Xbox 360 Game News, Reviews, and Columns - XboxFocus

Playbox Wii63?

by Dick Ward June 25th 2008 11:36 PM CDT0 Comments

Could Sony be working on a 360? With the recent rumor (credit goes to EGM’s Quartermann) that Microsoft will be allowing 3rd party manufacturers make Xbox 360 hardware, it’s certainly a possibility. Keep in mind this is all speculation, but the idea behind this makes a lot of sense for Microsoft as well as other hardware companies.

Microsoft is a company that is truly built on the strength of its software, and it’s easy to see why. Microsoft Game Studios is incredibly successful, and has a ridiculously good 2008 lineup. On the other hand, console sales are a bit of a wash. Consoles rarely, if ever, are money makers for the companies putting them out. In fact, in 2005, Microsoft was losing about $125 on each Xbox sold. While licensing and creating games is certainly a great source of income, hardware sales aren’t.

It hardly makes sense to limit hardware creation to just one company, especially if others can do it better, and get more units in households. The “Red Ring of Death” fiasco that forced the company to extend Xbox 360 warranties to a full three years is proof enough that Microsoft might not be the best for the job in the first place. Taking a look at the three other gaming platforms reveals a great benefit for themselves and for Microsoft were this to take place.

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It would be truly interesting to see Nintendo jump on this one. They did, after all, distribute the Magnavox Odyssey, so there is a bit of a precedent. This was before they created their own system of course.

Pros - Harshly criticized for their lack of 3rd party software and complete disregard for the HD format, Nintendo could certainly benefit from joining the market with an already successful system. This, plus the huge number of gamers that would flock to a 360 version of any of Nintendo’s already successful franchises could be a great boon for the company. Nintendo is also the only company that was making money from day one on hardware sales, though with a much less advanced system.

Cons – Ninendo is well known for being overly cautious with their online space, and may not be excited about having their name associated with the Xbox live crowd. Their image as the family friendly alternative may fade if they manufactured the 360. In addition, Nintendo is still not pushing out enough Wiis to keep them on the shelves for very long, would adding another product to manufacture really be wise?


Thinking about playing my 360 games on my PC takes me back to the days when bleem! was first announced. An amazing software emulator, bleem! allowed Playstation games to be played not only on PC, but on the Sega Dreamcast as well. The company shut down after a huge legal battle with Sony, which they won but couldn’t afford, and sadly the torch has not yet been picked up.

Pros - Rather than a software emulator though, perhaps the rumored 360 drive for PC is the answer. There are a huge variety of drive manufacturers, and surely it would not be difficult to find one that would be interested. Toshiba, Samsung, Benq, and Hitachi already make DVD drives for the 360, and could surely modify them to a PC. This could also be helpful to Microsoft’s failing Games for Windows LIVE initiative, as Xbox 360 players would bring their tags over.

Cons – The question of cross platform play is one that will come up almost immediately, and would require quite a bit of work from developers. Evening the playing field between a player with a mouse and keyboard, and one with a controller is a huge task. Inconsistent PC hardware will also present a huge problem in performance, and could end up hurting more than helping. There is also the question of game selection, as many of the 360’s benchmark titles (BioShock, Call of Duty 4, Mass Effect) are also available on the PC, and in some cases, offer a better experience.
Now this is where it all gets interesting, isn’t it? If Microsoft did allow 3rd party manufacturers to produce 360 systems, surely one of the largest sellers of home electronics would want to get in on it. The possibilities here are amazing.

Pros – A system that plays both PS3 and Xbox 360 games would be a staple in the home of every gamer, especially if the price was able to be kept relatively low. To make sense, it would have to cost less than a 360 and PS3 would separately, and function at least as well. If possible though, Sony would surely dominate in console sales and eliminate a major hardware competitor.

Cons – Is there really an advantage to propagating the 360 as a viable platform? Giving people the choice to purchase either a 360 or PS3 version may make some publishers a bit leery. System exclusives would be a bit of a moot point, but that might actually belong in the Pros column. If Sony has already arranged for system exclusives though, it may be a tricky situation.

We could easily see Microsoft designing the minimum requirements for the system, and many variations on the same console, much like in the PC space. Microsoft would design the OS, and then Sony, Nintendo, Toshiba, Samsung, and who knows, maybe even Sega, would create the actual systems.

Regardless of what occurs, the idea is out there, and that may be enough to get the ball rolling on something that Microsoft may or may not have had up their sleeves. It certainly could work to their advantage.