Touring the Microsoft Xbox facilities

So if you hadn't noticed, Peter and I were in Seattle last week — one of the things we were treated to for driving out to Redmond was an all-access tour of the Xbox facilities, courtesy of our main man, Major Nelson. See if you can notice which color plays a central role in the interior design theme of the facilities. Interesting side note: Xbox HQ is off-site from Microsoft's main campus in Redmond — apparently they wanted Xbox to function as its own independent creative unit apart from regular Microsoft operations. Click on for the full tour!

We hear when they shut down for the day this Master Chief statue gets powered on and actually patrols the halls with a Covenant Energy Sword.

The original Xbox trophy case. Memmmorieees.

The halls of the quite expansive three-floor Xbox HQ building. Think we came on trash day.

Yes, these are pallets of Xboxes. International ones though, shipped in straight from China for testing before launch.

This crew right here is who�s watching Live 24x7x365. They�re the ones who make sure every game and service stays up, and act as liasons between the NOC and end user support peeps.

... and if there are any problems, they have a library of every Xbox game every published ready for testing. We tried making off with a couple bins but we were wearing our tight jeans that day.

The central Xbox Live NOC is in an undisclosed location, but at Xbox HQ they have a 350+ server testing environment for developing new versions of Live, as well as debugging problems with the, uh, live version of Live.

One hall proudly displayed flowcharts of every possible 360 screen. We had no idea how many there really were.

And finally we have J. Allard�s conference room. Look familiar? And yes, believe it or not the 360 shortage hit so hard that even the 360 in the centerpiece isn�t real. Can someone please get J a 360 for Christmahannukwanzaa?

Thanks again to the Major and his crew for their hospitality! Maybe next time we�ll give them a grand tour of the Engadget offices.

Oh, and Sony and Nintendo: we�re still waiting for our tour, you don�t want Microsoft showing you up, now do you?

[rtheman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

It's so hard to be Green......

[Yopa @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Did you happen to ask them,
"So, for how many console generations are you planning on flooding the market with heavily subsized but creatively-limited DirectX box's?
After losing 4.1billion on the first Xbox (~10% of Microsoft's cash reserves), are the shareholders getting antsy, or do they feel that this is a fine way to crush the real console developers?"

[Sjohn @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Can't really blame him, I'd love to be able to see that place, that trophy case looks pretty cool, I want a chrome xbox.

[rouz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

is that the same undisclosed location where Cheney is? maybe he is down there with some strippers and 360's?

it would explain his heart

[C_FLip2X @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Hey that looks like my house

[xxnnxx123 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Damn it looks so empty i wondered what happened

[ET @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

"Yes, these are pallets of Xboxes. International ones though, shipped in straight from China for testing before launch."

Notice they are still in the plastic wrap on the pallete...tells me they were never tested! haha

[elchanman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

It's called a Covenant Energy Sword, not a Covenant Energy Blade. Do you guys actually play Halo 2 or do you just write about it? Oh snap.

[Take2 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

I'm sure the systems are stress tested with diagnostics before leaving China. I think what they meant was they wanted to hands-on play with the first batch of international shipments.

[Not Impressed (Dmitri) @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#5 Ofcourse they were never tested. It even says so in the headline.

"Yes, these are pallets of Xboxes. International ones though, shipped in straight from China for testing before launch."

Shipped in straight from China FOR TESTING.

I don't ever plan on buying a 360, but if you're going to talk shit about it, atleast make sure it's valid.

[quanta @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Is the Xbox division still in Millennium campus?

P.S. BTW, all of the Redmond buildings have virtually the same interior design, minus the green stuff.

[Dan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

I'd like to see a higher res version of that xbox trophy case. The chrome xbox and the translucent orange s-controller were never produced in any quanity that I know of. I've seen (and had) most other Limited Edition xbox consoles and controllers, so I'm curious...

[Dave Zatz @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Pretty cool seeing the Xbox Live command center, thanks!

[Bweetza @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Nice writeup guys. Always neat to see the inside of any facility that many could never visit.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what storage devices they are using for their media in the 9th picture down?

[lunatech @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

i believe microsoft as a company makes about 1 billion dollars net profit per month. i dont think something like an xbox failure will put a dent in their OS and Office software money.

[Dustin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Wow, a whole wall of Ziotek's new black CD Carousel plus are holding the entire Xbox gaming archive. Each carousel stores up to 150 CDs (there are 20 carousels shown) so any one of at least 3000 games could be pulled up in seconds.

X-tremegeek.com has the CD Carousel plus for $139 each.
http://www.x-tremegeek.com/templates/searchdetail.asp?productID=10670&sk=MX511530

[elchanman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#13 I think an Xbox failure involving a rootkit (see:sony) might put a dent in their OS and Office software money.

[Sundodger @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

I used to work there! I swore I'd never set sight on those doors again. Thanks for the slap in the face Engadget, while your at it why don't you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice in it.

[lunatech @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

they control quite a bit of the OS. i guess that rules out them patching in system code when they wrote the system itself.

though the stability of the operating system itself is another topic entirely.

[Don Wilson @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

I love the Engadget office building.

[michiel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

dat office pic is doctord!

[Porter @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Interesting. Too bad I missed the meetup last week, sounded fun.

I think you can realistically get a few more syllables out of "Christmahannukwanzaa".. how about "Christmahannukwanzasolstikkah", no?

[Ryan @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Nice pictures, looks like the people controlling live have some nice monitors.

[Rob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#16. That was a obvious yet completely pointless statement.

Might as well have said "I think an giant meteour crashing into Earth might put a dent in their OS and Office software money."

