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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We all know what each console is capable of. Sony is cool, but they made some bad choices. I went to them to play casual games, now I have to go to Nintendo for that. What gives?! Everyone knows the most powerful, fastest, and technologically advanced console NEVER FLIES OFF THE SHELVES. Wait a second, Sony said that I would have a dual core GPU or something. So why the hell is a PC-optimized nVidia 7800GTX in a PS3? Sony can’t keep killing themselves by selling the PS3 below what it costs. It’s not logical. Where is my content? Sony’s a big company, why does Microsoft have a billion things on XBL and PSN gets downloadable movies and TV shows now? They need to invest more and team up with Blockbuster, or something. Why are some developers going from exclusives to Xbox 360 too? Where’s the love? Don’t they give them the proper tools to code? Microsoft and Nintendo do. Keep Microsoft from taking you exclusives, Sony. MAKE A STAND!!! Why don’t Sony’s different divisions talk to each other? WTF!!! You have movies, music, telephones, and hardware. Have a sit down with them and talk it over. And again PSN is important and so is Home. Its hard for a hardware company such as Sony to understand that the software needs to work hand and hand with the hardware. Microsoft knew that. So they need to make some software and stop putting XP and Vista on their computers. Why can’t I use WiFi to play a game. Why should I have to pay extra for rumble? They give me motion controls when there are no games that use it. And don’t say Lair, which was a disappointment. Can I at least play music while a game on the same console.
To Nynja. A word of wisdom, Opinions are like a-holes, everyone’s got one. I think Oblivion is better and Rock Band…..and Forza 2….and Orange Box, but that’s just me.
And don’t say GT5 is going to be better because that’s like turning a knife in me. MGS4, if you didn’t notice, does not interest me. Killzone one was pretty bad so no KZ2 for me. GOW3? Maybe. Resistance was ok. Warhawk I liked. I was all wanting a PS3, but I don’t want to help destroy Sony either. I guess I’ll wait.
BTW, my Xbox 360 has not RRODed. I put a fan on so I think that helped. Anyway, its Wii time!
PS If anyone is wondering why I didn’t point out improvement for MS and Nintendo it’s because I’m impressed with their service and giving us cool new options that surprise us.
I hate the MSG series well because i hate MSG 2 why should i have to watch a 15 minute CG. Same goes for Call Of Duty , i hated call of duty 2 so i will never play the series again! I hate halo 3 , GOW, and Killzone. i own a xbox because of too human, bioshock, RSV2, rockband, mass effect, fable, GTA4, elder scrolls, and the great online service ( yes i have to pay for it, but i have never had a problem) unlike my wii i hate playing games online with it. thats why i won’t buy a PS3 unless they get a new compleing game that catches my eye. I like the powerful hardware of the ps3 but not the games.
In terms of my qaulifications to say that MIcrosoft only make money on the Xbox 360 model, I’ll offer my former jobs as evidence.
360 Gamer Magazine - News Editor
Freelance for CVG/Videogamer/Teletext/Electronics World and many many others.
Oh, and I’ve been, or been invited to every UK MIcrosoft event in the last three years before moving into videogames pr.
That enough for you?
Gareth Williams,
I don’t know about the UK but in the US the Xbox 360 has been making a slight profit on the sale of the hardware for almost 2 years now.
William Gunn:
i couldnt agree with you more! Sony is going to kill the competition when they figure out how to use this new technology.
i am so sick of hearing 360 this, 360 that. mark my words…”just wait and see”
as for FF going multiplatform…that is Bullsh!t
ok, I am done now. i think I’ll go play some PS3, hopefully i dont get the RROD…wait…i dont have to worry about that
I own all three systems, have no loyalty to any company, and really just go where the games are. I find it funny that the PS3 fanboys keep repeating, “just wait and see next year.” Wasn’t that what they were saying last year? I don’t understand why people can’t grasp the concept that this generation of gaming console is only going to last another 2yrs tops! How much time do you think Sony has? If there really aren’t many games coming out this year, then maybe the year after that AND maybe that year developers will learn how to squeeze the power out of the system…..given another 2 yrs Sony is going to start holding back their title development again for their next Playstation model.
