One of the original Xbox co-founders, J Allard, has joined Amazon as the company's vice president of devices and services. He told The Verge it's "too early" to say what's on the way, but he'll be working on "new ideas" at the tech giant.
Interestingly, Allard will supposedly report to the former Windows and Surface chief Panos Panay, who exited Microsoft last year after more than two decades. Allard also had a 20-year-long career at Microsoft including his time at Xbox.
Allard was part of the team that created the original Xbox 25 years ago - he then assisted with the launch of Xbox's Live network and helped develop the Xbox 360 as well. He left Microsoft in 2010 after working on Zune (an iPod rival) and also the cancelled Courier tablet, which was never officially announced.
Since then he's operated Project 529 (a bike registration service) and also had a short stint at Intellivision.
It'll be interesting to see what Allard and Panay are able to create together at Amazon as part of these "new ideas", and it goes without saying that we wish the Xbox co-founder all the best in his new role!
If we get any more substantial updates on this, we'll obviously let you know.
[source theverge.com]
Comments 13
Thank goodness he won’t be working on old ideas!
Amazon the gaming department or the retail department? When I think of Amazon, I think the retailer and not really a game developer.
I still don't quite understand why Amazon give out so many GOOD "free" / included games every week with Prime. There doesn't seem to be an end-game strategy yet. But i'll take it. Feels like they are positioning themselves for something though, not just Luna. Amazon Handheld or Console?
@dskatter No, bring back the Zune!
@themightyant end game? the 1st taste is free!
Amazon will be going all in on Cloud. Although by having Xcloud on Fire Sticks now, they have killed Luna dead in the water already.
But can see them jumping on the handheld device wagon - maybe a streaming device like the excellent and vastly under appreciated Logitech G Cloud!
@Scummbuddy Well, I guess it was good enough for Star-Lord…not for me tho.
Panay really helped Microsoft out a lot. I'd bet more than people even realize. Surface is an amazing brand. He could done soooo much at Microsoft. No doubt nadella ran him out.
Nadella is terrible. He will really hurt and change Microsoft not in a good way before he leaves.
All he cares about is cloud this, cloud that, and finding a way to make anything an overpriced subscription service.
@CutchuSlow "Devices" so I'm thinking more the Firesticks, Kindles, Kindle Fires, etc. Those little reorder buttons you put on the laundry detergent, the automatic amazon garage door opener thingies, that kind of stuff probably. Maybe gaming/Luna controllers too, but I think this is more about general devices than gaming, considering even at MS he worked on Zune and tablets after Xbox.
@dskatter imagine the bigger horror; working on current ideas.
@NEStalgia them reorder buttons what was it they called them Amazon Dash? Disaster of an idea that was.
@Yousef- shudder
@Jaxx420 Yeah, they pushed those things so hard, for so long it surprised me.
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...