BeforeXboxbecame one of the leading consoles in the gaming universe, it tried to enter the video game market by purchasing a legacy console company. At the turn of the 21st century, Microsoft tried to acquireNintendo, and the Xbox Museum, which showcases the history of the gaming console, has displayed a letter sent between the two companies as part of its legacy. According toGameRant, the letter details how Microsoft addressed a planned buyout with Nintendo. The letter, written in 1999 by then-Vice President of Hardware for Xbox Rick Thompson, wrote to Nintendo’s brass to arrange a meeting that looked at a “strategic partnership” between the two companies.
The Xbox Museum offers only part of the letter sent toJacqualee Story, who was the Executive Vice President of Business Affairs at Nintendo at the time, with the rest of the letter obscured in a large green text. As it turned out, little came about from the letter, but it does offer an insight into how badly Microsoft wanted to get in on the home video game market at the time.
According toIGN, former Microsoft third-party relations directorKevin Bachusexplained in-depth the potential acquisition of Nintendo by Microsoft and how they were virtually laughed out of the room for the suggestion. “Steve made us go meet with Nintendo to see if they would consider being acquired,” Bachus told IGN. “They just laughed their [expletive] off. Like, imagine an hour of somebody just laughing at you.”
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While Nintendo brushed off the potential acquisition, Microsoft would go on to develop their gaming console, which resulted in the Xbox being released in 2001. Since then, the console has revolutionized the gaming industry; and to celebrate its 20th anniversary, Microsoft created a museum dedicated to celebrating the innovations of the gaming system.
The letter to Nintendo can be found within the virtual museum under the history of the original Xbox system. Check out the letter below:
