the xbob

slate, owned by microsoft, has a column that speculates why the xbox is an also-ran (since it is getting thoroughly clobbered by the ps2 worldwide, and barely edges out the gamecube in the us). while he cites the lack of some games, and a lack of cultural cachet, i think you can probably place the blame at the feet of seamus blackley, self-aggrandizing twit. it's funny how his bio doesn't mention trespasser and how it sank dreamworks interactive, and is amazingly vague about his role on ultima underworld (not listed in the credits), system shock (programming), and flight unlimited (programming and director). (and the bio for one of the partners in his new venture, j. mark hood, doesn't include his involvement with sierra's middle earth, a failure on a scale corresponding to the epic on which it was based.)