In a documentary Power on Casually, another amazing detail from the backstage history of Xbox is revealed: it turns out that Grand Theft Auto III There were chances to become an exclusive Microsoft, But during negotiations C Rockstar No one believed that the game would be good.
In the area of 2000, before the launch of the first Xbox, the console team met with developers around the world to find games for their platform. One of the meetings participants Power on They remember this:
Once we were presented with a new idea from a small publisher who came to us and said: “You know, we are going to blow off dust from our 2D game for PC. We invest a lot in it and believe that it will be wonderful ".
And the new Xbox bosses, who looked at presentations from developers and publishers, said: “We do not think that this game can move from 2D to 3D”. They considered that it turns out to be too confused, that the interface comes out incomprehensible that the base is not that a popular game. And she was refused.
Power On episode, where they talk about a meeting with Rockstar. History with GTAIII is mentioned at 16 minutes.
The game was called Grand Theft https://xlcasino.uk/ Auto III. Its total sales amounted to 14.5 million copies, they say in Power on. She became the most successful game of 2001 and would be so in 2002, if she had not been ahead of her own continuation- Vice City. Only after these games Rockstar has turned into a real giant with which the rest of the industry is unconditionally considered.
A GTAIII As a result, I went to PlayStation. She still appeared on Xbox, but only two years after the release. On the other hand, the version for Xbox is often called the best – there they pumped graphics and, for example, made normal fingers for the characters.
NGL -I WAS SKEPTICAL ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION OF GTA – A 2D Game – Into 3D. And I Was Wrong. But So Was Evenyone Else in that Room. It gos to show you What Big Experts We All Were.
– Seamus Blackley (@seamusblackley) December 15, 2021
After the story of an unsuccessful meeting Microsoft And Rockstar began to quote on the network, added his comments Sheimus blacklings (Seamus Blackley) – one of the key creators of Xbox. On Twitter, he told a few more ships from the beginning of the zero:
If anything, in 2000 Rockstar I really released two games about Austin Powers for Game Boy Color.
Then Blackley Skeptical of the GTA move from 2D to 3D. Now he admits that he was wrong, but they say, at that meeting, the idea GTAIII None of the Xbox team did not like.
However, Blackley believes that if Microsoft supported Rockstar, The development of the game could go completely differently: "Maybe, [GTAIII and would not have become the second murderous exclusive Xbox after Halo]. It would be another game with other release conditions ".
As reminded Blackley, Such cases behind the scenes occur constantly – no one knows in advance which project will shoot and which will fail with a bang. Blackley (apparently, after leaving from Microsoft) participated in the presentation Guitar Hero For Activision – Then Bobby Kotik (Bobby Kotick) said that no one would buy a plastic guitar. After some time Activision acquired a whole publisher, just to get the rights to Guitar Hero.
Blackley It seemed that Xbox Live is a terrible name for the network service. In addition, he once had to record a whole video with explanations why online multiplayer is an extremely valuable additive for the console.
I Seem to Remember You Telling Me that Story. I Think We Both Though The Same Thow ABOUT XBOX 360 Too.
– Larry Hryb ☁ (@majornelson) December 15, 2021
Other important people from the history of Xbox appeared in the comments under the messages of Blacli. They remembered that Xbox 360 considered a terrible name.
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