Can you believe that it’s already been 10 years since the first Xbox rolled out of the factory and arrived at my front doorstep? The video gaming world has taken off like a bat out of hell since then, with due credit going to Microsoft for their numerous innovations. But there are a number of things that didn’t survive the past 10 years, so let’s salute them.
The “Fatty”
Microsoft took a lot of flak for the original Xbox controller – a bulky, ill-designed monster that was quickly replaced by a smaller, sleeker “S” version. That was the first and last time Microsoft made that mistake: the Xbox360 controller is undeniably better than any other gaming controller in history…including the deceptively light, awkwardly designed Playstation controller. Go ahead, call me a heretic, but hands were not meant to be angled that way.
Breakaway Cables
It’s weird when you think about how quickly wired technology is dying. No one wants cables all over the place – it’s messy, and one wrong move can mean a tragic end for your equipment. You run the risk doubly as much when you’re main demographic is a bunch of overactive children with clumsy limbs. Microsoft was way ahead of the game with breakaway cables – controller wires that would pop off if they were tugged at or tripped over. I’m sure they saved your Xbox at least once. Unfortunately, the great idea died when some genius decided that all controllers should just be wireless.
Memory Cards
This was back in the day when game console technology and PC technology were still relatively separate from each other. How times have changed. Memory cards were useful if you wanted to bring your saved game to a friend’s house, but the integration of USB ports and the Internet into all of the major consoles has all but rendered it completely useless. It’s not like many kids playing video games wanna leave their houses in the first place, but now you can just share your game using Xbox Live, play multi-player, and all that good stuff.