[Rob @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#6 Use a little common sense. They were shipped FROM china to be tested so of course they are still in plastic wrap; how would you expect a shipment to be made? (in open unwrapped boxes??)

[rodJoh. @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Cool, Id love to work there :)




Or maybe not..

[Bedpanjohn @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

huh it looks like only 3/7 people are over weight... i thought it would have been more. maybe they have a hologram room to exercise in on their breaks

[Gill @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Cool to see al this :)

[miscblogger @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

that is so cool. i love looking inside of corporate offices

[elchanman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#23 My post was in response to #14, not #13. Hope that clears things up. Sorry, I've got a case of the Mundays.

[mike @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

check planetgamecube for a tour of NOA....

[Tim @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#10 Yeah, XBox HQ is at the Millenium Campus. (http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=47.67725~-122.09378&style=o&lvl=1&scene=3701079&sp=aN.47.677250_-122.093780_Millenium_)

[Jose Andrade @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Interesting that all PCs and servers on the pics are Dell's...

[Ulyssess @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

i love this forum... no stupid OMG THATS GAY OMG PS3 FOREVER

and #2 i would like to see some links that show the number 4.1billion on it b/c xbox1 made money. and u would hafto try to lose money to get that number!!

[John Gilman @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#1- Try "It's not easy being green."

If you're going to make a Muppets reference, please do it properly. ;)

[Irwin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

tbh it was 3.8 billion, i heard it on cnn, and read it on msnbc :)

[Dom @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#32: Actually, the original Xbox lost quitre a bit of money. I can't verify the $4.1 billion number, but MS loses money on every Xbox sold.

All the console makers lose money on the hardware. They make money when game sales outweigh the hardware costs (for example, they might come out with a profit if everyone that buys the 360 buys at least 5 games).

[Thai @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Hey #32, the XBox did not make money at all. Do you think that a system being made with technology worth more than 300 could be sold for 300 without taking some kind of hit? Sure, you could buy bulk and the part would be cheaper, but still, it would be expensive. So they made no profit on the system.

Now please factor in all the packaged deals that they put out, and took the hit for, just for some recognition. And how about that entire ad campaign to unseat Sony? I can tell you that it took a damn lot of money to try that, and they still didn't succeed.

Losing 4.1 billion is totally possible, if you think about the length of development time you have to pay for to even think about introducing a system, then trying to gain steam for it, then launching it, fighting for a placehold for five years, and all the while trying to pave way for a new system. All that, plus the ad money in every other country in the world who could give less than a flying fawk about an awkwardly huge American system. Just because you won't even see a thousand dollars doesn't mean that they can't piss 4.1 billion away.

And I'm just typing here, so please excuse me if I sound incoherent or mean.

And now for something completely different...


Penis.

[Irwin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

tbh it was 3.8 billion, i heard it on cnn, and read it on msnbc :)

[Greasy Butt @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

I never realized how large Engadget actually was. I always imagined about 10 slobs at home picking food from their keyboards while formulating a cool story. That shatters my conceptions of how important and widespread Engadget, and Joystiq really are. Maybe one day you can take over the Chrysler building in New York City.

[appleguru @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

#34; you're wrong. M$ has been making money on console (1st gen) sales for at least a year now. I highly doubt they've lost money overall on the 1st generation effort (factoring in everything. games sold, live subscriptions, consoles sold, marketing, etc).

Now... they're loosing money on 360 console sales (esp in japan), but that will eventually change too as chip yields increase and component prices drop.

[vegas mendagas @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

great shot of the xbox live control room:
so these are the guys who "monitor" every game on live but have absolutely no control over the little "*#%@'s" who plague this wonderous facility with their mod's and standby-ing.. oh well nice to know anyway..

[D4rLP3nc1L @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

did you guyes see the 360 and 4 controllers in the wall below the tv in the last picture. very cool but not much air flow around the 360. hmm..

[digiraven @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Ok the loss of that much money now is that after all the profits they made on live, periferals, and games? So I really think they might broke even or made some money. Secondly the xbox was not a failer. I still play it. Many others still play it. Microsoft signed up more publishers. Games are still being produced. Its one of the most recognized icons on the market. So I really dont think it was a failer at all. Please look up sega saturn and dreamcast for failers. Sony killed them in the consoles. Microsoft is pushing forward with greatness. I still say ps3 will be more powerful but it cannot top that live system.

[Charles @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

"Posted Dec 12, 2005, 1:31 PM ET by Sundodger
I used to work there! I swore I'd never set sight on those doors again. Thanks for the slap in the face Engadget, while your at it why don't you give me a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice in it."

Mike is that you! Dude the Board totally liked your idea of not reusing the coffee filters more then 3 times. Please come back.

[varble @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

that dude in photo nine looks like he is up to no good. Whats up with the spindle of disks on the desk? Is he making himself a home version?

[NeiSep @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Xbox 360 is a cool console atleast what i think.
Anyway this Xbox Facility looks nice think of get work over there gah that would just be in my dream.

[David Turner @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

Been there done that. Anyone can see this building by beta testing any of their games. I was there beta testing some games for developers before the first Xbox was released. They give you free software for putting in your 2 cents.

[nonstatic @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

i used to work there a couple years ago in that same building. but that's all i'm sayin about it cuz that's how i roll.

[thebigguy @ Dec 19th 2005 12:56AM]

"27. Posted Dec 12, 2005, 3:55 PM ET by Bedpanjohn

huh it looks like only 3/7 people are over weight... i thought it would have been more. maybe they have a hologram room to exercise in on their breaks"

They have to have someone to run to servers or go get some donuts in. only messing but nice to see some off the stuff