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Don Mattrick Didn’t Have Any Faith In Xbox, Xbox Creator Seamus Blackley Reveals.

Three

Member
With the amount of money MS sank into the original xbox and the short support he was mostly right. Mattrick was the one who brought xbox into the black.
 

Denton

Member
Dude is the quintessential douchebag. Look at the shit eating grin.

No internet? Buy a 360 :messenger_grinning_squinting:
He was really out of touch and tonedeaf, but watching that interview, I have no doubt he meant well

I also later learned that as teenager he founded Distinctive Software and created games like Test Drive and Need for Speed so I can't stay mad at him
 
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pr0cs

Member
It's always laughable that people believe Spencer could have overridden Mattrick or Balmer and told them that their TV vision was a terrible idea. Clearly these people with this juvenile sense of how a multi billion dollar company works have all the answers. 🙄
There is no denying that since Spencer has taken over the key role at Xbox that their messaging and direction is MUCH improved. The XSX is Spencer's baby, if it fails to gain some marketshare THEN he deserves all the criticism in the world
 

Woo-Fu

Banned
Nobody else believed in the original xbox either. There was a gimped Intel P3 at its heart.

A lot of people taking the original information in this post way out of context.
 
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Alx

Member
of course hes to blame, why do you think he got replaced.


Mattrick had signed his Zynga contract before the XOne reveal. He wasn't kicked out because of the launch, he just left before it was even known if it would succeed (and before they knew Sony's hand)
 

imsosleepy

Member
Microsoft lost faith in the Xbox that J Allard and crew built when in 2006 Nintendo released the Wii which was basically junk hardware, capture huge growth with casuals. Microsoft then shifted directions, then came the Kinect, and the rest is history. Microsoft started chasing the casuals and in the process started alienating a lot of the users J Allard had captured.

Interesting enough, the years with Mattrick had by far the most units sold amounts - its not even close.
did none of them look at the actual sales numbers of the software of the Wii?
The wii sold alot of consoles but most people only had wi sports lol
And only some big nintendo first party titles sold good
 

Hugare

Member
Mattrick was successful for a long period of time during the 360 era.

He fucked up during the Xbox One reveal, but does anyone think that the whole initial idea behind the console was his? He fucked up, but a lot of people under MS fucked up for that reveal

Now what bothers me is people claiming that Spencer is Xbox's savior.
He corrected the Xbox One's way through PR, not successful games and etc.

Gamepass and BC were good things, but honestly, he has much to prove with the next generation.
All those new studios and yadda yadda ... Lets see about that
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
did none of them look at the actual sales numbers of the software of the Wii?
The wii sold alot of consoles but most people only had wi sports lol
And only some big nintendo first party titles sold good
Did you do what you accuse Microsoft of not doing? Lol. Wii had a great attach rate (a tiny bit behind the PS3 but with the higher number of units that means it sold way more software than that and the 360 - not combined) and sold close to a billion games, on par with the PS1 (2nd highest software sales after PS2) and DS (3rd).
As of September 30, 2019
hd_wii.jpg
hd_ds.jpg

mt_wii.png
mt_ds.png

.
data_wii.png
......
data_ds.png

And here are, launch aligned, the first 19 months of all 3 home consoles of the generation with just the 3rd party software numbers. The upward dent apparently comes when Activision leads the charge in making some effort to support the platform, showing all who didn't basically left money on the table, but it wasn't so bad prior.
17n02jdrikhncjpg.jpg

It's also easy to find that as early as 2008 there were fourteen first party million sellers and twelve third party million sellers. It's hard to get final numbers because I guess only uninformed console warrior trolls kept questioning the facts by then but I'm sure someone can come up with something more recent.

For a platform that much like its predecessor (but even more so given the specs gap) had an obvious problem with 3rd party support as so many refused to see its potential and make any kind of decent effort on it, that's even more impressive. So, maybe stop spewing random bullshit out of your ass, lol.

