XBOX sucks (in)

So tonight was the big star-studded unveiling of the new XBOX 360 (though images of it have been leaking out for a long time now). Looks...ok. Much better than the first one I think. The specs and features are looking very nice in any case. I wonder if it the design appeals the hard core game crowd as much as the first, though I'm sure they're trying a lot harder to appeal to the mainstream (what with the MTV launch) and women. The swapable covers is a nice feature, catering to PC modders, the Alienware crowd, and teenage girls alike. Pimp my XBOX.

Microsoft has done a great job of promoting its designers on their website, and included in the XBOX 360 promotional video is a pseudo-interview with Jonathan Hayes, the XBOX design director. Also look to the XBOX site for a more extensive interview and a shot of Hayes sketching his new gaming icon: "In contrast to the current console—which is about energy exploding outward—Xbox 360's concave shape is about the inhale. It's about the moment before the explosion, when energy is gathered. Think of a runner in the blocks before a sprint, or a martial artist taking in a breath of air before a kick."



The design community has already started to weigh in on the new look, and so far it seems somewhat neutral. I still prefer the look of the PS, so I'm looking forward to see what Sony reveals this week at E3.

posted by Mike @ 10:12 PM   |   Permalink