Microsoft specific argument did make any sense. At the time, Nintendo was far behind Sony from a hardware standpoint. So Microsoft realized that it could take over hardware production and let Nintendo focus on the software. “In fact, we had Nintendo in our building in January 2000 to work out the details of a joint venture where we provided them with all the Xbox technical specifications,” said Bob Mcbreen, head of business development. “The bid was terrible on hardware and, compared to Sony’s PlayStation, it was. So the idea was: ‘Listen, you are much better at the parts of the game with Mario and all that stuff. Why don’t you let us take care of the hardware? ‘ But it did not work. “
While this is certainly the most notable of Microsoft’s failed acquisitions, there were a few other notable developers who rejected the company’s proposals. EA was the first company that Microsoft sought out; the software giant came up with a simpler “no thanks”. Microsoft also met with Square (now known as Square Enix) and Mortal combat Midway developer.
An acquisition that did pass gave Microsoft what is the Xbox flagship franchise from day one. At the time, Bungie was a little-known developer, but Halo: Combat Evolved arrived next to the first Xbox in November 2001 and was met with immediate acclaim. It is no exaggeration to say that the game gave Xbox immediate legitimacy and helped it gain a significant share of the gaming market, despite the dominance of Sony and Nintendo. To learn more about how the first Xbox came about, Dina Bass’ oral story at Bloomberg is a must-read.