Seamus Blackley, renowned as the ‘Father of the Xbox,’ has shifted his focus from groundbreaking tech endeavors to pursuits like baking exquisite sourdough loaves and even venturing into the art of crafting chocolate from scratch. However, his legacy is forever etched in the late ’90s and early ’00s, where, alongside other visionaries, he led Microsoft’s foray into the world of videogames, laying the foundation for the iconic Xbox.
In a recent revelation, the origin of the Xbox name was traced back to Microsoft’s DirectX technology. Originally dubbed the “DirectXbox” as a working title, Blackley shared that the marketers at the time produced what he referred to as “garbage,” leading to the adoption of the now-familiar term, Xbox.
The utilitarian essence of Xbox hardware design has always been apparent, aligning with its goal of encapsulating a standardized PC specification within a box. The latest Series S and X continue this tradition, inspiring a social media trend where enthusiasts customize the outer chassis to resemble classic beige box PCs from the ’90s.
A fascinating discovery unfolded when Blackley stumbled upon posts showcasing Xbox owners transforming their consoles to emulate the aesthetics of classic beige box PCs. This prompted him to share a remarkable picture of the original prototype Xbox devkits, revealing a striking resemblance to the nostalgic ’90s desktop PC aesthetic.
The image, marked as “Alpha II,” hints at an even earlier model, leaving enthusiasts curious about the potential existence of an even more beige predecessor. Blackley’s candidness in interviews, such as one with Edge magazine, sheds light on the intricate process of bringing the Xbox project to fruition, including the deliberate strategy of hoodwinking Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Blackley disclosed, “We absolutely, intentionally hoodwinked [Bill Gates]. And I absolutely, explicitly in writing to him many times said that we were doing that at the time.” Reflecting on the company’s initial misunderstanding of the gaming industry, Blackley emphasized the challenge of convincing a company whose core value revolved around the Windows operating system. Despite initial skepticism, the Xbox project succeeded, proving that sometimes, unconventional approaches are necessary to revolutionize the gaming landscape.
