Microsoft considered launching Xbox for free

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At one point during the development of the original Xbox, Microsoft considered making the console free.

Speaking with GI.biz, Oddworld Inhabitants’ Lorne Lanning said this was the deciding factor when it came to releasing Munch’s Oddysee on the Xbox platform at launch.

“At the time, Xbox thought that the core market was going to be casual,” said Lanning. “They were going to be the casual gamers’ machine. Now, that’s why they approached us because they said ‘we think you’ve got something that competes in that Mario space and we think Mario’s the thing to kill.

“We see that space. We want that audience. We love Oddworld so why don’t you get on this bandwagon? And we might give the box away.’

“So now we’re like, ‘look, if you’re going to give the box away, you’re going to win. If you’re going to win, we want to be on board’.”

Xbox co-creator Seamus Blackley said internal conversations regarding what to do with Xbox were bouncing in all directions: some saying it should be free, others wanting it to run Windows after a certain point in time.

Lanning said forcing Windows wouldn’t have been the best idea, because the industry wasn’t to keen on the operating system.

“You got the brand that everyone resents having to buy, how’s that going to work in the entertainment industry? See, we don’t need your OS in the entertainment industry,” he said. “We don’t need shit from you in the entertainment industry. In fact, if anything you do runs like fucking Windows, we don’t want anything to do with it, right?

“That was a very common perception. There was a lot of resistance; it was, ‘Microsoft Game Studios? Fuck Microsoft!’ And we went around the world defending them. We said, ‘Look, this is about building better environments for developers so that you can get better games at cheaper prices and developers can stay in business longer’.”

Microsoft eventually decided against a free Xbox and releasing Windows on it, obviously, but the ideas behind the latter still persisted and slowly but surely, it is coming to pass with Xbox One.

Back in January, it was announced during the company’s Windows 10 event the Xbox One app would be made available on all PC and tablets running the operating system.

Developers can also create one game across all W10 devices allowing for Cross-Buy and cross-platform play, as is the case with Fable Legends.

The firm also revealed Xbox One users would be able to stream their games to a W10 PC and it was looking into the ability to stream PC games to Xbox One.

Xbox was released in November 2001 and went on to sell 24 million units worldwide as of May 2006.

Posted:
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: http://www.vg247.com/2015/04/01/microsoft-original-xbox-windows-development/

Comments

"Microsoft considered launching Xbox for free" :: Login/Create an Account :: 79 comments

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CyimkingPosted:

Umm... do people know that MS is actually losing money on the x1? MS selling gold have nothing to do with security or anything in that matter. I already have free gold for some unknown reason so this doesn't effect me.

XboxPosted:

This is why I love Xbox and always will.

KatsumiChanPosted:

Noval
Kurumu
-Truffle They should make the service free, not the consoles though, that would be abused.


It's only 60$ a year. Without it income would be less for certain features like security.


I don't care taking $50 out of my pocket for more features and better security .


It's been proven already that their security is not better than anything else out there.

Mario350Posted:

Noval
Kurumu
-Truffle They should make the service free, not the consoles though, that would be abused.


It's only 60$ a year. Without it income would be less for certain features like security.


I don't care taking $50 out of my pocket for more features and better security .


its not 50$ its 59.99$+1(60$) i rather see the console go free then live go free they would lose alot of ppl by doing this as then the servers would be like as shitty as psn servers(i own both consoles so not starting flame war)

AVeryAverageGuyPosted:

Noval
Kurumu
-Truffle They should make the service free, not the consoles though, that would be abused.


It's only 60$ a year. Without it income would be less for certain features like security.


I don't care taking $50 out of my pocket for more features and better security .


I agree I rather put money into there pockets then see the security lower and It be free

JoveticPosted:

Cross Platform (PC ->

vEqualsPosted:

Well i'm Buying a Xbox then!

NeeksRoyalPosted:

More sales but less security that just seems like them winning

EstablishedGamingPosted:

'Considered'don't get your hopes up.

PryzelPosted:

Xbox would be no where near where it is today if it was free, they made a good decision in my opinion.