Kid fires up dad's Xbox 360

by Conrad Quilty-Harper { Jul 18th 2005 at 9:00AM }

Picture the scene; this kid's dad comes home from his first day working at Microsoft's next-gen console lab with a big brown box. The kid rips open the box, takes out next-gen console and gets his friend to take pictures of him playing with it. That's exactly what happened when the son of a Microsoft 'Regulatory Compliance Manager' (which I'm guessing has something to do with checking the 360 doesn't blow up when you plug it in) found out his dad had a Xbox 360 dev/test kit. He posted an image of his smiling face playing with the Xbox on the Gamespot forums, conveniently forgetting his dad's non-disclosure agreement. Apart from this interesting story the kid also disclosed that that console has a massive external power supply, obviously to keep the actual console size in check. Hopefully his dad isn't too hard on the kid when the Microsoft heavies turn up at their door.

[Thanks, Justin]

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

elliothtz @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Couldn't he at least found a decent tv to hook it up to?

Jules @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

The smug face explains it all :D

Morgon @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

While MS isn't traditionally nice to NDA-violators, MS should see this as a GOOD thing - Confirmed evidence that the machine is just about ready! No vapor, no delays.. the thing is right on track, ready to go in just a couple more months.

Hell, the Xbox division is so different than the rest of the company, if it weren't for hearing the kid was begging to have the thread removed, I'd be inclined to believe it was staged.

Chris Kalan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Unless the begging to have it removed was just to make it sound not staged and have it more realstic sounding. Never can tell.

ikka @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

this kid loses all gamer and nerd point just for the fact that hes screwing his dad. This kid is a self serving peice of shit.

Anon @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

I've been attempting to follow the thread he made on Gamespot, but the kid types like he hasn't been past first grade. Now he's claiming the console is Photoshopped and that's why it doesn't have a shadow, though there's obviously a shadow behind it.

I kind of feel sorry for his step dad, who's sure to be fired.

Icelawn @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Yah this kid just screwed his dad. And I got to ask, if his father is high enough on the food chain to be able to bring home a 360 already he must make some pretty good money. So why does it look like this kid's mattress is on the floor? And have no dresser or desk to put this thing on? And what exactly can he do on this system right now? Anyone know? Did they already fix the whole backward compatibility thing already?

Icelawn @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

I guess i should've went to the link first to see that there isnt any furniture in the house at all. But dam! At least a table and chair.

dan @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

What's awesome is how everybody rushes to point out how the stupid kid being a stupid kid screws his dad is an awful awful thing, whereas nobody apparently seems to think that if Microsoft screws its employee for having a stupid kid, that's A-OK.

Truly we are living in a golden age of wisdom and decency.

Casual Observer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

No, he's probably playing the minimalist.
Taking as little as possible from the "Corporate Shill Evil Ones" putting him up (and putting up w/him) to prove that he's "not about what THEY'RE about" and is really independant to his buddy (singular).
...until it's Hot Pockets time, or time for a trip to Hot Topic or Heroes World.
There will be one poster affixed to the door, probablity +80% NIN or Rage Against the Machine.

I knew some phony hippies growing up that did the same thing.

Matt @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

They probably just moved there for his dads new job. Weird that there's a 'Samsung' sticker along the side..

Anonymous @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

I don't think he's doing anything with it in that picture, it doesnt even look like it's on, i dont see the green glow of the power button on the console, and what the hell is that hanging out from the top???

Iced_Eagle @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Sucks for the dad.

Kid just has no idea what he did...

*sigh* This displays that you should think before you act. And to also never brag! ;)

Christopher7xii @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Think about it, who the hell would open up a package of their stepdads and just start playing? You think the father would have taken it home from work, and had it in hand. Then he would have said something like 'hey son, don't play this cuz dad will get fired', or possibly even of just kept it from the kid. Way to be professional, Dad!

Danny boy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

I know if my Dad brought home and Xbox 360 i would most definetly get my hands on it but i would not post pics of it in the Net, thats just darn right stupid.

l0tus @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

it's not like the little dumbass had any games to play; you can even tell that he's just staring at a blue�screen, which i'm sure was a blast. yeah, if i was his parent, i'd be putting out cigarettes with his face for the next month or so...

Sander @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

I don't understand why this is such a big deal to fire the son's dad over this. What exactly do we know from this pic? We already know what it looks like, it's specs, the majority of games that are coming out for it at launch... It's not like this is a pic back before we knew what it looked like, which WOULD be a big deal, but now we all know enough about it that we don't really learn anything, hence it doesn't hurt microsoft in any way.

BoogieMaster @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

There's no way the father could have brought the 360 home. By doing so he was already breaching his NDA, so he only got what he was looking for: To get fired.

Michael @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

pwnt!

Ben @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

It actually does look photoshopped to me (or, atleast, a little off). Look at the line formed where the front of the box meets the carpet. There are no bits of carpeting sticking up, as though it's sunk down into the carpet at all.

I could be completely wrong...regardless, looks like something weird is going on in that part of the pic.

Luke @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

post 15 he is playing HALO 2 if you look at some other pics it shows the Halo 2 start up screen so hes using the backwards compadability (can't spell) all i have to say is...LUCKY PIECE of.....

