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Dean Takahashi completes chronicles of Xbox 360 red ring of death
By now we have all heard of (or experienced) the infamous Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death, and we also pretty much know what causes it. Heck, we've even seen ways to avoid it by spending more money on fixes instead of going through Microsoft's replace / refurbish / replace process. In what he calls his final chapter on an extensive bit of investigative journalism, Dean Takahashi uncovers the early quality control-absent rush to market that resulted in a massive number of Xbox 360s being sent to market despite known design flaws. Dean goes on to propose that all this has kept Microsoft from winning this round of the console wars, as costs to keep the consoles working crippled Microsoft from aggressive marketing measures such as price cuts. In the end, he concludes (via an anonymous quote) that Microsoft treated the Xbox 360's launch like a software company would, as if some future patch would cover up the inherent problems with the console's design.
Takahashi: Xbox 360s with 65nm CPUs soaring this year
Have you been as curious as us about when Microsoft plans to utilize smaller CPUs in their Xbox 360? According to The Mercury News' Dean Takahashi, who has previously written two books on Microsoft's consoles, the 65nm processors will probably start finding its way into new Xbox 360s by the end of the year. However, there are a few caveats.The chips, which are a sizable difference than the current 90nm chips, are being planned for a new motherboard codenamed Falcon (if you recall, Microsoft's previous motherboard upgrade that included an HDMI port was called Zephyr). The upgrade will still have 90nm graphics chips from ATI -- that upgrade is for later. And there is no guarantee that the smaller chips, though theoretically will require less energy, will alleviate the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death. And so how will you tell if the console has the Falcon? You can't -- not at first, anyways. "Microsoft has no intention of telling you which box has 65-nanometer chips on the inside," he said. All Falcon-equipped Xbox 360s have HDMI ports, but not all HDMI-enabled 360s have Falcons. "I really don't know how you're going to be able to tell the difference. If you're buying an Xbox 360 without HDMI, then for sure you aren't getting Falcon," he said.This Christmas, if you're hoping for a more reliable Xbox 360, there is a chance you could nab one. From what Takahashi has said, however, you might have to increase your Luck stat before you try to pick up one. Check out Takahashi's article for more details.
Microsoft 'Falcon' to bring cost reductions, 65nm CPU to the Xbox 360?
We knew it was coming, but it sounds like we finally know what it's all about: the 65nm Xbox 360 is apparently being code-named Falcon, according to Dean Takahashi. Stands to reason we can expect long-fabled cooler / less failure-prone / cheaper 360s to be Falcon's result, but hey, we'd take just two out of three at this point.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Miyamoto talks user-generated content, critical of PS Home [update 1]
Speaking to The Mercury News' Dean Takahashi, designer Shigeru Miyamoto gave a slight jab to the PlayStation Home for its familiarity. "What they're doing already exists in one form on the PC," he said. "Our focus [with Miis] is always to be different and do something that's different." Miyamoto furthers his opinion by expressing how the Mii system embraces but isn't focused on the internet, while noting that the character system took 20 years to "come to fruition." We assume much of that time was just Miyamoto circling the idea in his head, as his GDC keynote places the Mii conception alongside the Nintendo 64 era."We are trying to do something that is different and create something that hasn't been there before," he said. A caricature creation system may not have been done explicitly on consoles before, but we still wouldn't call it an entirely new concept. Nor would we give the same honor to Home, but their integration is indeed a first for game consoles.Miyamoto went on to address the idea the user-generated content, citing it as an inevitability. "It's not simply the question of whether there is a game editor," he said. "It is what form does that editor take." We have some idea.Also of note, Miyamoto gave the obvious revelation that a Wii fitness game, tentatively titled health pack or Wii Fit, is underway to ride the wave of success of Wii minigame collections Wii Play and Wii Sports.[Update 1: There was some confusion as to what Miyamoto said in the third line and what we added following the quote. The editorial has been given its own paragraph so as to alleviate some confusion.]
