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From Midway to Xbox, The story of Seamus Blackley

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the aye-capn'n-blackley dept.

Matey-O writes: "Red Herring has an interesting look at Seamus Blackley, the Man behind the Xbox, and what it took to bring the console to market." I like that this article points out the risks that Microsoft took by trying to enter a field with very established competition (and with mixed results, so far).

7 of 185 comments (clear)

  1. "Everything went great until it looked like... by 56ker · · Score: 1, Funny

    the demo froze" - glad to see M$ up to their old tricks again. ;o)

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    Video Game cheats, hints a
    1. Re:"Everything went great until it looked like... by jawad · · Score: 2, Funny

      Details, details. This is slashdot, remember?

  2. Livin' Large @ MSFT by Knunov · · Score: 5, Funny

    "As they were leaving, they all piled into one elevator. Mr. Blackley was the last to come diving in. The elevator was already sinking...Once Mr. Blackley was inside, the elevator promptly fell four floors to the ground."

    The article fails to mention that there were only 5 people in the elevator.

    Drop the donuts and pick up some dumbells, fellas.

    Knunov

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    Why do users with IDs under 100,000 or over 700,000 usually have the most worthwhile comments?
    1. Re:Livin' Large @ MSFT by JazFresh · · Score: 3, Funny

      Another elevator story that Seamus probably doesn't want you to hear:

      At GDC (Games Developers Conference) in San Jose a few weeks back, a few Sony Europe and Sony Japan guys were in an elevator. Seamus is standing quietly at the back, out of sight. One of the Sony Europe guys introduces himself to each of the Sony Japan guys in stilted Japanese. Seamus, who can speak Japanese pretty well, smugly leans over and proceeds to do the same, in even _more_ authentic Japanese. He goes round each person, and even introduces himself in Japanese to the Sony Europe guys (pretty much shaming out the Sony Europe guy who was only a beginner in Japanese)

      He finally gets around to the last Sony Europe guy, and the guy, not knowing how to speak Japanese at all, replies with the only Japanese phrase he knows.

      Seamus: [Looking puzzled] "What does that mean?"

      The Japanese guys in the elevator are pissing themselves laughing.

      Sony Europe guy: "Do you want to fight, monkeystyle?"

      Seamus's smug face drops a mile, and he retreats into the back of the lift.

  3. Re:actually 2 systems by EpsCylonB · · Score: 3, Funny

    Apparently the dvd drive in the xbox can spin both ways and xbox games are burnt and read in reverse order than normal dvd's.

    A very inventive way to try and stop games being pirated.

  4. Re:Glad to see it was American.. by paradesign · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's funny, working at a videogame store. When the Xboxes come rolling in, the packing boxes say made in Turkey, Mexico, etc. That's not America last I checked.

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    I want 2D games back.
  5. Re:Bill Gates: Matchmaker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Too bad it was all staged. He is lucky that he was with Gates for this stunt. If Balmer had been around, he would have probably shouted "So, your fuckin' this asshole?"