X-BOX UPDATE
December 27, 1999

Will Microsoft defeat Dolphin, PSX2, and Dreamcast? A source in Redmond has provided the information that Bill Gates and company have given final approval to the X-Box project. Microsoft has an ambitious five year plan to make the X-Box a success.

First and foremost, the executives at Microsoft consider the X-Box to be a console and that Sony is the enemy. The hardware specs for the X-Box are not yet finalized, but the hardware is currently ninety percent complete. The remaining ten percent mostly pertains to graphics technology. Again, Microsoft considers Sony the primary target of attack and wants to build a platform at least three times more powerful than the PlayStation II.

Microsoft will finalize hardware and first and third party development plans by January 15th, 2000. The current plan is to have the X-Box technology in the factory by April 2001. This will allow Microsoft to realize the company's target fourth quarter 2001 release.

Microsoft planned to have a fifty percent share of the PC market by now, but has only managed to achieve a ten percent share to date. The X-Box is seen as a fresh start. Twenty five first party titles per year are planned, and Microsoft expects to capture a thirty to thirty five percent market share.

Microsoft is also pursuing top third party companies to develop for the X-Box. Before major third parties will commit, Microsoft needs to build and test a new Operating System for the unit.

Source: NintendoDolphin.net