Seven busted 360s? Ouch
Dean Takahashi, Xbox guru and writer for Mercury News, recently wrote an article about a friend of his. The friend, Rob Cassingham, 42, has been through seven different 360 units, and all of them have failed. Cassingham purchased four at the the Zero Hour launch event, and all four "croaked." While waiting for his seventh unit to arrive from Microsoft, Cassingham wrote Takahashi to let him know that he was fed up with the console, and planned on selling the final unit when it arrived. Takahashi then sent Cassingham's complaint directly to Peter Moore, who in turn has had his console replaced with a brand new unit. Cassingham is still torn about the affair, and admits that part of him would rather sell the unit and be done with it. Still, he plans on keeping the machine and to purchase an extended warranty.With stories like Cassingham's piling up, Microsoft's continued claims that 360 failure rates are within the standard will not hold up much longer.[Via Joystiq]
Shadowrun: Dean Takahashi is unimpressed
Dean Takahashi of the Mercury News has posted his impressions of Shadowrun, the upcoming Live Anywhere launch title from FASA Studio. He takes some time to discuss the game's story and then gets down to the nitty-gritty. He briefly mentions many of the things we've covered before: magical powers, gliding, etc. In the end though, Takahashi seems less than impressed. He notes that the graphics "aren't anything special," adding that they are more or less on par with Halo 2. He also cites the game's multiplayer focus as a risky maneuver by Microsoft, as it may only appeal to the hardcore gamer set.Our own impressions of the game (listen to our podcast for more) were much more favorable. Then again, we are the hardcore gamer set, so we may not be the best judges. What do you think? Based on what you've seen and read, are you looking forward to Shadowrun?See Also:Shadowrun: CTF with a magical twist (Video)
Takahashi talks shop with Peter Moore
Dean Takahashi recently sat down to talk with Peter Moore at CES. Some of the topics discussed include IPTV, gaming on Windows Vista, MMOs on 360, the importance of 1st party developers, Microsoft's hopes in Japan, and of course, a little offhanded PS3 and Wii bashing. Moore makes a particularly interesting point about the necessity of 1st party development. Takahashi points out that Microsoft doesn't have as many 1st party developers as Sony and Nintendo. Moore replies that Microsoft has many 1st party games being created by studios not owned by Microsoft. Examples of this include Bioware's Mass Effect, Silicon Knights' Too Human, and of course Epic's Gears of War. Moore notes that Microsoft has a great publishing model in which MS aids in funding and publishing externally developed titles. He further states that while these are developed by a third party, they are unmistakably 1st party 360 titles.The interview is a little over half an hour long, and worth a listen to any dedicated 360 fanboys. Hit the "read" link to check it out.
Xbox 360 hits 10.4 million, announces IPTV
Microsoft is expected to announce Sunday night that it has sold 10.4 million Xbox 360 units, actually making good on their promise to surpass 10 million by the end of 2006, according to San Jose Mercury News' Dean Takahashi. In addition, Robbie Bach and Bill Gates are to announce that Xbox 360 will be able to act as a set-top box for Internet Protocol Television (IPTV).As the video marketplace is doing surprisingly well, surpassing other video-on-demand services, offering television as well sounds like a natural progression. However, we're not looking forward to leaving a heat-loving console on continuously, nor does a 20GB HDD sound ideal for any DVR features including in IPTV. Perhaps the announcement will coincide with a new Xbox 360 model and larger HDD?Bach and Gates are expected to make the announcement at the Consumer Electronics Show Sunday night. Official NPD figures for console hardware sales should be revealed January 11.[Update: The article has been taken down. It was dated for January 7; was it leaked a bit too early? Also, many are opining in the comments that the 10.4 million figure is "shipped" and not "sold." We'll know the wording chosen by Microsoft on Sunday and the official NPD numbers within the week. Update: The article is back up with only minor (i.e. typographical) revisions.]
