When I was a child, I had a fondness for Chewits. Each chewy package of sugar seemed like it might dislodge a tooth, yet their burst of strawberry, blackcurrant, and orange taste was nearly impossible to resist. Left to my own devices, I would grab packs of Chewits, unwrap all the candies, and mash them together in my hand until they became one large Chewit boulder. The various colors and flavors blurred together, but the enormous size and weight of it appealed to my inner indulgence. The first occasion I attempted this, I stuffed the entire thing in my mouth, and when I tried to sink my teeth into the sugary blob, my jaw felt almost bonded shut by the sticky mixture. In a panic, I attempted to swallow it and nearly choked as the shapeless Chewits lodged in my throat. Just before I turned completely blue, I managed to cough it back out.
I wish I could claim this happened just once, but it took at least three or four attempts before I understood that mashing them together, while it seems to amplify each Chewit’s deliciousness, can actually create a shapeless mass that can cause you to choke.
Now, let’s move on to Xbox’s strategy to merge their studios.