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Xbox 360

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Xbox 360 is Microsoft's successor to their Xbox video game console, previously referred to during development as "Project Xenon," "Xbox 2," or "Xbox Next." The console is expected to be released in November 2005 in North America, Europe, and Japan and elsewhere in 2006. The Xbox 360 will compete for market share against the upcoming Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Revolution consoles. The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, a week before E³.

Xbox 360 logo
Xbox 360 logo
Xbox 360 system and controller
Xbox 360 system and controller

Information

With the launch of the Xbox 360, Microsoft's online gaming service, Xbox Live will go through a major upgrade adding a basic non-subscription service (Silver) to its already established premium subscription-based service (Gold).

In March 2004, Microsoft announced a new game development software strategy dubbed "XNA", which Microsoft claims will enable game studios to cut development times by at least a third if developing across multiple Microsoft platforms, by means of tools created with the increasing difficulty of programming for a machine with three processor cores in mind.

Prices

The system's current retail strategy involves two different configurations. (For differences, see Components and Accessories.)

  • Xbox 360 Core System Edition
  • Xbox 360 Premium Edition
    • $399.99 USD
    • €399.99 Euro
    • £279.99 Pound sterling
    • $499.99 Canadian Dollar

Additionally, launch titles Perfect Dark Zero and Project Gotham Racing 3, among others, are going to be priced at $49.99USD initially, contrary to the previously believed price of $59.99USD. (Prices on popular games usually drop $20 or $30 after a year if they sell over a certain number of copies.)

The Xbox 360 receives much speculation as one of the most expensive launches of a game console in history, as it is only offered in bundles with additional games and accessories for a premium price from major retailers, although [1]outside research with inflation] discredits that notion. Further, this applies only to online pre-ordering options, pre-ordering in person at major game retailers does not require committing to game and accessory packages.

Hardware specifications

The full specifications are available from the official Xbox website.

Custom IBM PowerPC-based CPU "Xenon"

  • The Intel x86 processor of the Xbox has been replaced by a custom IBM-designed processor based on the PowerPC architecture. (90 nm process, 165 million transistors)
  • Three symmetrical cores running at 3.2 GHz
  • Two hardware threads per core; six total
  • VMX-128 vector unit per core; three total
  • 128 VMX-128 registers per hardware thread
  • 1 MiB L2 cache (Lockable by Graphics Processor)

Custom ATI R500 Based GPU "Xenos"

  • 337 million transistors total
  • 500 MHz parent GPU (90 nm process, 232 million transistors)
  • 500 MHz 10 MiB daughter eDRAM Framebuffer (90 nm process, 105 million transistors)
    • eDRAM has internal logic for Color, Alpha Blend, ZStencil and Anti-Aliasing
  • 48-way parallel floating-point dynamically-scheduled shader pipelines (ALU's for Vertex or Pixel Shader processing)
  • Unified shader architecture (This means that the pipelines are shared between pixel pipelines and vertex shaders; for example, 42 pixel pipelines : 6 vertex shaders).
  • 16 Filtered & 16 Unfiltered Texture samples per clock
  • Polygon Performance: 500 million triangles per second
  • Pixel Fill Rate: 16 gigasamples per second fillrate using 4X MSAA
  • Shader Performance: 48 billion (48,000 million) shader operations per second (96 billion shader operations per second theoretical maximum)
  • Dot product operations: 9 billion per second (Microsoft figure), 33.6 billion per second when combined with CPU power

Memory

  • 512 MiB 700MHz GDDR-3 RAM (unified memory architecture)

System Bandwidth

 
Xbox 360 Bandwidth Diagram
  • 22.4 GB/s memory interface bus bandwidth (700 MHz x 2 accesses per clock cycle (one per edge) on a 128bit bus)
  • 256 GB/s eDRAM internal logic to internal memory bandwidth
  • 32 GB/s GPU to eDRAM bandwidth (2 GHz x 2 accesses per clock cycle on a 64bit DDR bus)
  • 21.6 GB/s frontside bus (Aggregated 10.8 GB/s upstream and downstream)
  • 1 GB/s southbridge bandwidth (Aggregated 500 MB/s upstream and downstream)

Overall System Floating-Point Performance

  • 1 TFLOPS theoretical peak performance

Audio

  • All games support at least five channel (5.1) Dolby Digital surround sound
  • Supports 48kHz 16-bit audio
  • 320 independent decompression channels
  • 32 bit processing
  • 256+ audio channels

DVD Drive

File:Xbox360 vs Xbox.jpg
Size comparison with the first Xbox.

A DVD-ROM drive which will be capable of reading both DVD+R/RW and DVD-R/RW discs will be standard equipment on the console, with game titles shipping on single or dual-layer DVDs.