You have the internet at your fingertips, why not get informed about what you apparently want to discuss or, if you don't care to report actual facts like that, I don't know, maybe shut up so you don't look like a complete ignoramus? I can't wait for those mobile goalposts now.
 
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FranXico

Member
Mattrick was successful for a long period of time during the 360 era.

He fucked up during the Xbox One reveal, but does anyone think that the whole initial idea behind the console was his? He fucked up, but a lot of people under MS fucked up for that reveal

Now what bothers me is people claiming that Spencer is Xbox's savior.
He corrected the Xbox One's way through PR, not successful games and etc.

Gamepass and BC were good things, but honestly, he has much to prove with the next generation.
All those new studios and yadda yadda ... Lets see about that
Ssshhh... don't ruin the narrative.
 

Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
Mattrick was successful for a long period of time during the 360 era.

He fucked up during the Xbox One reveal, but does anyone think that the whole initial idea behind the console was his? He fucked up, but a lot of people under MS fucked up for that reveal

Now what bothers me is people claiming that Spencer is Xbox's savior.
He corrected the Xbox One's way through PR, not successful games and etc.

Gamepass and BC were good things, but honestly, he has much to prove with the next generation.
All those new studios and yadda yadda ... Lets see about that
Ssshhh... don't ruin the narrative.
Xbox 360 success was due to J Allard. He left in 2009 and Don Mattrick was put in charge, which is when everything started going downhill.
 

Alx

Member
Xbox 360 success was due to J Allard. He left in 2009 and Don Mattrick was put in charge, which is when everything started going downhill.

Interesting. The Kinect public reveal was in 2009, and they had obviously spent some time working on it beforehand. So J Allard was the one putting the project in motion ?
 

Hudo

Member
As much as I agree with giving Don Mattrick shit for his very poor handling of the Xbox One (Sony basically had to just sit back to be successful), he also gave birth to the Test Drive franchise and directly worked on the first couple of Test Drive games, which is also an achievement.
 
Xbox 360 success was due to J Allard. He left in 2009 and Don Mattrick was put in charge, which is when everything started going downhill.

This.

Allard saw his passion project become a cold corporate tool. It's no surprise he left when the Kinect was headed for Xbox.

IIRC Kinect was originally a Microsoft/Windows R+D idea (Project Natal/) before it was moved over to the 360 as a way to try and steal some Wii-Pie. It was a rushed, half-arse idea, which is why we never saw real software support for it and it was just abandoned as soon as it was launched.
 
Mattrick tried to kill off the Xbox One becsuse he didn't have faith in it. 😂😂😂😂

Him and Microsoft of 2013 really were the Bernie Stolar and SEGA of America of our Era!
 

sublimit

Banned
There's no doubt Don Mattrick was a very evil man. I have heard that he had secretly brainwashed everyone in the xbox division to fulfill his evil wishes. No one acted of their own free will! It was terrible!! There are also rumors he was the antichrist himself! No shit guys. But thankfully our angelic savior Phil Spencer came down from the heavens to smite his ass and undo all the evil deeds Mattrick did to xbox and its fans!! And now that the evil Don went back to his dark palace the xbox headquarters are once again a place of purity and good will. I have heard that it smells of roses and everyone there sings angelic hymns while they are working. But Phil's pure heart knows no boundaries and he also wants to save gaming itself and to elevate it to a higher existence! God bless our saint and savior Phil!!
 
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Bernkastel

Ask me about my fanboy energy!
Interesting. The Kinect public reveal was in 2009, and they had obviously spent some time working on it beforehand. So J Allard was the one putting the project in motion ?
Kinect was not originally meant for Xbox 360.
This.

Allard saw his passion project become a cold corporate tool. It's no surprise he left when the Kinect was headed for Xbox.

IIRC Kinect was originally a Microsoft/Windows R+D idea (Project Natal/) before it was moved over to the 360 as a way to try and steal some Wii-Pie. It was a rushed, half-arse idea, which is why we never saw real software support for it and it was just abandoned as soon as it was launched.
 
