First real pic of the Xbox 360
by Ben Zackheim 
{ Apr 22nd 2005 at 7:38PM }
Engadget is reporting that the latest image of the
Xbox 360 is an ACTUAL image of the Xbox
360. They've checked with their very reliable sources and it's been verified. So, what do you think? After all the
hoopla, is it just another box? Need more info?
Personally, it looks like a classy piece of hardware. It certainly gets me more excited than the intro of the original
Xbox design did.
So, does that make this image from Team Xbox another angle on what we see above? Could this be Xbox 360 v2?
And another pic from Team Xbox of the side of the console. My guess is that this is where the HD goes, but Engadget is reporting that the slot in the pic above is where you'll find the drive. (thanks to Fady for sending this in)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Chris @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Looks very sleek. But I hope it's not a 100& final design. Not too keen on the "XBOX 360" text or that of the memory card slots. I'm interested to see what the other sides, and top, look like...
Chase @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
2 Things
1. sweet I'm first
2. I'd like to point out that the lack of controller ports confirms the assumptions that the controllers will indeed by wireless, i think that is really cool
Chase @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
dang second
Ben Z. @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I'm looking forward to seeing the whole box before I pass final judgment. How big is it? Is it a small box, or deep? What's the quality of those buttons on the front?
Zatz @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Fake. XBox has hard drive, no need for memory slots unless they are CF or SD for picture display.
Carl @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Zats: The hard drive on the XBOX 360 is going to be an option, not standard.
It will attach to the console in some fashion, if the offical pic of the closeup of the top of the console is any indication it will attach to the top (or in the picture above... the right side).
So just because there is memory slots doesn't mean a thing. Besides, the existing XBOX has memory slots.
Lesbian Ham @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
few things:
1. That power button is fcuking HUGE, i mean, WTF.. !?
2. I did some rough mental measurements, and comparing the size of the tray to a cd, the console is kinda small, Nifty!
3. On one end of the console there seems to be a kind of, flat base, where it seems the console would stand on. and if we were to put that base on the bottom, and make it stand up, the power button would be upside down!
I dont think this is real, as I dont think much thought has been put into it.
Its god-darn beautiful though...
Oh, and Zatz - The first xbox has a harddrive, but it still has memory card slots.
I'll let you think about that one for a while...
Robert @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I think the "optional" hard drive is going right there inside that door/panel/hatch on the right. Think of a super-small hard drive, like iPod mini size. Sort of like a PC-card slot on laptops, maybe?
BUBBAGANUSH @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
HOW ABOUT A MEMORY TO TAKE YOUR SAVES AND ACCOUNT TO SOMEONE ELSE'S HOUSE. THINK HARD NOW. THIS IS SLICK. REMEMBER THEY WANT SOMETHING TO FIT INTO EVERY HOME NOT SOMETHING THAT STANDS OUT
Ben Z. @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Yeah I think Robert may be on to something. That door is the one element on the front panel I couldn't rationalize. A nifty little HD card could slip in there.
Lesbian Ham @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
BUBBAGANUSH, Although i do understand your point, and i agree, but you see that little button on the left of you keyboard? the one under tab, and just above the left shift key? Its called "Caps Lock". Hit it.
Russell @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Its funny to see all these people complaining and we don't even know if it's actually official. Could be just a ride from OurColony...
svatan @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
am i the only one that thinks that design looks rather.. uhm, fugly?
seriously, i PRAY thats not the best microsoft's industrial designers can do..
=-(
Prometheus25 @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Would look pretty sweet. More convienient memory slots would be interesting. I don't know if I like the white, though. A dark grey or black might look better. Wireless controllers? Hmm, NO MORE TANGLED CORDS< YAY!
Sandro @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Microsoft was not lucky with Xbox and now this Xbox 360 looks like a joke, a copy of Apple products... Its very hard to believe that a company with so much money and power can not come out with something original, sophisticated and sexy... I'm sure Sony will still lead the looks and who knows the industry, although I'll still buy both *-)
Ciao,
Kaegan @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I honestly think someone saw that first picture, heard it was concave, and went for there and did it in photoshop. It's definitely a fake.
Chris @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Might it be possible that the ealier pic we saw is the backside and the recessed silver looking bit is a handle or door for outputs and power?
