Xbox 360 prototype worker switches to Sony PS3
Filed under: Gaming, Sony Playstation 3, Xbox 360 | By: Daniel
Posted on: July 22, 2008 | 54 Comments
We all know that the Xbox 360 hardware has had more problems than the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3 combined, RROD has become a joke and also public debate of why it happened.
The Xbox 360 does a lot right on the software front, but many news sites have long guessed that Microsoft rushed the 360 to beat the Sony PS3 to the market.
Today we have had some information sent in from someone who goes by the name of “Chris” and claims to of worked on the original Xbox 360 prototypes back in 2004.
They say that Microsoft’s biggest mistake was launching the 360 a year earlier than the PS3 and it’s this reason why there have been so many hardware issues.
The thing that jumps out at me, as I’ve noticed since launch, is that the PS3 costs much more than $400, $500, even $600 to produce, yet Sony still sells the console for less, and it’s all for the consumer.
I actually worked with Microsoft on the original Xbox 360 prototypes back in 2004, and, despite the accumulated cost of the hardware, Microsoft increased the price of retail sale above the production cost.
By the 360’s launch, I was a bit ashamed to see that the Xbox 360 was so expensive even though it was cheap to produce, and that’s when several other Microsoft devs in my group and I were surprised to see that the PS3 launched at only $600.
As a developer, I was really curious about each console’s hardware, and if we had put the Playstation 3’s hardware in our original Xbox 360 prototype, it would have cost well over $700.
The Playstation 3 consists of well over $750, but I’m amazed that Sony can sell the console for $400. In my opinion, that was a very smart move on Sony’s behalf.
Due to work terms, I’ve been prohibited from saying this until early 2008, but Microsoft severely rushed development of the 360, and we had a very short time window to work with in order to launch the 360 a year earlier. That was our, and Microsoft’s, biggest mistake.
As a result, the Xbox 360 has major hardware issues. I switched over to the PS3 when my Xbox 360, the console that I helped develop, RROD’d for the 4th time.
If what Chris says were true then it would explain all the Xbox 360 problems since launch, feel free to leave a comment below or read more Xbox 360 news.
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The “PS3 has no games” argumeny is so last year. I really can’t believe people still try to argue that point. You would have to be in serious denial to not see the tide is turning for PS3. If Gears 2 hits PS3, I will closet my 360. Most people I know have stopped playing Halo and gone back to GOW or COD4. Final Fantasy was a big blow, but I’m not into the game anyway. I thought Bioshock going PS3 was bigger. As for Netflix, we could already DL movies and TV shows on 360, and now the PS3 also, but most people I know don’t use that feature very often. Every one I know that has bought a PS3 have been very impressed with it.
I think its so strange how people insist on finding reasons to dump on one system or the other…or basically the system that they didn’t buy. If you own an X Box, why do you care if it’s better than PS3 or not? My guess is maybe people have anxiety about making the wrong decision.
I think both systems have their upsides. X Box has more games and the games are more refined at this point, whereas developers are still trying to catch up to making PS3 games. However, PS3 offers free online gaming and has the bluray player, whereas X Box makes you pay for online gaming and doesn’t have blu ray.
I personally chose to buy a PS3, only because I owned a PS2 prior and wanted the added bluray functionality. However, I don’t feel the need to trash the X Box system just because I own a PS3. Point being, just be happy with purchase you made and stop getting so obsessed about the system you didn’t buy or like. When you drive your car down the road, do you trash the other people who bought cars made by other manufacturers? I would doubt it.
Personally, and I’m speaking as a 360 owner, the 360 shouldn’t be called a next gen console. There is nothing next gen about it. All it is is a computer, normal cpu, normal graphics card normal everything. It even only uses dvd’s even though Microsoft supposedly backed hd-dvd’s. With all of that, the only truly innovating thing about it was the dashboard, but thats software which is not part of the console.
Now lets take a look at the ps3.
Innovative new processing power and graphics card (next gen)
Motion sensing controller, 100% wireless (next gen)
Blu ray discs (next gen)
Little to no hardware failures
And lets face it, because the 360 is so much like a computer (its even running a variation on windows!) developers find it easily to program for it and are able to already use all of it’s processing and graphics power.
The ps3 on the other hand is new and innovative, and developers have yet to unleash its full potential, just look at the ps2, year after year, the games kept getting better with no hardware changes. This is what is going to happen to the PS3 and when it does, no 360 fanboy will make a stupid youtube comparison video between the PS3 and 360 graphics because there will be no comparison.