Merc reporter on 2007: PCs bounce back
Dean Takahashi posts about what he anticipates for 2007; the San Jose Mercury News reporter writes mostly an overview without wild predictions of the year. Instead, Takahashi includes lots of release numbers, cites scheduled games, and gives a bulletin of what to expect.Mentioning that the most significant, recent PC game releases were in 2004 and 2005 -- Half-Life 2 and F.E.A.R. -- Takahashi thinks that 2007 will bring a resurgence to PC gaming; he cites Windows Vista and DirectX 10, new video cards, and a handful of important game releases to back up the claim.We hope that PC gaming bounces back, but we're more skeptical. Is Vista going to improve gaming, or just create another upgrade hurdle for consumers? Will PCs always be relegated to first-person shooters, MMOs, and casual titles?
Mercury News: PS3? Wait and see
Dean Takahashi compares the three-console showdown beginning this week. His overview is mostly recap for us: the Wii is for new -- and unproven -- family gameplay, and the Xbox 360 is for hardcore gamers. The PS3? It's for techies who need the glossiest gadgets.He doesn't find much reason to pick a PS3 over the 360, other than being the cool kid on your block. But he also mentions that his opinion could be swayed if unique games come out for the new system.Do killer apps drive console sales? We can't think of a standout that would justify buying the hardware for any of the three consoles -- maybe Gears of War. Maybe that's why we have mixed feelings about the two launches. But we expect next year's game releases to warm us up to the new hardware.
Takahashi talks console wars
Xbox scribe Dean Takahashi posted a nice summary of the current console war outlook based on the recent round of financial reports. Excerpt:On the bright side. Microsoft has more than 4 million Xbox Live subscribers worldwide and it plans on hitting 6 million by June 30. It will have 160 games out by the end of the year. In the U.S., Microsoft has sold 2.9 accessories per console and software sales are at 5.1 games per console. Those numbers probably don't hold up worldwide. But I'm told that the attach rates and Xbox Live subscription numbers are ahead of plan. There is even some good news in Japan, since the limited edition run of Hironobu Sakaguchi's Blue Dragon game – bundled with the Xbox 360 – sold out.Follow the link for Dean's take on Sony and Nintendo's respective situations.
What'll Bungie do after Halo?
Xbox boardroom biographer and industry observer Dean Takahashi wonders what's next for Bungie. They're currently holed up in their fancy new headquarters working (tirelessly we imagine) on the third installment of Microsoft's Xbox-selling secret weapon, Halo 3. But what else are they working on in their Dr. Pepper and Dorito encrusted fortress? Takahashi's inside sources tell him they're working on not one, but maybe two other projects. Just like Xbox's J Allard disappeared suddenly from the limelight, only to turn up working on another not-so-secret project, Bungie's general manager, Pete Parsons, is mysteriously no longer their general manager. Takahashi intimates that Parsons is now leading a secret second team at Bungie while other Bungie all-stars, like "Jason Jones, the project lead on the Halo games, and Chris Butcher, the top programmer," are working on yet another project "beyond the Halo universe."If Halo 3 is to be the final installment of a Halo trilogy, is Microsoft going to sit back and let their most lucrative franchise go out in style or continue to milk it for all it's worth? With a Halo movie in the works, what about the inevitable tie-in game? After all, a Bungie with business sense would make Halo 4 and 5 and ... we'd also take LEGO Halo. Seriously.[Via Xboxic]
XBL gets its mouth washed out with soap
The sometimes forgotten reality of Xbox Live is how much of a scurrilous cesspool it is. This was brought into pie chart form by one Mr. Josh Smith last February after he recorded nearly 34 hours of Halo 2 then dissected it with a keen eye on the cussin'. Dean Takahashi, author of Opening the Xbox and Xbox 360 Uncloaked, writes a column this week for The Escapist on the Xbox platform's best feature: Xbox Live. Oh yeah, except it's not about how great it is, it's about how much profanity there is. Of course, Microsoft has taken measures to address this shortcoming with the 360's four different gamer "zones" and a feedback system. Takahashi writes, "Taking a cue from eBay, the service now has a feedback system where gamers can rate their rivals. Each player carries a reputation with him. By clicking on someone's gamertag, it's easy to file a complaint about someone. If the complaints pile up, Microsoft can remove the gamer from the service."With Halo 2 still dominating Xbox Live charts, it's hard to tell if the new features are going to be effective in making the 360's first multiplayer killer app fun to play.
