Microsoft to outsource XBox360 hardware?

[Anonymous]

1Up’s Quartermann is reporting *rumours* that Microsoft will be de-regulating XBox360 hardware manufacture to third parties.

The article

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3168394

gives this a mixed reaction, and maybe their just their to drive up sales of EGM, but what if…

From Microsoft’s point of view, it should ease the burden of the hardware manufacturing costs (are they still taking a loss?), and possibly allow hardware revisions, with newer features, etc.

But, how would this affect developers? Will this lead to "class distinction" like we are use to on the PC (High Spec, Mid Spec, Low Spec), with Uber Xbox’s, Ok Xbox’s, and Slow Xbox’s being released?

Taking this one step further, imagine third party developers creating games targeted for the "Uber-Xbox" and anyone else is doomed to a chug-a-thon.

"well..there is always QA to stop that from happening…"

Even one step further, imagine Nintendo/Sega/Sony making Xbox hardware? I know, thats a bit contrived, but it could be possible.

Or maybe I need to relax, and let this *rumour* dissipate into thin air from whence it came…

Thoughts guys?

Brendan.

[Anonymous]

Just release the new good one (perferably with Blu-Ray) already !

[Anonymous]

its not really a new idea, Panasonic did the game for the gamecube called the Q (DVD player) and sega licensed out dreamcast technology out to other companies, (pace they guys that make the sky decoders bought a licence with the idea of downloading dreamcast games, but it never got past prototyping.

I don’t think your going to get differently powers Xboxs like you do with pcs, its would be more like the DVD player or VCR play. Yes they are all different, with extra features etc but fundamentally they all have to play all dvds or video tapes.

also it would not make sense to make games for only a more powerful xbox 360 version as the install base for the "normal" is nearly 20 million. I would think MS would have rules on how well it would have to run as well.

also MS have been making a profit on xbox hardware for a while now
http://www.techspot.com/news/23612-microsoft-makes-tiny-profit-on-xbox-360-hardware.html

that was back in Nov 2006, and since there has been further reduction is manufacturing costs and a price cut.

[Anonymous]

Doubt you’ll see different spec xbox’s. MS have strict Technical Certification Requirements (TCR) which dont even allow you at present to depend on a hard drive in a 360. Although i’d reckon majority of ppl probably have a HD in their xbox. (who bought the cores, i dunno anyone ?? ;))

Therefore, its unlikely they will allow developers to limit their games to "uber xbox" etc. It doing MS out of money as they ultimately get a percentage of the sales of every game on their platform. So ideally they want everyone to be potentially able to buy and play every game. Its all about the $$$

[Anonymous]

So long as MS don’t try and make them as well. I remember when apple let other companies make macintosh clones while still making macs themselves. That was a dumbass move. New companies didn’t expand the market but just eat apples. Cost them a sack load of money to buy back the licenses.

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