Direct from the Xbox Scene Discord. My apologies on the formatting.
EDIT1: Added Discord link to original post.
A PROUD MOMENT FOR THE OG XBOX SCENE!
Yesterday, @Siktah and I were fortunate enough to be invited by Microsoft to attend their Xbox 25th Anniversary FanFest, and what an incredible experience it was!
We met some amazing people from across the gaming industry, including game developers, voice actors, graphic designers, audio engineers, and many others.
But the biggest highlight was something neither of us ever expected!
We had the opportunity to sit down for a one on one discussion with Carl Ledbetter (Head of Design, Xbox Devices) and Chris Kujawski (Senior Director, Xbox Hardware Design).
We showed them some of the incredible work being done within the Xbox scene, both hardware and software, and even showcased prototype hardware from an upcoming project.
Their reaction genuinely surprised us!
Not only were they impressed, but they actually asked if the hardware was available to the public!
We explained our open source philosophy, where people can build the hardware themselves, have PCB fabrication services do it, or purchase pre built units.
They absolutely loved the concept! Especially the community driven, open source approach to both hardware and software.
🔥 THE CONVERSATION GOT EVEN MORE INTERESTING...
We took the opportunity to ask questions many in the Xbox-Scene have probably wanted to ask Microsoft for years.
We discussed XDK usage, software development, hardware modifications, and whether Microsoft might ever consider publicly releasing development tools for previous gen consoles.
I specifically asked about the original Xbox XDK, but their response caught me completely off guard.
"Why stop at the OG Xbox? Why not include the Xbox 360 as well?"
They even suggested how cool it would be if the community could access original CAD files for creating 3D printed parts and other projects.
⚠️ Before anyone gets too excited, these were simply ideas discussed during our conversation, NOT official announcements or promises from Microsoft.
However, they did say they would take our feedback back to headquarters!
We honestly expected some of these questions to be shut down or avoided, but instead we were met with genuine enthusiasm, curiosity, and openness.
And all of this happened BEFORE the main on-stage Q&A session!
THEN SOMETHING UNBELIEVABLE HAPPENED...
During the Q&A, while discussing the original Xbox, Carl Ledbetter gave a personal shout out to Siktah, myself, and everyone involved in this upcoming hardware release!
He even told everyone in attendance how impressed he was with the project and how cool it was for OG Xbox owners.
I honestly cannot put into words what that moment meant to us.
Here we were, two members of the Xbox-Scene community, attending an official Microsoft event, and the Head of Design for Xbox Devices was publicly acknowledging the work being done by our scene and friends.
At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride.
Not just for Siktah and myself, or those involved in these hardware / software projects, but for EVERYONE who has contributed to keeping the scene alive!
The Xbox-Scene Discord community, the developers creating incredible homebrew software, the hardware modders designing and testing new solutions, the people contributing to open source projects, and everyone who has shared knowledge, helped others, or supported us throughout the years.
THIS RECOGNITION WASN'T JUST FOR US. IT WAS FOR ALL OF YOU!
For over two decades, this community has continued to innovate, preserve, and push the boundaries of a console we all love.
And yesterday, the people helping shape the future of Xbox got to see firsthand what the community preserving its past has achieved.
That's something we should ALL be incredibly proud of!
To everyone who has supported us, contributed to the scene, or helped keep the original Xbox alive...
THANK YOU! THIS MOMENT BELONGS TO ALL OF US! :xboxheart: