John Carmack on the XBox

It is clear to everyone that Microsoft are serious about the XBox. It is also clear that they have aimed it squarely at the PC user, and indeed they want PC Game developers to develop for it, just buying them if necessary. John Carmack of iD Software has put a post up on Slashdot talking about how Microsoft are trying to get into his and his companies good books. It is also clear that Microsoft are trying to get Tim Sweeney and Epic onside, JC says, "At last years CGDC, Tim Sweeny and I had a meeting with Bill Gates about the X-Box. It was not handled well."

It appears Microsoft want Tim and John to sit on a "formal advisory board". The purpose of which is to comment and talk about the hardware and OS software of the XBox. As an outsider, and a sceptic, I must say I'm glad that Microsoft are speaking and listening to the people that matter, and not trying to do everything in-house as they sometimes have done. Bill and friends in Redmond will be happy that JC has pinned his colours to the post in no uncertain terms on the issue of who looks to be the best in the console war when he says, "I'm all for the X-Box as a console platform. The graphics hardware is a lot cooler than PS2". There you have it!