Recently, it was announced that future revisions of the Xbox 360 may include HD DVD drives as part of Microsoft's partnership with Toshiba. The source of this information is the following statement made by Bill Gates on the 28th of June in Japan:

"The initial shipments of Xbox 360 will be based on today's DVD format. We are looking at whether future versions of Xbox 360 will incorporate an additional capability of an HD DVD player or something else."

The HD DVD and Blu-Ray formats have already developed an intense rivalry to become the de-facto successor to DVD for high-definition video, and if Microsoft chooses to add HD DVD it will likely make the Xbox 360 a more competitive multimedia device. Since HD DVD would not be standard across all models of the Xbox 360, however, it would only be used for video playback, and not for game distribution. As such, games for the Xbox 360 will remain limited to the 9GB storage available on a dual-layer DVD (as compared to the 54GB available on the PS3's BD-ROM).

Physical Dimensions and Weight

  • The Xbox 360 weighs 3.5 kg (7.7 lbs)
  • 30.9 cm wide x 8.3 cm high x 25.8 cm deep
  • 12.15" wide x 3.27" high x 10.15" deep

Miscellaneous

  • Support for Standard DVD-video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, JPEG photo CD
  • Media Center Extender capability
  • All games support a 16:9 aspect ratio, and a minimum of 720p resolution with 2x full-scene anti-aliasing enabled. The embedded Microsoft web-tv chip is able to automatically reformat 720p to the best available display resolution including 480i, 480p, 1080i as well as dynamically crop or scale 16:9 to fit 4:3 screens. Some games will optionally support native 1080i and 480p video resolutions as well.
  • Standard-definition and high-definition video output supported
  • At least 2x anti-aliasing will be enabled at all times
  • 3 USB 2.0 ports
  • Progressive-scan DVD movie playback out of the box; DVD and CD music and photo playback out of the box; support for DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, WMA CD, MP3 CD, JPEG Photo CD.
  • All games support custom soundtracks

Components and Accessories

The console will ship in two configurations, a premium edition and a core system edition.


Premium Edition

The premium edition has metallic silver detailing and includes the following components and accessories:

  • Detachable 20 GB hard drive.
  • 2.4 GHz Wireless controller.
  • Xbox-Live Headset.
  • Component HD-AV cable.
  • Xbox Live Silver membership.
  • Ethernet cable.
  • Bonus Media Remote (limited time offer for Holidays 2005).
  • Free 30 day membership of Xbox Live Gold.

Controller

File:360controller.jpg
Xbox 360 controller

The Xbox 360 has the ability to support four wireless controllers. Additionally it can support three wired controllers through the use of its USB ports (two in front, one in back). The wired controller cords are nine feet in length and are breakaway similar to those used with the Xbox. The wireless controller has a battery life of up to 25 hours of life on a rechargeable battery exclusive to the wireless controller with a range of up to 30 feet. The wireless controller is expected to retail for $49.99/€44.99/£32.99/C$59.99. The wired controller is expected to retail for $39.99/€34.99/£24.99/C$49.99. The wired controller is fully compatible with Windows XP and USB based PCs.

The controller for the Xbox 360 is a similar yet improved version of the Type-S gamepad for the original Xbox. The Xbox 360 controller adds the new feature of the Xbox guide button, which has the appearance of the Xbox 360 emblem and is surrounded by a ring of neon green light. Pressing the Xbox guide button will bring the Xbox 360 out of sleep mode or instantly bring up the "Xbox Guide" for access to digital movies, music and games libraries. The ring of light lights up to designate what controller "port" the gamepad is currently using and which console (if more than one) the controller is connected to. The black and white buttons have been redesigned as shoulder buttons, now referred to as bumper buttons, located above the left and right triggers. The rear of the controller has been redesigned to include a new port where the player can connect a headset. The new port replaces the two non-standard USB connectors on the front of the Xbox controller.

Play & Charge Kit

This kit will allow the controller to be recharged while playing. Ample warning will be provided when the end of battery life is nearing, allowing the gamer to connect the cable for recharging. The Play and Charge Kit also includes the rechargeable battery pack. This kit is expected to retail at $19.99/€19.99/£14.99/C$29.99.

Rechargeable battery pack

This provides up to 25 hours of gameplay for wireless gaming, it is used in place of the disposable AA batteries. The battery pack is expected to retail at $11.99/€14.99/£9.99/C$14.99.

