Report: Microsoft Dissected A PlayStation 2 When Developing The First Xbox

Although understanding the Xbox platform now is presented to be an open ecosystem of platforms that bridge between one another either through the same-named retail units, PC, or more recently with Android. But during the incarnation of Microsoft’s video game empire, the firm certainly looked for inspiration as to how to construct its own system.

In a report from Bloomberg this week, we learned that Microsoft during the early phases of Xbox attempted to acquire big name companies for its first-party endeavors. Those include Electronic Arts, Midway Games, and even Nintendo at the time in the early 2000s. But as you can guess, the firm left empty handed and solved its issue with Bungie which introduced the platform-defining Halo franchise.

But for the history of the Xbox architecture, the same report discloses that Microsoft looked at competing hardware for pointers. In particular, the Windows company dissembled a PlayStation 2 when understand the core elements for constructing a console for retail purchases.

We actually had to take a PS2, we took the entire thing apart, put it on a giant wood board… [we] went through every component, every piece and priced it out and tried to figure out how many screws and how much did it cost.

Aaron Greenberg, Xbox General Manager

Following the disarrangement of the PlayStation 2 unit, Microsoft’s first functioning “Xbox” was met with issues as you would expect. Upon inserting discs into the disc drive, the disc would continuously eject with scratches all over the surface. Atop of that, there happened to be a 1/4 chance that the unit would crash when in use.

But one unique element introduced from Microsoft for its system happened to be high-speed internet. The mechanism was developed for the console for future reference what is now labeled ‘Xbox Live’. While other platforms introduced the feature later on, Microsoft happened to pioneer the implementation before the service became readily available.

Elsewhere this week, it is revealed that Microsoft might be taking more inspiration from Sony Interactive Entertainment. While not definitively coming, Microsoft did survey new Xbox Series X owners if they would like to see features from the DualSense controller on the Xbox gamepad. You can read the full report by heading here.

Are you surprised Microsoft studied the PlayStation 2 when developing the first Xbox?

Source: Bloomberg