P.S. Just because you don’t want to believe a person doesn’t mean he isn’t what he says he is, and until you can prove he NEVER worked for microsoft, then we have to assume he does, in this country you are innocent until proven guilty so fuck all you fan boys on either side, I say, the Wii is the way to go
I’d like to begin by stating that I am not a “fanboy”. I did however choose to keep my PS3 over my Xbox360. I simply enjoyed the fact that whatever game I was playing, did not kill my PS3. I did enjoy a couple of games on the 360, for about 20 minutes. After needing to send in my Xbox 4 times for “repairs”, I decided to trash it. I won’t try to get into the fact that the PS3 has better, more efficient, and higher powered hardware… because we can all go to wikipedia and read that for ourselves. I won’t comment on the 360’s killer games, like HALO… because if you like that game, good for you. I have some coloring books for sale online that may also interest you. No need to mention the Netflix joke either. If you are already paying Netflix, why pay M$ for the same thing? Granted M$ did manage to lure the FF series over (I guess if you’re willing to pay for it, then who wouldn’t take the money…. they took mine), but even if my 360 didn’t die, I’d still play in on the PS3 - mainly because it makes sense to play it on the better machine (see above). So now that you’ve read that, let me tell you how I’m not a fanboy. Sony sucks. Every single Sony product I’ve ever owned, save for the PS3, has crapped out. TV’s, Walkmans (may be showing my age there) CD Players, Recievers. I don’t buy Sony hardware any longer, but do know that my PS3 will last until the PS4 comes out…. and so far it’s doing much better then my 360 did. Now to post a comment the Xboy’s will understand…. Xbox Sucks cause it only has 4 little rubber boots to stand on. So take that M$…. next time make it 5!
People try to justify the Xbox 360 with one game, Halo or Gears of War. The same people who say MGS4 does not justify a PS3 purchase… lame.
Anyone who says MGS4 is rubbish or any form of ‘crap’ is obviously jealous of the inability to play the game on their beloved console. Their means of dealing with the issue is to tell themselves the game sucks, so they can feel better about the situation. I suggest you quit lying to yourself, because IF the game ever came to the 360 (which it will not) you would be first in line to buy it.
IGN has only given out 7 perfect scores, 10 out of 10. Only seven games ever. EVER. None of these titles were Xbox 360 exclusives. One of these was Metal Gear Solid 4. Quoting IGN, “MGS4 is a masterpiece.” Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. They posed the question if it was even possible for them to give the game a score of “11/10″. But don’t just take IGN’s word for it, check GameInformer, Gamespot, or any other review site, note the average score is near Perfect.
Anyone who claims CoD4 is better on 360 than PS3 is obviously full of feces. I know from personal experience; the offline version of both games are identical. The online portion - PS3 excels in gameplay, 360 excels in features. True statement. Question is, which one (gameplay or features) is more important to you.
We all know the truth. We know when you begin to downplay MGS4, you really are just kidding yourself and trying to feel better about not experiencing the best game this generation so far.
The aruguement is easily taken care of. If you have a 360, there is no reason, none whatsoever to buy a Ps3 other than its a BR player and maybe MGS4. thats it, end of story. If Sony gets a few decent games, its possible, but what game will come out better than whats available for the 360? Zero. I have both consoles and it collects dust, except for movies. Im playing frontlines, COD4, GOW, Halo 3, and Battlefield. Its an easy arguement. GOW 2 is coming, new Halo games, et al. Sony has missed this boat. On a minor note, Netflix downloads and the controller are head and shoulders to stick w or buy a 360. Ps3 controller is outdates and the online svc is a year away at best, and dont tell me its ok, because it isnt. Everything is a yr away w Sony, it just a fact.
While I will agree that the PS3 is a very powerfull system very few games take advantage of the technology.
For all the PS3 Fanboy’s that love the Blueray player.
Quit buying your Blueray DVD’s NOW!
Owning Media is old school.
In the VERY near future all media will be streamed via the internet. No need to ever own a DVD or CD.
Hey NYC… I have a 360. I have a PS3 too. Guess what, MGS4 is better than any of the 360 games.
Thanks guys. Your endless, pointless rants make my day at work go by so much faster. Ive got this site bookmarked. I’ve got a PS3. I really dont understand why anyone would buy a 360. I just dont.
This guy is so full of crap. I can’t believe you even published this nonsense. How about waiting to confirm a story before publishing it.?
This guy worked on the 360 YET he couldn’t fix or prevent his own RROD?. . . please.