It’s the end of an era: the last member of the original Xbox team has resigned from Microsoft.

Otto Berkes, the current partner hardware architect for Bing, ended his 18-year career at the company on Monday, according to The Seattle Times. He is apparently joining “for another company outside of the Seattle area.” Microsoft has yet to return Mashable‘s request for comment.

Berkes, along with Ted Hase, Kevin Bachus and Seamus Blackey, sent the first proposal for the Xbox game console to Bill Gates in March 1999, and it wasn’t long until they had Gates and most of the company’s leadership on board with the project. Two-and-a-half years later, the original Xbox made its debut.

Microsoft’s Xbox has since evolved from gaming device to an entertainment powerhouse. Xbox Live, which recently added Hulu Plus to its lineup, has millions of paying subscribers. And Xbox Kinect has broken world records with its stellar sales.

Berkes first joined Microsoft as a graphics technology developer in June 1993. Beyond helping create the Xbox, he was one of the people behind the ill-fated Courier tablet device and worked with former Microsoft Chief Software Architect Ray Ozzie. Berkes is the final member of the four-person Xbox founding team to leave Microsoft. Blackley left Microsoft in 2002 and is now with Creative Artists Agency. Hase resigned in 2006 and is now a VP at Aristocrat Technologies. Bachus has moved on as Bebo’s new Chief Product Officer.

http://containsgames.com/2011/05/25/last-xbox-founder-leaves-microsoft/

Posted: May 25, 2011 4:10 am