Don Mattrick: I invented avatars!

While many of us point fingers at Microsoft and accuse them of “ripping off” Miis with the New Xbox Experience’s avatar feature, perhaps we should not be so hasty. Xbox boss Don Mattrick is putting his balls on the table right now and claiming that HE is the sole creator of the avatar, and he did it in 1991 … BITCH!

In an interview with OXM, Mattrick made his boastful claim, and tackled the interviewer when questioned on the legitimacy of his claim. Here’s how it went down (and take note of what a debate stallion Mattrick is):

DM: I’m claiming to have invented avatars! I did 4D Sports Boxing! Do you know what 4D Boxing was? Hey, you should be writing this! That was me.

We know what 4D Sports Boxing was. It was published by Infogrames, wasn’t it?

DM: Accolade was the first to publish it, and Infogrames published it in Europe. But write this down! “Don Mattrick invented avatars for the industry.”

Does creating 4D Sports Boxing really count as “inventing avatars”, Don?

DM: C’mon! It’s human, it’s in 3D, it has a face… it was genuinely the first time there was something human-shaped in 3D! Look it up!

Proof incarnate, if proof was ever needed, that Don Mattrick invented the avatar long before the Wii was event  a glint in Nintendo’s eye.

Of course, given the comical enthusiasm of Mattrick, I doubt he’s being serious here. In fact, it almost looks like he is deliberately giving crazy soundbites in the hopes that some bored blogger will use them in sensationalist headlines for a quick weekend post. 

Wait …

… Well played, Mattrick.