Arch-360 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

WTF! is wrong with joystiq and engadget. im trully starting to believe that they are really stupid. they know this kid is in alot of shit yet they still keep making articles. i was on that forum when he showed them on gamespot. that kid started to panic when he realized what he did.

Mgs0008b221 @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

OMGWTFBBQ?!

PWNED!

Someone @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

LOOK AT THE XBOX 360 IN THE PICTURE, IS IT JUST ME OR IS THERE NO LIGHT ON THE CIRCLE POWER INDICATOR IN THE PICTURE, DOESNT THAT MEAN THE SYSTEMS NOT EVEN POWERED UP!!!!!!

sorry for the capital letters...

vidGuy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

"OMFG..... OK first of will a MODERATOR please deleate this post IMEDIATLY, SEONDLY witch ever one of u F*KING posted all my crap on the that other sites forums THANKS, Now my picture and the URLS to all the ids and s*it are ON liek 5 differnt forums and everyones talking about me. and GOD just thnaks very much. please moderator deleate this as soon as possible. it wouldnt be that big of a DEAL but they even have the urls to his IDS and what not GOD"

classic!

jc @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Come on guys, we get off on seeing pics of the new systems... don't pretend like this kids is doing anything each and every one of us wouldn't do. (I would take better pictures though ;)
Who can honestly say this isn't awesome to see? Who wasn't thrilled to see the black dev. machine either?

Thanks kid, whoever you are... it made my day to see an actual X360.

MAIK @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

^
HAHAHAHA.

YOU'RE ON GAMESPY TOO!

GG @ being dumb.

Gryph @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

"There's no way the father could have brought the 360 home. By doing so he was already breaching his NDA, so he only got what he was looking for: To get fired."

Actually they do send them home.

Dmitri @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Uhh. Everyone has seen an actual X360, before E3 even. But whatever. I think this kid is full of shit. He is in the playing position (His hands are clearly on a controller) and the light from his TV is shining down on him. Yet there is no light on the box, and why the hell wouldn't the kid take side-shot photo just to prove to us that the X360 is actually playing on his tv? Bogus. Thanks though kid, everyone loves hype.

MrNibbles @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Hmmmm.... anyone notice the lack of power light on there? (apart from #22) also the lack of shots of that 'massive' power supply.... hmmmmmmmmm

also what kinda person lives in a completely empty room.... with a tiny tv in it.....

i smell a microsoft ploy here!

dont get me wrong i hope the 360 crushes the ps3 :D long live microsoft and their great ignorance of the mod scene!!! (better that way than them bringing all mods down in a fit of corporate hugenes)

Danny boy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

A Microsoft ploy? Please, if it were Microsoft ploy they would not have this Ugly kid in the Pic.. It would be Paris Hilton Naked playing on the Xbox 360.

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

yeah, i noticed the lack of a power light as well.. don't know how to explain that.

i really hope his dad doesn't get fired.. that would be pretty lame of microsoft.

weaszel @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Hah. Look at the kid. Then look at his shirt.

Remember, kids, drugs are bad -- unless all the cool kids are doing it.

nod @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

What a way to usher in the HD-Era on your 13" portable. Microsoft must be thrilled with that.

I'm sure that the "dad" could very easily lose his job over this. Just taking one of those off the MS premises is probably enough to get you fired. Posting about it on the internet... ouch. I feel bad for them - dad prolly trying to do something cool for his stepkid, and look what happens. No good deed... :(

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Danny boy, why the hell would micrsoft do something like use paris hilton naked? they never do in their quirky advertising ploys.

are you aware of ilovebees? or perhaps ourcolony?

those are examles of microsoft internet advertising, and you think they wouldn't use fake forum posts about a kid who got a hold of a 360?

i wouldn't be surprised at all if this was done by microsoft EXCEPT for the fact that it says nothing good about the 360 at all..

CharlesV @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

It's probably an empty room because, as the kid said, his stepdad just got a job. They relocated, and haven't unpacked any boxes but pandora's.

Xbox 350 Kid @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

It had to be done...

http://xbox360kid.ytmnd.com/

Dmitri @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

That is the best site I have seen this year. Seriously though, that kid needs to learn a lesson. That is pretty fucked up what he did. Although I do find it a bit funny. It just shows how stupid parents can be. I mean if my job was currently based around a product, and I had to bring it home, I would keep it in a safe or something. I wouldnt just leave it there and let my kid take it.

nod @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Is the kid's spelling, leik, that appaling? I've seen a couple of his posts and uh... this 360 thing might not be his biggest problem.

Danny boy @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

http://psboomerang.ytmnd.com/

This one is better... Sorry about the off-topicness, i just love it.

nod @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

#35. There is NO WAY they would allow anybody to take one home. They have labs for testing, etc.

Casual Observer @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Yes, how could anything possibly operate without a power LED?
Idiots.

EvoG @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

^LEWL

Rare Hare @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

LMAO Danny boy that boomerang link is awesome :-D

LaughingTarget @ Dec 18th 2005 9:41PM

Fake.

The real beta units are likely open box items in non-assuming and cheap cases. They need room to mess around with the stuff in there so placing it in the tentative retail case is fairly stupid. It is too small when the real thing is likely in a tower case to leave room to make adjustments before pumping it out for final manufacture. As such, there is no way that thing up there can be the real deal.

Either a mock-up with a few cords sticking out of the top or a really good XBox case mod.