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DanielsM

Banned
Xbox 360 success was due to J Allard. He left in 2009 and Don Mattrick was put in charge, which is when everything started going downhill.

I loved what J Allard did for Xbox but you are over simplified the situation. The Xbox was not (and I doubt still is) a success financially, they were losing billions under J Allard, so they went in a different direction with Don, if Don wasn't there... they probably would have shut down Xbox a decade ago.

I do believe that J Allard was a positive force for gaming..... leading and not jumping on every silly craze but financially it was a dumpster fire, probably still is but MS is hiding the sausage.
 
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DanielsM

Banned
That Don guy is an absolute moron. 99 percent of the planet would of done a better job.

You're assuming he had choices, he didn't just like Phil today doesn't have choices i.e. services. No, Donny wasn't great or anything but he taking the heat for many of Microsoft's bad decision at the top levels.

Gaming isn't the only area MS fallen on its face in the consumer arena... literally they fucked over the consumer so much that they have very few pure consumer products left.

The trend start mid-2000s - Microsoft is an enterprise cloud company, everything else is barely measurable anymore... for the most part the pure consumer products have been abandoned, without Donny they probably would have shut down Xbox 10 years ago.
 
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mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
As much as I agree with giving Don Mattrick shit for his very poor handling of the Xbox One (Sony basically had to just sit back to be successful), he also gave birth to the Test Drive franchise and directly worked on the first couple of Test Drive games, which is also an achievement.

The bolded is 100% false. There is a world where both MS and Sony messed up huge and console gaming starts to fade away due to everybody screwing up (along with the Wii-U). Sony had to make the right calls to be successful with the PS4.


You're assuming he had choices, he didn't just like Phil today doesn't have choices i.e. services. No, Donny wasn't great or anything but he taking the heat for many of Microsoft's bad decision at the top levels.

Gaming isn't the only area MS fallen on its face in the consumer arena... literally they fucked over the consumer so much that they have very few pure consumer products left.

The trend start mid-2000s - Microsoft is an enterprise cloud company, everything else is barely measurable anymore... for the most part the pure consumer products have been abandoned, without Donny they probably would have shut down Xbox 10 years ago.

This is sad but true. It's why Gamepass is so good. It's all about services now for MS, which is okay but there are draw backs.
 
Don Mattrick successfully killed all of my interest in ever being associated with XBOX as a console or as a brand. He was so self-justified in his arrogant rhetoric that you could tell such confidence would not materialize in the absence of supportive corporate strategy. Don Mattrick is the man who made me realize that by further association with his company I would be supporting an entity with ulterior motives that clash with my values at a fundamental level. Maybe I should be thankful to him.
 

GameOfPixelsX

Neo Member
Don Mattrick successfully killed all of my interest in ever being associated with XBOX as a console or as a brand. He was so self-justified in his arrogant rhetoric that you could tell such confidence would not materialize in the absence of supportive corporate strategy. Don Mattrick is the man who made me realize that by further association with his company I would be supporting an entity with ulterior motives that clash with my values at a fundamental level. Maybe I should be thankful to him.

Yeah, eternally hating a brand because of one PAST employee is healthy.
 

kingwingin

Member
Consoles have failed in the past and you are thinking of going toe to toe with sony and nintendo. I'm sure most people would expect you to fail aswel.
 
Kinect was not originally meant for Xbox 360.

No reply from Alx? Nahh, they just bring down the tone of threads, moan about people not being happy with a situation and then bails when the truth comes out.

They'll probably respond to this, as proof of me being wrong. "I never do this, you're making things up, objectively wrong" blah blah blah.
 

thelastword

Banned
He corrected the Xbox One's way through PR, not successful games and etc.
Agreed, PR through Phil, PR through media articles, forums etc...……..I wouldn't say it has been successful though, because if they don't deliver on games next gen with all the studios they've recently acquired, which also happens to be a point being touted in the media quite often, basically saying that MS is the one doing the most preparation for next gen.........If these studios don't deliver, then that PR will backfire hard, moreso than this gen...
 