Jon @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Wait a minute? Why is there no more info as to where this picture originated? Come on Engadget, throw us a bone. Why is the gradient on the power buttons bulbous part inverted from the way the light is hitting the rest of the console. I believe that this may very well be the real thing, but a highly photoshoped version. I am a graphic designer and any good company does a good job cleaning up their product images. So I can understand them doing allot of photoshop to make this thing look amazing.
From a common sense point of view, anodized metal is really all that will work for such a powerfull processor that runs hot. The metal case acts as a heatsink. G5's run very hot. Stand behind one even when it's idling and you'll feel the heat venting out of that puppy.
Memory slots are definately necessary on the front as there will no longer be a memory slot on the wireless controllers. Also, no ones mentioned the obvious slot on the right hand side. What could that be? A slot for a camera? A slot for a matching MP3 player? An expansion Slot of some sort?
Oh and you can bet that this Xbox will have Media Center functionality well beyond what the current Xbox has with the Xbox Connector. That's a nobrainer. I want to see the back. Does the Xbox 360 have a DVI or better yet an HDMI connector?
I really see the end of PC gaming on the horizon. If I can plug this thing directly into my PC monitor and play in High Def along with Xbox Live, I will never purchase a gaming Graphics Card or PC game ever again! These next gen consoles will provide a far better experience than anything you will be able to do on the PC reasonably for the next several years.
Bring on HDTV gameplay! Bring on Wirelless Controllers! Bring on Xbox Live compatibility for All Games! Bring on Unreal 3 Engine for all MS Studios Games! Bring on Madden for the 360! Bring on beefed up Halo2 for the 360!
I don't think people really have any clue as to the sweet goodness this console will bring to all gamers. Xbox has already revolutionized gaming in so many ways, and this next version of the xbox will complete a vision that was begun with the first Xbox. Be very glad that MS is first to bat as they are leading the way proper. The 360 will become the killer app needed to boost HDTV sales and I predict this Christmas there will be many 360 side by side with many first time HDTV purchases. As people adopt the 360 and HDTV this will have a huge effect on current TV programming and the future of digital broadcast.
While Sony still has not demonstrated any plausible outlet for Gaming Online and has given us a crappy console by which most games to date have been forced to dumb them selves down to as the lowest common denominator, and Nintendo is just flat out living in their own Purple dreamworld of what gamers want...Microsoft is pushing the boundaries in so many ways. The death bells for Nintendo consoles has already been ringing, and now even Sony's once unstopable lead in the industry is in danger of being overcome in one fell swoop. I applaud MS for their innovation in this market and they have earned their place as the industry leader hands down.
I will be at E3 this year.
I can't wait.
Jasamcarl @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Josh, you are a fanboy.
And I say that as a guy whose sole console is an X-box.
Scott Canoni @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
No way
Aaron @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
This looks like a side angle from the left rear, gaurenteed.
epthegeek @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
OMG FAKE!!?!! Hilarity.
It's the real thing. The little shot from 'ourcolony' is a shot from the 'left' end of this new front-on shot. What you can't see on either is that little bar on the raised section says "40GB" on it -- it's the Hard drive.
http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=zomg3zt.jpg
Leon Ho @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Looks great, but it looks like Dell server ;-)
Chase @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I belive that is this the actual design, but i get the feeling that some of the minor details are still being worked out, for example, I highly doubt that Microsoft would ever label their memory card slots and Memory Unit A/B. And having "Xbox 360" written on the cd drive? While many people, mostly on Engadget claim that this is proof that is a fake, yet do any of them realize that the original XBox that we have all come to love has "Xbox" emblazoned on its cd tray also.
I do like the design style, while people complain about it being a concave case style, I particularly like the design. As mentioned before it does have a design reminiscent of the G5, but as a prior posted stated, an aluminum case makes more sense, heat-wise, than a plastic case, such as the current generation of consoles.
As for features they do look promising. What looks like a removable hard drive slot on the right hand side is very exciting. I also was the first to post about the lack of controller ports, which pretty much confirms that the Xbox 360 will come with wireless controllers standard. Hopefully Microsoft has come up with a wireless protocol that will not cause interference between controllers, I am looking forward to massive 64 player Halo 3 fests. The black oval to the left of the Memory Card slots, I think is an IR port. This would be nice so now we wouldn't have to buy the $30 Movie Playback unit.