“Lazy” development or not, the bottom line is that many PS3 titles just aren’t that impressive. Spending $400 to $600 bucks on a system because it is supposed to be powerful and it is supposed to have games coming 1-2yrs from now? Stupid. Purchasing 100’s of way overpriced Blu Ray movies with your Wal-Mart paycheck when you could just download HD movies through netflix for a cheap price? Stupid.
Anyway, looking at the history of consoles the most powerful unit often times doesn’t win and many never achieve their full potential becoming victims of recieving sloppy port after sloppy port..PS3..cough. Anyway, MS covers up their hardware with heavy PR campaigns and Sony covers up their garbage game line-up with heavy PR as well..”We are the most powerful console and will win the console war!” Believing in this propaganda is just stupid.
The key to the next console war is EA. Should EA create their own console? Or should they partner up with a company who knows the ropes and can bring more to the table than games such as an excellent online service and downloadable HD content? JUST A PREDICTION but if MS can partner up with EA to make a gaming console, lights out to Sony and Nintendo.
The haters will say that I, too, am a fake like “Chris,” but I was involved in the Xbox360 project (in the design area) way back when it was still being called “Xenon” and “Xbox 2″. I can confirm what Chris said - even back then, there was a big rush to get things settled and closer to shipping, and on top of that there were big, huge, massive egos (at M$? never!
) that kept trying to treat the platform as their pet project and jam completely ridiculous functions into it - stuff that properly belonged on a standalone PC, not a specialized game-player.
Between the rush to get it out the door and the massive egos tussling over their oh-so-necessary pet functions, I’m surprised it even works as well as it does. The RROD stuff really is no surprise.
I was thrilled when i bought my first! X360 when i got it home tuned it on it was louder than my SLI-1200w PC! Put up with it for a while then got the overheating fault, onthe 1st, 2nd dvd-fault, 3rd, Elite-dvd falt! The best thinking about the x360 is i can backup my games thats its. Anyway after all the returns bought my PS3 60GB Jap Model with the PS2 Chip in it and the quality shines through on the hardware, its super silent, and the best has the power bits all in one box EXCELLENT WELL DONE SONY! granted there arent as many good games but thats now chaging MGS, GOW3 etc. I now only have my PS3 but if M$ can get it right with their revised model coming soon i will buy one but it has to be reliable, silent, and for god sake M$ get rid of the brick!! its bloody awful. I remember watching Jeff Allard is it? on creating the x360 = WE DESIGNED, WE TWEAKED IT, WE F****D IT UP more like it! SO here to M$ getting it right for the 5-6th time
you have an opportunity to get it perfect so do it right
Uhmmm for all the idiots. The 360 Graphics chip is FAR more powerful than the 7800 GT. The microsoft chip is actually related to the 8000 series of Nvidia products not the older gen 7000s.
Hate to break the news to you PS3 users but your system is closer to an original Xbox than a 360…
I’m not only a gamer but also an online gamer. I already pay enough monthly fees; phone, cable, mobile, insurance, rent, car, etc. The last thing I refuse to add to that list is gaming. That is a pointless fee. I own an Xbox 360, but will NEVER pay for online gaming. Microsoft has always been about raping the consumer for profit. Prime Example: Windows.
Sure, lets give Microsoft another monopoly; home entertainment. No thank you. I am happy that someone entered the gaming arena to slap some sense into Sony. PSN would not exist if it weren’t for competition. PS3 would not be as feature filled if not for competition. If it were not for competition, Xbox 360 would cost as much as a high-end gaming PC. If it were not for competition, Xbox Live prices would not be the $50 a year.
Competition is what makes the consumer the winner. Truth be told. Microsoft rushed the 360. We all know this; only blind fanboys refuse to believe it. That is what this article is about.
to DY … and everyone else’s stink. I’m very familiar with the statement and guess what. Your’s smells really bad right now. It’s a shame you judge a game based on previous installments. That only limits your gaming options… incase you forgot that most games are sequels. To each their own.
to MARK … I’m glad you don’t like MSG, it’s very bad for you.