- The first home console developed by Microsoft was released in Europe in March 2002.
- Competed with the PlayStation 2 and GameCube and sold over 24 million units worldwide.
- Top titles include the Halo series, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, and Project Gotham Racing.
- Introduced Xbox Live, the console's ship subscription-based online gaming service.
- Spawned a new family of consoles including the Xbox 360 (2005) and Xbox One (2013).
Xbox console. view larger
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A "future-generation" device
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At the 2000 Game Developers Conference, Microsoft Chairman and
Chief Software Architect Bill Gates announced the development of
Xbox. Capitalising on its software expertise, experience in
maintaining MSN Gaming Zone, and advances in PC technology, Xbox
is a game console that promised to deliver the most realistic,
intense, and action-packed game experience available.
Released in Europe in March 2002, as a "future-generation" device
the Xbox delivered rich, compelling graphics, and enabled a
user's playing experience to be better and faster than ever
before. With a hard drive built into the machine which could
support up to 8GB of space, Xbox gave gamers more realism, speed,
expandability, and storage, providing for richer game
experiences.
A superior gaming machine
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Though Xbox is first and foremost a gaming machine, it featured
additional capabilities for a consumer's convenience. Out of the
box, the console came standard with four game controller ports, a
DVD player, hard drive, and broadband internet access. As a
dedicated, locked-down games system, it is not an all-purpose
machine; it is designed specifically to provide the best console
game experience available, and its add-on features support that
goal.
Microsoft's first venture into the world of video game consoles
was supported by a wide range of great titles. The exclusive Halo
series dominated the market when it began with Halo: Combat
Evolved in 2001, and Project Gotham Racing provided an accessible
entry point for the new fanbase.
Halo 2. view larger
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Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory. view larger
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Project Gotham Racing. view larger
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Halo: Combat Evolved. view larger
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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. view larger
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Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. view larger
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Fable. view larger
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Madden NFL 2005. view larger
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