Yeah, you read right. The Xbox 360 relied upon the Sony and IBM lovechild, the Cell processor. The Race for a New Game Machine, written by David Shippy and Mickie Phipps tells the story of how Microsoft managed to use the IBM & Sony partnership against them, even going as far as to use Sony’s R&D money against them by having the engineers use techniques they may have only discovered hours beforehand. All culminating in Microsoft’s ability (with a touch of foresight) to be able to release their console a full year ahead of Sony.

The Wall Street Journal has a more complete synopsis of the book, but naturally, if you want to learn the drama fueled tales of IBM’s treachery, then you’ll have to buy the book yourself. Now if only Microsoft had stolen the PS3’s heatsink designs, we wouldn’t have that ongoing RROD debacle over our heads now would we..