Read Microsoft's inside story of the Xbox One

By Sam Sabri
published

Microsoft’s Xbox One is a killer gaming console, but it’s more than that. It’s also a great all-in-one entertainment device for your living room. Microsoft recently started a column on their site to highlight unique individuals working within the company. Today they’re highlighting three employees who helped shaped the Xbox One.

Boyd Multerer – Director of Development

Not many people can claim to be the father of both Xbox Live and XNA, but Boyd Multerer can. He’s been with team Xbox since the beginning and shares some insight into the processes of creating the Xbox One. On the Xbox One he was responsible for spearheading the effort to align the needs of the gamer and the game developer. The solution? Three operating systems working in unison on the Xbox One. Read more about Boyd (opens in new tab).

Carl Ledbetter – Industrial Designer

Carl has had some pretty impressive design roles within Microsoft since he first joined in in 1995. From shaping mice and keyboards to shaping the Zune and Xbox One, Carl has done it all. He didn’t always want to be an industrial designer, he almost became a geologist. What’s he most proud about on the Xbox One? The things that might go unnoticed, like the ABXY buttons that have a jewel-like finish and are clearer to read. Speaking of reading, be sure to read the whole interview with Carl (opens in new tab).

Alexis Hebert – Creative Producer                                                                           

You might recognize Alexis, she grew to prominence in the gaming community as a member of the PMS clan and later Ubisoft’s Frag Dolls. She’s been at Microsoft since 2011 and is now working on helping shape the company’s road map for e-gaming. She’s a crazy cool cat. Be sure to read more about Alexis (opens in new tab).

The Xbox One is an impressive machine, but sometimes it’s the people behind a product that are the real story.

Via: TechNet

Thanks for the tip Rodney!

Sam Sabri
Sam Sabri
53 Comments
  • Xbox +1
  • +One
  • + Uno
  • XCaja Uno
  • +yek however i think PS4 is better.
  • (am I supposed to write +1 in my own language?) +een
  • Meh.
  • Is that where "eeny, meeny, miny, mo" comes from? :P
  • Haha no
  • 加另一个
  • XBox eins
  • Thanks Rodney!
  • Dont stroke his ego....
  • You're welcome❕... I am quite awesome;-);-);-);-);-)
  • :P
  • Don't pat yourself on the back too much. You'll dislocate that shoulder.
  • Jealous❔... LOL
  • Still waiting for the epic Dean Takahashi treatment of the Xbox One! Hopefully he will I lived his books on the OG Xbox and the Xbox 360.
  • Out off topic...
    Asphalt 8 free for all.. :p
  • Thanks, dude!!!
  • What❔
  • A little late, the story came out three hours before your comment ;)
    http://www.wpcentral.com/asphalt-8-airborne-now-free-windows-8-and-windo...
  • Haha.. LOL for me..slowpoke :( 
  • XBONE is THA ONE!
  • The box to rule them all
  • I heard Microsoft is paying off Youtube users to mention XBox One and showcase it.
  • I heard the Xbox sold more than the Ps4 last month.
  • I heard that xbox is mint...from my own lips
  • http://www.polygon.com/2014/1/20/5327814/report-microsoft-paying-youtube... I was close.
  • Its called advertising. Jesus Christ are people genuinely new to this concept that's existed for decades now?
  • I wish my Xbox One actually did at least half of the stuff my 360 did or easier... I haven't really played it since November
  • ^THIS^
  • Exactly I even go bad to my 360 when I get bored of this Xbox and its half ass UI to promote metro
  • Metro cool but fix the functionality already...
  • I agree we need an update before titan fall drops to fix some of the design choices we consumers have to deal with. I like where their head was, but they kind of failed on execution.
  • Come on guys do you not recall xbox360's first year? No party chat, no apps, retarded dashboard. Xbox one already starts off with an advantage just wait until they smooth the edge's
  • Honestly, I bet it would be a bit different if Microsoft didn't have to go back and change the DRM features they were promoting back when they revealed the One, there would have been more to it now. However, since they changed the DRM, they didn't have enough time for polishing additional features. So, really, I blame the people who complained. :/
  • Other than not having enough games right now, I feel like everything is much easier on the One. I still use a 360 in my bedroom and I cannot wait to upgrade. Moving between apps/media is frustratingly slow on the 360 compared to the One.
  • I know that's right... Not sure what they mean. I pop around my main apps and games with ease on the One. Other than the limited games I would much rather be using the Xbone than our 360's, course I use it for cable, Netflix, Hulu, besides gaming...
  • Steembachs ftw
  • Meh.. I'm gonna buy the controller but I'm pretty sure my PC will still be my steam machine
  • You mean teenbox?
  • Those were some really nice articles
  • Xbox 360
  • Still no support for Dolby Digital.
  • What?? Yes there is since day one?
  • No there isn't. Only DTS.
  • Gears of War 4 will be the game that makes me buy an Xbox One
  • The Xbox one is an amazing console but I bleed Sony
  • Unfortunately many mistakes were made and have ultimately ended up with a far inferior console to the ps4. Before the terrible PR job and the lack of knowledge about the consumer everyone I know had good things to say about xbox. Now here in the uk they have lost this valuable opinion. I think brand wise they have stepped three to five years backward and now have to build it again. I loved the xbox brand and had an early order for xbox one until I had to cancel. To many reasons to explain but xbox took a huge hit to its credibility. I hope more than anyone they regain this. I'm not a lover of the people behind xbox. They may of thought they would come out on top but what they actually designed was an already outdated console. These people should be removed from their positions and are not to be trusted to move the brand forward. Who cares about controller button innovation. Get real for goodness sake. Your supposed to be a multi billion pound company.
  • Hang on please tell me what is good about a PS4 , Where as I agree MS have gone backward in some aspect of the Xbox, they have also gone forward, The HDMI pass through is a brilliant idea. Poorly executed for now (well in the UK) but at least the hardware is there to do it well in the future, Please tell me what Sony have done? As far as I can see they brought out another box with a slightly better hardware (big deal) that does not make it better. (let us not bring up that old Betamax vs VHS argument ) Both company's have a lot of work ahead of them but at least with Xbox I see potential. With Sony, nothing, unless they are going to bring out some new hardware!!
  • add me ch_khon@hotmail.com
  • I would just like to say, all new/improved gaming consoles need time to have the updates for glitches/miss functioning/new apps ex... I always wait that one year trial period before putting my hard earned money out there on entertainment for myself that will last a life time weather I buy the next item out or not. Thank you