Optional Detachable Hard Drive

A detachable 20 gigabyte hard drive will be used for the storage of games, music, downloaded trailers, levels, demos, player preferences, and community-created content from Xbox Live Marketplace. In addition, an official marketing brochure that was recently leaked on the internet confirms that the Xbox 360 will require the detachable Hard Drive in order to achieve backward compatibility with Xbox games. The detachable hard drives may be swapped between Xbox 360 units. Additionally, J Allard, the chief of Microsoft's Xbox division, has stated that Microsoft may market larger detachable hard drives for the Xbox 360 in the future, and that territories outside of North America may have a differently sized hard drive included with the retail unit (for example, he indicated that MS may consider including a 60 GB hard drive with the Xbox 360 in Japan).

The premium edition bundle includes a hard drive, but the core system bundle does not. The 20 gigabyte hard drive is expected to be priced $99.99/€99.99/£69.99/C$129.99.

Memory Units

File:X360premium.jpg
Xbox 360 Premium Edition package.

The memory unit is an easily portable device which allows the transfer of saved games, in-game achievements and unique gamer profiles to other XBox 360 consoles. The 64 MB version is expected to retail at $39.99/€34.99/£22.99/C$49.99.

Wireless Networking Adapter

Wi-Fi (802.11a, 802.11b, and 802.11g) adapter sold separately and is expected to retail at $99.99/€79.99/£59.99/C$129.99. Using an Xbox 360-specific or third-party wireless bridge accessory the Xbox 360 consoles will automatically detect and link with other Xbox 360 consoles within range.

Headset

The headset allows gamers to talk to each other when connected by Xbox Live, and features in-line volume control. It is expected to retail at $19.99/€19.99/£14.99/C$29.99.

Universal Media Remote

This remote allows the user to play DVDs, movies and music, as well as control a TV and their Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005-based PC controls with a single controller and expected to retail at $29.99/€29.99/£19.99/C$39.99. This remote is a bigger version of the bonus media remote to be shipped for a limited time with the premium edition.

AV Connection Cables

  • Xbox 360 Component HD-AV Cable. This cable provides both component cables for high-definition and a composite cable for standard-definition.
  • S-Video AV Cable (U.S. and Canada only) or Xbox 360 SCART AV Cable (Europe only)

This versatile cable works for both high-definition and standard-definition TVs that use S-Video or composite video inputs. This cable is expected to retail at $29.99/€24.99/£17.99/C$39.99.

  • VGA HD AV Cable

Allows for high-definition on flat-panel TV or VGA monitors that have a VGA style connector. This cable is expected to retail at $39.99/€29.99/£19.99/C$49.99.

Faceplates

The default faceplate which comes in white, or as Microsoft describes it, “chill”, can be swapped out with other custom faceplates. Microsoft says that another mixed faceplate will come in two versions of the console (premium and core) as bonus. The premium faceplate is said to have chrome detailing.

Software

For the Xbox 360, Microsoft has drawn on recent research in computer graphics to enable a new method for game programming. In traditional games, all content is statically stored and generally immutable; that is, textures, meshes, and other game content is stored on a storage medium. As complexity in each rises, the demand for storage rises as well. A newer approach to generating content is utilised for Xbox 360 titles: procedural synthesis. Procedural synthesis is an approach to generating game content via algorithms. For example, trees are one of the most complicated objects to render in a game, due to their organic complexity. A game with only one model for a tree will appear odd, as nature is far more random; the game loses some of its immersion as a result. Instead, a general recursive algorithm will generate the tree's model and textures, so that each tree looks different from the next, and do so with high efficiency. The Xbox 360's architecture was designed with this approach in mind.[2] When running procedural synthesis algorithms, one of the Xenon CPU's cores may "lock" a portion of the 1 MB shared L2 cache. When locked, a segment of cache no longer contains any prefetched instructions or data for the CPU, but is instead used as output space for the procedural synthesis thread. The Xenos GPU can then read directly from this locked cache space and render the procedurally generated objects. The rationale behind this design is that procedurally synthesized game content can be streamed directly from CPU to GPU, without incurring additional latency by being stored in system RAM as an intermediary step. The downside to this approach is that when part of the L2 cache is locked, there is even less data immediately available to keep the 3 symmetric cores in the Xenon CPU running at full efficiency (1 MB of shared L2 is already a rather small amount of cache for 3 symmetric cores to share, especially considering that the Xenon CPU does not support out-of-order execution to more efficiently use available clock cycles).

Procedural synthesis is also found outside of the Xbox 360 in the advanced freeware FPS game .kkrieger, where such techniques have reduced the size of the visually stunning game to a mere 96 kilobytes. Other interesting examples of procedural synthesis are shown in old and new code demos.

Other software round out the Xbox 360. The Xbox Live service will feature in prominently in the Xbox 360, enabling multiplayer games, voice and video chat, and other integrated services.