Many people have mentioned that Microsoft will be putting Media Centre-style features on the Xbox. I would absolutely love this. Even though I am a hardcore Mac user. I have no intention of buying even a regular Windows computer, I will publicly denounce Windows any chance I get, but thats a different story. This will be convenient for people who either can't afford a dedicated Media Centre PC or don't want to purchase one but yet still want the features that a Media Centre PC offers.
With skepticism towards the validity of this picture I believe that this picture http://img258.echo.cx/my.php?image=zomg3zt.jpg removes what little doubt I did have towards this console. These 2 pictures match perfectly, even the earlier picture matches the 2 pictures fairly well. If the 2nd picture is true then what does the slot on the right of the power button do? Perhaps, as some people have suggested, it is a docking port for a Xbox-branded device of some soft. Perhaps Microsoft's attempt at dethroning the iPod as king of portable music devices.
Regardless of what these proposed features actually are, the Xbox 360 looks like an extremely promising game system. Microsoft seems to have actually gotten something right for once, well twice, the original Xbox was the first. This we be the 2nd major purchase I will have ever made from the Microsoft Corp. But alas, we will find out how right I am when E3 rolls around.
epthegeek @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
"Slot" to the right of the power button has USB symbols on it.
Brian Clark @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
ok first off for all you out there that are getting fanboyish and excited,first i must say it looks a gazillion times better than xbox but we have yet to see what sony is cooking up .So until ps3 is launched and showed to the world .2nd i am not a sony fanboy cause i own an xbox.3rd xbox 2 will rock but here is the thing you all have to realize we all know who is number 1 and i think microsoft cant do anything about ps3 its going to blow us all away just look at the current state of sony they launch psp with a great amount of variety of games they have more coming they have god of war released with more gmes coming for ps2 and at e3 they will show ps3 and it will change all of are minds and ps3 will once again dominate the home console market.And here is why :third party support already. when they launch it japanese will buy and everyone knows sony the name.Sony figures they release more ps2 titles and the psp just to keep people from even thinking about xbox 360.its all about when so they can run stupid viral campaighns and one liners and teasers all they want but we know what company is gonna bring the variety that i think microsoft game studios lacks and thats innovative fun games.And dont forget this time it will be more powerful than anything else including 360 and revolution.now poeple will buy games because just like the current xbox every thing will look and play better.Its the truth and i hope everyone realizes it.I will be buying one to see what its made of and especially to play some launch titles if they are good and as for nintendo no more gimmicks please cause the ds is short for disappointment for me and all nintendo needs to do is take risks not on hardware but software and create new franchises thank you and im happy to say that I love gaming and i cant wait to see what sony and microsoft are planning for the huge e3 event in may ,sony never fails to amaze us at e3 and it aint slowing down any time soon please let me know what you guys think bye.
Gavin @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I think it should have controller ports. Now as well as buying a memory card with a new console you have to buy batteries if you want it to work when you get it home? It's like Xmas 1985 all over again.
RichE @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
On the 2nd pic at the top of this page there is that silver bar and a button by the grating. On other pics of the same area there is a black area that says "40GB", there is what could be an LED (hard disk access light) and the button again, albeit recessed more. See here:
http://gamesradar.msn.co.uk/news/default.asp?siteid=60§iontypeid=2&subsectionid=1586&pagetypeid=6&articleid=35512&page=1&mediamode=free&mediapos=2
This shows the modular nature of this device allowing for versions with and without hard disks. The button will allow ejection of the HD module blank so you can upgrade later.
Banaroo @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Wow... it doesn't get much uglier than this.
Matthew Kappus @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Although the image has logical flaws--i.e. that the lighting perspective is ambiguous and the eject button near the cd drive faces a different direction than in pictures- -flaws easily attributed to Photoshop flubs--we should drop this silly argument of weather or not this is the actual system design. It is in fact what we'll be seeing in stores this fall.
Now on to more important topics: How this thing works. I would love to get practical speculation from the board as to what this strange device does: For instance, we know that it's rightfull sitting place is next to an HD television. If MS would be so brazen to make wireless controllers, would it not be reasonable to expect wireless internet access since it is so that most do not have internet ports hard-wired in their living rooms? And also why do we need a detachable modem and memorycards? Could this front slots redefine what we think of memory cards?
