News & Rumors: Xbox One (codename Durango)

[Deleted member 13524]

A social games publisher that's been plumetting for years decided to hire the guy that was largely responsible for the most hated console launch ever.
Sounds like Zynga is trying really hard to keep its course.


Kudos to Microsoft for getting rid of him, though. His image would probably be tied to Microsoft's attempt at forcing draconian DRM to customers, for the rest of his career in the company.

 

[Scott_Arm]

Way too much credit given to high-level executives at times. My guess is it will make little difference when he's replaced by someone else.

 

[BoardBonobo]

I did not realise that ballmer was replacing mattrick with... himself... Seriously, MS needs to put down the crack pipe and get back in the game they are all over the shop right now.

 

[Bagel seed]

Ballmer may be able to execute his vision more efficiently if he's at the helm anyways. Also, I'd love to see him present at the next E3 if possible. It's gotten more and more boring over the years... a Ballmer shout fest would make things so much more interesting

 

[XpiderMX]

It's clearly been a challenging few weeks for all involved with Xbox, resulting in a U-turn on policies around used games and a 24-hour internet check in. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is now taking direct control over the Xbox business, just four months before the company is due to ship its next-generation Xbox One console. Unlike former Windows chief Steven Sinofsky's sudden departure, Microsoft has not named a temporary or immediate successor to Mattrick. Fast Company speculates that the company may look to Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft Studios, as a replacement to Mattrick. The choice will likely depend on the direction that Microsoft is taking with its rumored reorg, a change that is said to be imminent.

Speculation: Phil Spencer.

 

[BeyondTed]

Hot Chips 2013 - Xbox One Silicon

Hopefully some interesting news on August 27, 2013 at Hot Chips:

http://www.hotchips.org/

"Tue 8/27...

...5:10 PM...

...XBOX One Silicon John Sell and Pat O’Connor Microsoft"



http://www.linkedin.com/pub/john-sell/23/6b4/987

"Partner Hardware Architect
Microsoft
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; MSFT; Computer Software industry
January 2005 – Present (8 years 7 months)

Senior Fellow
Advanced Micro Devices
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; AMD; Semiconductors industry
1997 – 2005 (8 years)

Chief Technical Officer
The 3DO Company
Public Company; 201-500 employees; THDO; Computer Games industry
1992 – 1997 (5 years)

Distinguished Engineer
Apple Inc.
Public Company; 10,001+ employees; AAPL; Consumer Electronics industry
1988 – 1992 (4 years)"

 

[Grall]

Ugh... Two months off! Silly-season never ends, does it?

 

[3dcgi]

I did not realise that ballmer was replacing mattrick with... himself... Seriously, MS needs to put down the crack pipe and get back in the game they are all over the shop right now.

I assume this is temporary until a replacement is found.

 

[upnorthsox]

I assume this is temporary until a replacement is found.

Which would indicate that this was not a planned departure. I expect we'll hear something eventually, this isn't the kind of scuttlebutt that stays quiet long.

 

[expletive]

I assume this is temporary until a replacement is found.

Of course, ballmer can't take on an additional 6-7 direct reports indefinitely.

 

[BoardBonobo]

Of course, ballmer can't take on an additional 6-7 direct reports indefinitely.

Yeah but will his ego let make the decisions before the launch of the XB1 or are they hoping to try and recover the horse not only after it has bolted but once it has been ground up and served across Europe as cheap beef...?

 

[Cyan]

Journey developer says that Kinect on Xbox One is finally there

http://www.oxm.co.uk/57444/journey-developer-reckons-kinect-on-xbox-one-is-finally-there

Speculation: Phil Spencer.

That's very good news if you ask me. I'd give my okay if I were Ballmer, since Phil Spencer has a little more enthusiasm and seems to have a slightly more hot-blooded character than Don Mattrick. He has to improve at number-crunching though.

 

[Eolirin]

Which would indicate that this was not a planned departure. I expect we'll hear something eventually, this isn't the kind of scuttlebutt that stays quiet long.

MS is about to do a massive reorg; naming a new head when the division may look completely different in a few weeks wouldn't make much sense.

 

[Cyan]

Julie Larson, the woman who is the Windows chief, could lead the Xbox division. Please, please... I hope so. I would love to have a woman leading the entertainment division. If not her, Phil Spencer then.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/julie-...-don-mattrick-as-xbox-one-boss-report-6411021

 

[dagamer]

Julie Larson, the woman who is the Windows chief, could lead the Xbox division. Please, please... I hope so. I would love to have a woman leading the entertainment division. If not her, Phil Spencer then.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/julie-...-don-mattrick-as-xbox-one-boss-report-6411021

To be more accurate, she would be the head of hardware engineering, which would cover Xbox and Surface, so you still need a direct Xbox head. My guess is still Spencer.

 

[expletive]

Yeah but will his ego let make the decisions before the launch of the XB1 or are they hoping to try and recover the horse not only after it has bolted but once it has been ground up and served across Europe as cheap beef...?

I think you're overestimating what Ballmer would do when having to now oversee this team. He's got an entire company to run, he's not going to start throwing consoles against a wall and flipping buffet tables over.

 

[wco81]

Why would a woman heading entertainment be better?

And why this particular woman? Her experience is with Office and Windows -- business products -- not entertainment or consumer products.

 

[BeyondTed]

Why would a woman heading entertainment be better?

And why this particular woman? Her experience is with Office and Windows -- business products -- not entertainment or consumer products.

And the experience is with software, not hardware. VERY BAD things happen when software people start thinking they have a clue about running hardware divisions.

 

[dobwal]

And the experience is with software, not hardware. VERY BAD things happen when software people start thinking they have a clue about running hardware divisions.

Software people over hardware or product divisions seems to be quite common in the world of consoles.

 

[ERP]

And the experience is with software, not hardware. VERY BAD things happen when software people start thinking they have a clue about running hardware divisions.

At MS I'd be more concerned about the political agenda, than whether she has hardware experience.

The XBox group has been largely insulated from various company wide initiatives, if it's part of windows then that pretty much ends.
Won't affect the XB1 hardware software stack at this point, but I have to wonder how 1st party development and 3rd party development would be impacted.