Development

The Xbox 360 game development will be centered around the XNA Studio game development platform. XNA Studio covers three synergistic areas: Content Creation, Production Processes and Game Technologies. XNA Studio will enable enhanced collaboration between content creators, programmers, management and QA staff to speed the game production process. Based on Microsoft's Visual Studio 2005 Team System, the XNA Studio is the Visual Studio for game development; an integrated, team-based development environment tailored for game production. XNA Studio will provide robust versions of key production tools such as asset management, defect tracking, project automation and work lists. These tools will work together seamlessly to automate common development tasks and present interfaces tailored to the different functions within the team. XNA Studio will allow team members to collaborate quickly and effectively using familiar techniques and tools, even when elements of the team are distributed geographically, an increasing trend in game development. Microsoft believes that this will give developers more time to generate unique content and reduce time running the content process. It is debatable whether the XNA studio development platform will be superior to future development tools that will be available for PS3 and Nintendo's Revolution. Although, to date, some prominent developers have endorsed XNA Studio. For example, John Carmack stated at QuakeCon 2005 that the Xbox 360 had "the best development environment" he has seen for a console.

Backward compatibility

During Microsoft's E3 Press Conference, Robbie Bach, Microsoft senior vice president and chief Xbox officer, said the Xbox 360 will be backward compatible with original Xbox games. With Xbox Live support, however, it is possible that it may not be fully backward-compatible with all Xbox games. Robbie Bach stated, "Xbox 360 will be backward-compatible with top-selling Xbox games". The ambiguous statement has many media outlets believing that Microsoft may pick and choose certain games. Steve Ballmer in an interview with Engadget has stated that they will concentrate on making sure the best selling titles, such as Halo and Halo 2, are compatible. Michael Brundage, a Microsoft software engineer, talks on his site about the current challenge to develop an emulator, granting more reliable and solid compatibility.

Richard Harris of ATI has since revealed that the backwards compatibility will be accomplished "purely through emulation (at the CPU level)". The enigmatic "most popular titles" statements are also explained, as the system will likely ship with a certain number of "emulation profiles" for games, new profiles being available over the Xbox Live network. [3]

Xbox Live

Microsoft has announced that each Xbox 360 system will come with Microsoft's Xbox Live service. The optional Hard Disk accessory or Memory Card is required to connect to the Xbox Live service. There will be two different types of the service to choose from. The first, Xbox Live Silver, is free of charge and allows users to create a profile, join on message boards, access to Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade, and talk to other members. The second, Xbox Live Gold, will have the same features as Silver plus Online game playing capabilities and video conferencing (Video Conferencing will not be availible when the console is first released). The price for an Xbox Live Gold account is currently speculated to be approximently $50.00 per year.

Xbox Guide

The Xbox Guide is a tabbed interface that contains several features such as:

  • Xbox Live
  • Marketplace
  • Favorites List
  • Custom Playlists
  • Friends Lists
  • and more

Marketing

File:Mtv-xbox-360-unveiling.JPG
MTV's Xbox 360 TV special hosted by actor Elijah Wood.
File:X360 BillG TIMECover.jpg
Bill Gates on the cover of Time, promoting the Xbox 360.

The marketing for Xbox 360 began on March 14, 2005 with the opening of an Alternate reality game and viral marketing website called Ourcolony.net. Through March and April, the website gave challenges to its community and if they were solved would give out a reward, usually a picture of the system or an obscure screenshot from a launch game.

The official unveiling of the system occurred on Thursday, May 12, 2005 on MTV in a program called MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed hosted by actor Elijah Wood with a musical performance by the band The Killers. The Xbox 360 was also featured on the cover of Time magazine's May 23, 2005 issue with Microsoft chairman Bill Gates holding up one of the units (see left). In the article he says "It's perfect...The day Sony launches [the new PlayStation], and they walk right into Halo 3." [4] Read more at wikiquote.

The system, along with some playable games, were shown off at E3 2005, the demos were running on Xbox 360 Alpha Development-Kits, which are customized Apple PowerMac G5s. Microsoft claims that most of the games were running at 25-30% of full capacity because they were not running on actual systems.

OrigenXbox360.com is a new viral marketing campaign from Microsoft. The website displays a flash animation of what appear to be two rabbit silhouettes next to a Bonsai tree, there is also a faint countdown timer in the background that is counting down to 27 September, 2005 5:00 PM (UTC). Recently green fruit began appearing on the tree, possibly signifying another countdown process. Some allege that these images reference Alice in Wonderland. The OrigenXbox360.com URL is registered to Microsoft, but no official information has been released regarding the site.

Further reading

See also

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