Johnny @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
It looks nice, but I can't help but guess that the PS3 will look better.
Since this is a very imporant article, I would have at least expected Joystiq to have got the unwatermarked picture like Engadget have, and the middle picture is the left of the case, clearly shown in the bottom image. Contructive criticism guys!
ajl @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
the "eject" button on the bottom picture is facing a different direction than the one on the top... does this mean something... or nothing at all.
PrettyObvious @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Console looks very nice, but then again I expected it to. Unlike many other companys Microsoft actually listens to its fans and corrects its mistakes.
I know I'll be picking this up and the PS3 but the winner of this console race has nothing to do with the power of the system, It all comes down to who releases first. #25 should look at the current console race as proof. You remind me of myself a few years ago Pretty Ignorant.
Eric @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I think I know what the large door/port on the right side is for. It's a place to recharge the wireless controller batteries! Someone find the pic the controller and match them up to see if it's a fit.
Reece @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
This is Next-Gen?
Disappointed..
I don't understand the 360 thing at all.. I mean, if you take a look at the picture (if it is finalized) 360 is the last thing I would think of. At lest when you say "Xbox", and look at the system, you can make some correlation between the name and the product Ie: gamecube. Furthermore, there is no "design" to the product, it doesnt look uniform at all, MS could have made it more sleek with a slot for the DVD as appose to the tray ( I am unaware of any design flaws of a slot). Just looks like another slapped together product from MS. The only system I own is an Xbox, and I have faith in the specs, but I think next time they should realize that first impressions are everything.
Chris Norman @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I was going to comment on how fugly the design of the console is, but then I realized that they're appealing to people who think that lots of blue neon and multi-colored LEDs are the height of style. ;)
As poster #29 mentioned - the first image is not an actual product photograph - but likely a final mockup.
PrettyObvious @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
This design is leaps and bounds ahead of the original Xbox. But when its all said and done its the games that count. Did anybody see the trailor for the Next Gen Madden? If not go here
http://xboxmovies.teamxbox.com/xbox/1854/Madden-NFL-NextGen-Commercial/
This is the future....
kobeesemperor @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I think the xbox2 will be amazing and i think the design is good not great. However compared to the 1st xbox it is amazing. (what isnt) From what I have read and heard the xbox already has a great development environment in place for developers and Sony is trying to get there. I believe this will be the key to which system is better, ( not which one sells the most ) You can have all the power in the world but you need a developer friendly environment to see good games and its not like the new xbox will be a slouch, developers have confirmed its at the very least capable of games better than any high end pc out right now. At the end of the day I want a new God of war, halo, and zelda therefore I will by each system and enjoy them all!
kobeesemperor @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
I cant download the trailer, give me a good indication of how it looks. Supposedly EA didnt want to show it because the actual game looks even better, what is your opinion of the game based on the small footage from the trailer?
PRAE @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
. . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
THE BENEDICT XIV of Gaming
. . . . . . .
low innovation levels . conservative continuation .
in papal terms . this xbox bathes an unholy past in white and
gives us a continuation of current gaming trends .
j. allard and the designers at MS looked to the DEVKITS for
inspiration . there is very little about this design to like or
dislike . i think they succeeded in not making me MAD as my
current gen xbox still does . a controller so unholy so american
that it makes one take note of a multi-national corporation's
ability to completely get it wrong . i think we should thank
jonathan ives and my desktop G5 for this new incarnation of
american gaming . i again will look to SONY to deliver a
device of utter beauty, elegance and power . whilst
nintendo will create a platform on which boutique, auteur
developers will create GAMES AS ART .
. . . . . . . . .
i'll buy a 360 as soon as i see a crisp NINJA GAIDEN BLACK
and a DOA4 . maybe a new splinter cell . but on a whole
it won't be about innovation . just conservative continuation
in a refreshing neon green marketing guise .
.
.
.
even jesus hollers black . hoodborn .
tetsuo @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
whats with everyone's love of wireless controllers? im already forced to buy batteries for everything i own, from my alarm clock to my car to my tv.. now my game console needs them too?
well, maybe they'll be rechargable... then i can pay four times as much to replace them when they do finally die. perhaps they'll continue on the apple route and we won't even be able to replace the battery, just the whole controller! watch next-next-gen controllers cost as much as the games, which will undoubtedly be $80+ by then. *wipes a tear* i love capitalism!
