Xbox celebrates 15 years of gaming excellence. The ever so humble Nintendo is there to honor the competition through warm greetings and an NES Classic Edition as a gift.
Derived from Direct-X, which is Microsoft's main API for gaming, Microsoft's entry into the console market has come a long way before getting the name Xbox. The console name comes from 35 possible names suggested by Microsoft's developers. Some of the notable names on the list include: MIND (Microsoft Interactive Network Device), EHQ (Entertainment Headquarters), MET (Microsoft Entertainment Technology or Microsoft Entertainment Theatre), TSO (Three, Six, Zero), and O2 (Optimal Ozone or Optical Odyssey), according to an article by IGN.
The Xbox console was introduced on Nov. 15, 2001. The console was set out to compete with the PlayStation 2, Sega Dreamcast and the Nintendo 64. "Halo" became Xbox's flagship game, which was developed by Bungie and eventually became one of the most successful FPS series in the industry. Microsoft introduced Xbox-Live in 2002 with over 150,000 subscribers during its first week.
The next Xbox was released in November 2005 called the Xbox 360, competing with Sony's PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. The Xbox 360 encountered the "Red Ring of Death" which was a fatal error that makes the Xbox 360 useless, despite this error, Xbox 360 sold 39 million units by 2010. On the same year, Microsoft redesigned the console and introduced the Kinect System. The Kinect boosted Xbox 360's sale to 75 million by December 2012, according to Digital Trends.
By 2013, the Xbox One was introduced. The Xbox One faced another controversy regarding the digital rights management and privacy practices. The Xbox One needs a continuous internet connection, has a limit of up to 10 family members, and the resale of old games was prohibited. Microsoft eventually changed their policy and decided to allow the console to function without the Kinect.
Xbox has become one of the pillars of the gaming industry. It's good to know that Nintendo who's can be tagged as the father of modern gaming is always there to support and acknowledge its brothers in arms.
