Bungie is doing with the Halo universe. They're very focused on Halo 3 and they're going to make it bigger and better and everything everyone expects."
Kim is also confident that the Xbox 360's line-up of games is strong enough to compete with the PS3. "Xbox 360 is going to be the only place you can play Gears of War, Forza Motorsport 2 and Grand Theft Auto IV. I really think Gears of War is shaping up to be the next big blockbuster and we have that exclusively. That's why I believe we have the very best lineup available on the next-gen consoles."
As for the PS3's pricing, Kim echoed Peter Moore's comments to us earlier today that Sony has priced it too high. "I also think we have a pricing advantage," he said.