Imtiaz Haider @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Those of you who been thinking Madden Next-gen is the real game graphics. Read this article from XboxIGN. It clearly says the Advert is an artists impression of how Next-gen graphics will look like. But EA spokesmen clarifies the obvious lie that we've been hearing by saying that the original graphics(whenever released) of next-gen Madden will look better than the now artists CG interpretation. WTF is that suppose to mean? They show us all the hype just to screen a CG next-gen. And oh yea, Xbox looks ok but I'm calling this one a fake unless Microsoft proves me wrong otherwise on the 12th next month. BTW, the design is ok, but PS2 looks better in comparison. What Microsoft did in 2nd-gen(smaller size), PS2 did in its own 1st-gen(PSTwo slim). Microsoft learns slow(to the guy who claimed MS is changing history?). I say M$ is changing squat not history. Because they are slow to learn, they were a failure in Japan, they never did anything about it till now and even that's not clear.
Sony and Nintendo are keeping mum. There could be two reasons, one they don't have the power behind their consoles to outwit Xbox360. Second, theirs is so powerful that Xbox360 might sound like Flywhogotsquatted360times sumthing. No not a fanboy of either of these consoles. Just hate how Microsoft likes to spin everyone in its own web(they way they want us to). Sony and Nintendo are non-US so they approach the North American audience with much care. I think I can respect that. I am a M$ fanboy but I was ditched by M$ in the current-gen and without a proper win, they already thrown in another console. Man, if they can't be confident with the current Xbox(supposedly stronger than anyother console) then why the heck are they frikkin' releasing another so soon. Are they aware of their loss in the present-gen? If that's so, I'm leaving the M$box. Peace!
kobeesemperor @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
the playstation on the outside looks nice, but the innards are crap, however that can change with ps3
PRAE @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
IN response . repose . to the EA TRAILER .
. . . . . . . . . . .
honestly i don't understand sports or a fan's support for
"their team" . i can imagine why these games draw so much
attention . the leagues . tourneys . whatever . EA is bent
on monopolizing the genre . and deading innovation .
the game looks lack lustre .
this whole 360 campaign is quite LACK LUSTRE .
i dont need to see carmen electra playing a cot'damn
video game in order to think that joint is fresh .
.
.
i definitely don't think it's a more significant graphics jump
than from PS to PS2 or 64 to GAMECUBE .
.
i imagine SONY's effort will be Orders of Magnitude more
powerful . while NINTENDO will provide more raw power
than the xbox but will display it in completely different ways,
only occasionaly flexing its visual prowress .
.
.
HOLD
ME
DOWN
.
Imtiaz Haider @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
http://sports.ign.com/articles/606/606601p1.html
Sorry here is the confirmation that commercial of NFL is artists interpretation.
tetsuo @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
prae your spectacular waste of space has my page down key crying from overuse.
kobeesemperor @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
after all the spewing I have heard, I just want to know what the commercial is like, obviously the graphics might not be the same. ( better or not) Does the intended look of the game at least look good, please someone other than prae reply, unless you can keep your comments relatively straightforward without ranting about advertising.
kobeesemperor @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
whats the link where an EA spokesman shoots down the graphics engine? thanks for the info!
PrettyObvious @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
The game looks great. People have a hard time believing this is what the final product will look like. EA has said that it will look much better when its released, its not that hard to figure out that they will show the real deal playable at E3. This is just to get people hyped.
This by far looks like the biggest jump in graphics since going from SNES to PSX. You must be blind Prae, and that comment about Nintendos machine having all the raw power? lol. Out of all the 3 coming consoles the Revolution will prob be the weakest in terms of power, but hopefully (if they are not blowing smoke) very revolutionary. Its only using an updated version of the chip thats in the current GC.
Microsoft so far has innovated gaming more than Sony or Nintendo quite frankly. Customizing soundtracks for games and I can go on and on about Xbox Live and how you will be seeing Sony and Nintendo copy the hell out of it in the next gen.
HOLD DAT DOWN
Javier Rey @ Dec 18th 2005 8:44PM
Cool! I like much more than the first Xbox