Allard: X marks the box

Microsoft executive J Allard has been working for Bill Gates since 1991 and made his fortune with the company. He arrived at its Redmond headquarters convinced that the future lay with the Internet. His latest project is the Xbox, launched in the UK tomorrow.

Is it true that on a recent visit to London you spent all night soldering circuits after blowing up an Xbox prototype?

Unfortunately, it is. Bill Gates announced we were doing Xbox and I was in London. We had these oneof-a-kind prototypes, all hand-made, worth between $30,000 and $40,000 each and I blew one up. We were up until 3am in the basement of the Metropolitan Hotel, soldering this thing back together.

When do you think the PlayStation3 will come out?

I don't know.

Do you really care?

No. Really, the Xbox represents the next big step forward in gaming and although I've already heard talk about the PS3, we think there is an awful lot we can do with the Xbox. We don't need to talk about the next one yet.

So, no Xbox2 on the horizon?

I didn't say that. I just said we weren't going to be talking about it.

You pushed Microsoft towards the Internet. Does that make you a visionary?

I think that's a pretty loaded term. I prefer to think that was more of a rallying cry, and I was speaking for more than one person.

Does that dream stay alive?

Absolutely. You have to dream. If you don't, you have nightmares. When I came to the company, what I really wanted to do was integrate the Internet into society, in a way that could open new communication channels.

I thought that, if I got my mum on the Internet and sending me e-mails, I would have achieved my goal.

And what happened then?

After I achieved that goal, I always had a soft spot in my heart for games. I've always been a gamer - that's what introduced me to technology in the first place. Looking at what Sony and Nintendo were doing, I thought both were doing evolutionary things and it was time for the revolution, so we launched Xbox.

Is everyone that works at Microsoft a millionaire?

I dunno.

How much money do you have?

Enough to keep me very happy with all my gaming.

Do you get letters from people asking for money?

No, I haven't really had much of that. I'm a pretty low-key guy.

Do you object to such letters?

No, feel free to send them on. It's important to give back to the less fortunate members of the community.

Does the job leave you with any time off. If so, what do you do?

I spend a lot of time snowboarding in the winter and have to admit I have an affection for racing go-karts and cars.

Does Bill Gates play games?

You know, he's not the world's biggest gamer, although he is starting to turn a new corner with Xbox. We're making him a believer now.

Any particular game?

He's hooked on Fusion Frenzy. He and his wife went down to Hawaii for a week, before we launched in the US, and he said: 'Y'know, I should really put my hands on this thing,' because we were going to send him to New York to play gamers. They ended up staying in the hotel most of the time playing Fusion Frenzy.

What about the Home Station, the other new rumoured MS product?

It's an old code name for a defunct product. Don't ask me where it came from - I have no idea how the press picked up on it, or why.

What's your current favourite game?

Gotham Racing. I've spent ages flying around Trafalgar Square in my F-50. It's a hoot.

What's your favourite game on the PS2 and Game Cube?

There's nothing I like on the Game Cube. With PS2, Jak And Dexter has some interesting game-play.

What game did you first play?

It was hockey on the Magnavox Odyssey, a 1970s game system. It was basically Pong.

Is there one thing you do every time you come here?

It wouldn't be the food. I'm a huge fan of British music. You guys get it right over here, especially dance music. I used to be a rabid New Order and Joy Division fan. I wish I could spend more time in clubs.

Didn't you have a clubbing description for the Xbox?

A rave in a nuclear reactor. Or the other one I've heard is 'better than a Norman Cook set on ecstasy'.

Is that from personal experience?

No. I just read about it.