Microsoft denies author's claim of impending Xbox2Go
In a denial that should come as a surprise to no one (what, like they were really gonna tip their hand this early?), Microsoft's Xbox chief for Northern and Eastern Europe told UK tech site T3 "that we're not even thinking about handhelds at the moment." Neil Thompson's remarks came just days after the Internet was buzzing about a claim made by author Dean Takahashi in his new book, Xbox 360 Uncloaked, that said half of the 360 development team immediately began working on a portable 'box right after the next-gen console was launched last November. Thompson went on to say that although the big M has no plans to release a PSP-like device, the huge mobile phone market offers the company a "really good opportunity" to connect people with "other entertainment experiences." You heard it here first, folks: instead of wasting all that money on hardware development, Microsoft is simply going to develop an Xbox emulator for cellphones that lets you pull content directly from the Live service (either that, or Thompson was just toeing the party line in order to keep the wraps on this supposed Xbox2Go -- you be the judge).
Seen around eFocus event
We stopped by the eFocus event over at the California Mart in LA's Fashion District. Just a few snapshots of what we saw...
Dean Takahashi at Not an E3 Party
Sarah: So, what'd you think of Sony's keynote? Dean: (shrugs) Sounds like Sony is stealing Nintendo's thunder. This is going to be fun to watch this week.
Author claims 360 team working on portable Xbox
Here's a juicy morsel for you: in his new book, Xbox 360 Uncloaked, gaming industry author Dean Takahashi claims that half of Microsoft's original Xbox 360 development team began work on a portable console immediately after the home system launched, while the other half was tasked with driving down the 360's production costs. Takahashi goes on to say that the big M plans to follow Sony's lead and release the handheld Xbox halfway through the 360's life span, which would help offset hardware cycle costs and maintain buzz about the brand. The supposed Xbox2Go (that's what we'll call it for now, anyway) would likely be released into a competitive landscape filled with PSP2's and who knows what kind of crazy Nintendo portables, but Microsoft has certainly shown that it's in the videogame, uh, game, for the long haul, so we wouldn't be surprised to see them pump these kinds of resources into the project if it does in fact exist. Oh, and before you start commenting on the device's "design," please note that the above picture is simply an artist's conception created before any word of this got out.
Takahashi's Xbox 360 book gets finishing touches
As promised, unofficial Xbox biographer Dean Takahashi has completed the draft of his upcoming book, The Xbox 360 Uncloaked, before his self-imposed deadline of E3 in May. You can check out some info on the book at the publisher's website.Counting down to the book's May 9th release date, Takahashi will be posting portions of an exhaustively detailed chronology of the original Xbox every week. A small snippet of the first installment: April 22, 1999: Craig Mundie lays out rules of engagement, setting up a beauty contest between the Xbox and WebTV teams April 27, 1999: Xbox team meets with Mundie to show him demos of the PS 2 emulation and the PC April 27, 1999: 3-D graphics chip designer GigaPixel visits Microsoft. April 28, 1999: 3Dfx graphics chip team visits Microsoft. April 29, 1999: Dave Kirk, chief scientist of Nvidia, visits Redmond to talk about game business April 30, 1999: Consumer Windows/PC appliance team holds a meeting with Bill Gates The first installment goes from 1983 (Microsoft launches Flight Simulator) to Dec. 22, 1999 (Rick Thompson takes the Xbox team skiing). Prepare to get your minutiae on. [Via Joystiq]
The Xbox 360 Uncloaked
Dean Takahashi, author of the excellent Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft's Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution, announced plans to write another book covering Microsoft's followup effort to the original Xbox, and now he even has a title for it. Drum roll, please....The Xbox 360 Uncloaked: The Real Story Behind Microsoft's Next-Generation Video Game Console.Uncloaked? He proffers, "I couldn't think of something extremely clever and ran out of time...." Alright Dean, fair enough, only 'cause we know better than to judge a book by (the title on) its cover. He calls it "an insider's book... this is what it looks like from the inside." Already half-written, Takahashi hopes to have his "insider's book" done by E3 in May. See also:What has Microsoft learned from the Xbox launch?Dean's Xbox 360 FAQ