Ten_Fold

Member
Funny if I recall back in 2013 Sony just did the opposite of whatever the customers didn't want like DRM and always on console. Also if the xbone was priced right and had a few more big AAA exclusives it would've done better out the gate. I think the XSX will do well this time. Also back in like 05 I had no intention on buying a 360 but the arcade model was soo cheap I think like $249 or $299 it was a no brainier to get that over the ps3.
 
Mattrick always looked like he had a corncob shoved up his ass, good riddance, he was a virus to Microsoft and the gaming industry as a whole...

5Zf9UOD.jpg
 

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
At the end of the day PS4 was just a better piece of hardware at a better price-point.

It was always going to win. Especially given the way that Sony's first party studios blossomed during the generation.
 

Hudo

Member
The bolded is 100% false. There is a world where both MS and Sony messed up huge and console gaming starts to fade away due to everybody screwing up (along with the Wii-U). Sony had to make the right calls to be successful with the PS4.
Well, from where I'm sitting, Sony's marketing efforts were mediocre at best. And the people around me bought a PS4 not because their argument was "the PS4 is better" but rather "Well, Xbox One is online only, etc, so PS4 is where I'm going to go this time". Sony had a fairly easy start this gen and it played into their cards in a huge way.
 

mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Well, from where I'm sitting, Sony's marketing efforts were mediocre at best. And the people around me bought a PS4 not because their argument was "the PS4 is better" but rather "Well, Xbox One is online only, etc, so PS4 is where I'm going to go this time". Sony had a fairly easy start this gen and it played into their cards in a huge way.

And the same can be said with this whole Xbox Series X and Series S stuff next-gen. MS could be screwing themselves again. Of course most people don't see it that way, until after the fact.
 

Hudo

Member
And the same can be said with this whole Xbox Series X and Series S stuff next-gen. MS could be screwing themselves again. Of course most people don't see it that way, until after the fact.
Well, we don't know it yet if Microsoft are going to screw themselves again. Maybe Sony are going to screw themselves this time and then people will buy an Xbox not necessarily because it's better, but because it's the least worst option.

That being said, this time it's going to be harder for both companies to get customers to switch since many went digital only and are locked into the ecosystem, unless they want to lose their libraries, which is quite the shitty practice (that includes Nintendo as well), but oh well...
 
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DanielsM

Banned
Well, we don't know it yet if Microsoft are going to screw themselves again. Maybe Sony are going to screw themselves this time and then people will buy an Xbox not necessarily because it's better, but because it's the least worst option.

That being said, this time it's going to be harder for both companies to get customers to switch since many went digital only and are locked into the ecosystem, unless they want to lose their libraries, which is quite the shitty practice (that includes Nintendo as well), but oh well...

The shift occurred in 2011-2014, its kind of like wishful thinking at this point. Like Microsoft thinking they could shift iOS/Android users back to Windows Phone. The gaming industry has more segments and sub-segments, gaming within Microsoft will have to continue to shrink, and continue to change, imo. Its about services, not about selling plastic to them - I'm just not seeing much of a future for a good portion of the "services" they think they can sell.

Sony or Nintendo could make mistakes, I just don't see masses of people shifting to Microsoft for plastic.

Microsoft wants to sell services - maybe some limited avenues there... but I think its generally a dead end
Microsoft wants to sell plastic - that ship has sailed
Microsoft wants to compete with other dev/publishers - cool by me
 
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mckmas8808

Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Well, we don't know it yet if Microsoft are going to screw themselves again. Maybe Sony are going to screw themselves this time and then people will buy an Xbox not necessarily because it's better, but because it's the least worst option.

That being said, this time it's going to be harder for both companies to get customers to switch since many went digital only and are locked into the ecosystem, unless they want to lose their libraries, which is quite the shitty practice (that includes Nintendo as well), but oh well...

But people bought a PS4 because it "was" the better option. I'm confused.
 
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