When companies draft up a new platform or piece of hardware, it’s easy to see how things stated in the beginning could end up as part of it 10 or even 15 years down the line. However, just because it’s easy to see that happening, doesn’t mean it still isn’t surprising.
Microsoft originally created the first Xbox and there was a memo sent from two major players in Microsoft’s history. In this memo were concepts and ideas that would be used to create the first Xboxthat was released in 2001, the Xbox 360 in 2005 and then the Xbox One in 2013.
“When we approved the Xbox program in 1999, we had a very good sense for what we thought the first three generations would look like. The original Xbox was out of cycle relative to the competition and we knew that the second generation would need to follow quickly. In most ways, Xbox 360 was simply satisfying the vision that we had for a new game console that could disrupt the marketplace with something new for gamers and creators and hopefully usher in more participants in the category.
“The original two-page memo written to Bill [Gates] and Steve [Ballmer] even had several concepts that became part of Xbox One spelled out. I know it lessens the romance of the story, but when billions are at risk and you’re designing ten-year platforms, there aren’t a lot of eureka moments or wild flashes of genius – you need to be mindful, planful and hold steady on the rudder,” Former Microsoft CTO J Allard told NowGamer.
It’s pretty incredible to think about the type of foresight Microsoft needed to have to see concepts and ideas that existed in 1999 still fit in during the early 2010’s, which by the way was an extremely different time for the gaming and technology industries. The Xbox has seen tremendous growth as a platform since it debuted in 2001, and everything Xbox One is doing now is proof of that.
Xbox One has arguably received some of the highest quality and most consistent first-party content this generation. Sure, they’ve faltered on occasion, however, they have been consistent with the quantity of games they’ve put out. The next major Xbox One exclusive will be Quantum Break and it is scheduled to launch on April 5.
[Source:- n4g]
