<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
July	O
26	O
,	O
2005	O
as	O
an	O
arcade	O
game	O
and	O
is	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
ported	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
on	O
January	O
25	O
,	O
2007	O
with	O
many	O
changes	O
and	O
improvements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
was	O
chosen	O
because	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
felt	O
its	O
hardware	O
and	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
network	O
could	O
handle	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
specifications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
original	O
game	O
features	O
10	O
songs	O
the	O
idols	O
perform	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
increased	O
to	O
16	O
in	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
later	O
released	O
on	O
several	O
music	O
albums	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
is	O
a	O
raising	O
simulation	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
assumes	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
producer	O
working	O
for	O
the	O
talent	O
agency	O
765	O
Production	O
(	O
765	O
Pro	O
)	O
who	O
is	O
in	O
charge	O
of	O
training	O
10	O
prospective	O
pop	O
idols	O
on	O
their	O
way	O
to	O
stardom	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
port	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
features	O
several	O
changes	O
to	O
its	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
port	O
uses	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
during	O
auditions	O
to	O
match	O
players	O
online	O
,	O
but	O
an	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
Gold	I-Application
subscription	O
is	O
needed	O
to	O
participate	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
Free	I-Application
subscription	O
only	O
allows	O
a	O
player	O
to	O
view	O
player	O
rankings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
was	O
primarily	O
developed	O
by	O
Metro	O
,	O
in	O
conjunction	O
with	O
Namco	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Next	O
,	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
effectively	O
use	O
the	O
competitive	O
culture	O
that	O
surrounds	O
video	O
arcades	O
,	O
Ishihara	O
thought	O
about	O
various	O
themes	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
professional	O
wrestling	O
and	O
volleyball	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Video	O
game	O
producer	O
Junichirō	O
Koyama	O
also	O
points	O
out	O
that	O
the	O
concept	O
of	O
developing	O
a	O
simulation	O
game	O
featuring	O
girls	O
was	O
influenced	O
by	O
the	O
positive	O
reception	O
of	O
bishōjo	B-Application
games	I-Application
such	O
as	O
Tokimeki	O
Memorial	O
and	O
the	O
horse	O
raising	O
simulation	O
arcade	O
game	O
Derby	B-Application
Owners	I-Application
Club	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
were	O
some	O
members	O
of	O
Namco	O
that	O
thought	O
it	O
would	O
feel	O
awkward	O
to	O
play	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
in	O
public	O
and	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
not	O
be	O
well	O
received	O
by	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
word	O
spread	O
and	O
its	O
popularity	O
grew	O
,	O
rival	O
game	O
companies	O
said	O
they	O
had	O
wanted	O
to	O
be	O
the	O
first	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
game	O
like	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
goal	O
of	O
the	O
development	O
team	O
was	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
raising	O
simulation	O
game	O
that	O
would	O
have	O
gameplay	O
distinctive	O
of	O
arcade	O
games	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
including	O
making	O
use	O
of	O
a	O
large	O
touchscreen	B-Device
and	O
a	O
national	O
online	O
network	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Koyama	O
suggested	O
that	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
interesting	O
to	O
have	O
a	O
touchscreen	B-Device
so	O
that	O
players	O
could	O
touch	O
the	O
girls	O
at	O
certain	O
times	O
during	O
gameplay	O
and	O
get	O
interesting	O
reactions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
developing	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
Koyama	O
realized	O
that	O
most	O
bishōjo	B-Application
games	I-Application
at	O
the	O
time	O
focused	O
on	O
specializing	O
characters	O
for	O
players	O
 '	O
specific	O
tastes	O
,	O
which	O
he	O
felt	O
was	O
detrimental	O
to	O
the	O
community	O
surrounding	O
such	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ishihara	O
focused	O
on	O
developing	O
realistic	O
characters	O
because	O
of	O
his	O
view	O
that	O
there	O
were	O
too	O
many	O
bishōjo	B-Application
games	I-Application
at	O
the	O
time	O
that	O
had	O
characters	O
who	O
were	O
developed	O
to	O
be	O
convenient	O
for	O
the	O
player	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ultimate	O
focus	O
was	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
game	O
with	O
a	O
"	O
cool	O
,	O
club-like	O
image	O
"	O
that	O
would	O
be	O
close	O
to	O
the	O
feel	O
of	O
a	O
music	B-Application
game	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
employed	O
motion	B-Application
capture	I-Application
to	O
present	O
a	O
realistic	O
view	O
of	O
the	O
characters	O
—	O
not	O
only	O
during	O
normal	O
gameplay	O
,	O
but	O
also	O
during	O
performances	O
,	O
which	O
were	O
rendered	O
using	O
motion	B-Application
capture	I-Application
from	O
professional	O
dancers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
idols	O
of	O
Morning	O
Musume	O
were	O
used	O
as	O
an	O
influence	O
to	O
create	O
character	O
types	O
in	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
traditionally	O
found	O
in	O
bishōjo	B-Application
games	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Following	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
the	O
arcade	O
game	O
,	O
Namco	O
(	O
now	O
Namco	O
Bandai	O
Games	O
following	O
their	O
merger	O
with	O
Bandai	O
)	O
went	O
on	O
to	O
develop	O
its	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
port	O
starting	O
in	O
early	O
2006	O
,	O
though	O
a	O
port	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
had	O
been	O
discussed	O
as	O
early	O
as	O
May	O
2005	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Namco	O
Bandai	O
Games	O
producer	O
Yōzō	O
Sakagami	O
was	O
initially	O
unsure	O
if	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
would	O
be	O
suited	O
for	O
a	O
video	B-Device
game	I-Device
console	I-Device
due	O
to	O
hardware	O
and	O
network	O
limitations	O
,	O
but	O
he	O
felt	O
