An Xbox console retrospectiveBefore the original Xbox was released in 2001, many doubted Microsoft`s chances to compete in the video game console business. Up until that point, the company had been primarily a PC software vendor, and there hadn`t been room for four major consoles. It also had to compete against the PlayStation 2 and GameCube at the time. Despite the initial stiff competition and several pitfalls along the way, the Xbox brand has made significant strides over the past 15 years to become a household name in the hardware world and a significant pillar of Microsoft`s business. It has since sold well over 100 million consoles.Let`s take a walk down memory lane as we chronologically look back at all of Microsoft`s consoles, hardware redesigns, and major peripherals.Table of ContentsXboxXbox `Duke` ControllerXbox Controller SXbox 360Xbox 360 ControllerXbox 360 EliteXbox 360 ArcadeXbox 360 SKinectXbox 360 EXbox OneXbox One ControllerXbox One Elite Wireless ControllerXbox One SXbox One S/Xbox Design Lab ControllerXbox One XRelatedEvolution of Nintendo consolesEvolution of Sony PlayStation consoles XboxMicrosoft debuted its original big, black, and green Xbox in North America on November 15, 2001. It retailed for $300 and launched within the sixth generation of consoles, which made it the first major gaming system to be created by an American company since the Atari Jaguar.Prior to its launch, Microsoft`s major gaming efforts had been focused on the PC, where its Windows operating system held a monopoly on the market. Arguably the closest the Redmond, Washington-based company had gotten to launching a console was when it developed a custom version of Windows CE for the Sega Dreamcast that supported a version of its DirectX API.After seeing how Sony`s console business was detracting from PC game sales and fearing that the rival company would own the living room with the PlayStation 2, Microsoft decided to release its own system to compete. An early pro ...
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