that	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
and	O
its	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
network	O
could	O
handle	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
specifications	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
people	O
who	O
were	O
interested	O
in	O
the	O
arcade	O
game	O
but	O
never	O
played	O
it	O
would	O
tell	O
Sakagami	O
that	O
this	O
was	O
either	O
because	O
their	O
local	O
arcade	O
did	O
not	O
have	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
,	O
or	O
because	O
they	O
were	O
embarrassed	O
to	O
play	O
it	O
in	O
public	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
developing	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
port	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
,	O
the	O
characters	O
had	O
to	O
be	O
entirely	O
redone	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
motion	B-Application
capture	I-Application
,	O
which	O
used	O
the	O
same	O
actors	O
as	O
before	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Further	O
details	O
were	O
able	O
to	O
be	O
added	O
to	O
the	O
character	O
designs	O
because	O
of	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
's	O
improved	O
,	O
high-definition	O
hardware	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
was	O
first	O
unveiled	O
in	O
February	O
2004	O
at	O
the	O
All	O
Nippon	O
Amusement	O
Machine	O
Operators	O
 '	O
Union	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
July	O
26	O
,	O
2005	O
as	O
an	O
arcade	O
game	O
using	O
Namco	O
's	O
System	B-Application
246	I-Application
arcade	O
system	O
board	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
uses	O
the	O
touchscreen	B-Device
Rewritable	O
Stage	O
arcade	O
cabinet	O
,	O
which	O
issues	O
the	O
player	O
two	O
rewritable	O
cards	O
containing	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
profile	O
and	O
save	O
data	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
makes	O
use	O
of	O
Sega	O
's	O
ALL.Net	B-Application
network	O
service	O
to	O
keep	O
track	O
of	O
national	O
idol	O
rankings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
ported	O
to	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
on	O
January	O
25	O
,	O
2007	O
,	O
and	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Platinum	B-Device
Collection	I-Device
on	O
November	O
1	O
,	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
became	O
available	O
for	O
download	O
through	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
Marketplace	O
on	O
August	O
11	O
,	O
2009	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Namco	O
Bandai	O
Games	O
released	O
12	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
updates	O
between	O
January	O
24	O
and	O
December	O
25	O
,	O
2007	O
available	O
through	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
Marketplace	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
features	O
10	O
songs	O
in	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
and	O
6	O
additional	O
songs	O
in	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
written	O
and	O
composed	O
by	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
songwriters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
songs	O
from	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
were	O
released	O
by	O
Nippon	O
Columbia	O
on	O
a	O
five-part	O
CD	O
series	O
of	O
compilation	O
albums	O
titled	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
Masterpiece	O
between	O
2005	O
and	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
songs	O
from	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
were	O
released	O
by	O
Nippon	O
Columbia	O
on	O
a	O
four-part	O
CD	O
series	O
titled	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
Masterwork	O
between	O
2006	O
and	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Songs	O
from	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
were	O
also	O
released	O
on	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
Master	O
Box	O
volumes	O
one	O
and	O
two	O
between	O
July	O
19	O
,	O
2006	O
and	O
April	O
4	O
,	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
port	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
sold	O
25,000	O
copies	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
week	O
of	O
sale	O
and	O
was	O
the	O
fifteenth	O
best	O
selling	O
console	O
video	O
game	O
in	O
Japan	O
for	O
the	O
time	O
of	O
its	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
received	O
a	O
combined	O
score	O
of	O
26	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
from	O
the	O
Japanese	O
video	O
game	O
magazine	O
Famitsu	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
port	O
has	O
been	O
credited	O
with	O
making	O
Japan	O
's	O
ratio	O
of	O
sign-ups	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
compared	O
to	O
the	O
number	O
of	O
consoles	O
sold	O
as	O
the	O
world	O
's	O
highest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Over	O
four	O
times	O
as	O
many	O
Microsoft	O
points	O
were	O
sold	O
on	O
the	O
date	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Idolmasters	I-Application
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
release	O
as	O
on	O
the	O
date	O
before	O
it	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
writing	O
for	O
Dengeki	O
Online	O
,	O
reviewer	O
Aogeyarō	O
's	O
first	O
impression	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Idolmaster	I-Application
was	O
embarrassment	O
about	O
playing	O
a	O
bishōjo	B-Application
game	I-Application
in	O
public	O
,	O
but	O
after	O
playing	O
it	O
,	O
he	O
felt	O
that	O
the	O
emotional	O
ups	O
and	O
downs	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
passing	O
and	O
failing	O
of	O
auditions	O
,	O
was	O
very	O
enjoyable	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
reviewing	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
port	O
,	O
he	O
likened	O
the	O
52-week	O
limit	O
to	O
the	O
heartlessness	O
that	O
surrounds	O
the	O
entertainment	O
industry	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dom	O
Nguyen	O
writing	O
for	O
Wired	O
described	O
the	O
arcade	O
version	O
as	O
awkward	O
at	O
times	O
and	O
felt	O
apprehension	O
about	O
the	O
various	O
touchscreen	B-Device
minigames	O
that	O
"	O
encourage	O
you	O
to	O
fondle	O
the	O
screen.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Aogeyarō	O
also	O
commented	O
on	O
the	O
high	O
prices	O
of	O
an	O
entire	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
pack	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
version	O
,	O
and	O
cautioned	O
that	O
not	O
everything	O
in	O
the	O
pack	O
may	O
be	O
needed	O
or	O
wanted	O
.	O
</s>
