Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 game console displayed in Tokyo April 6, 2006. (Photo : Yuriko Nakao)
Microsoft's all-time top-selling gaming console turns 10 years old on November 22, Sunday exactly one decade after the OS giant launched it. Following a rocky start the system put multiplayer console games in the spotlight, and featured some of the biggest games in video game history including those from the Halo, Grand Theft Auto, and Call of Duty series.
Microsoft rolled out the second Xbox console on MTV rather than a gaming trade show or news media conference. It was hosted by the "Lord of the Rings" star Elijah Wood who referred to "uber-gamers" and made shadow puppets during the event.
After its unveiling the Xbox 360 had other issues. They included the "Red Ring of Death" technical problems that resulted in Microsoft spending $1.15 billion on repairs, according to Yahoo.
However, as time passed the Xbox 360 made a 180-degree turn. That was mainly due to exclusive franchises such as Gears of War, popular shooters, and Kinect accessory games.
In addition to the Xbox 360's games, the system also changed the way they were played. For example, Achievements and Gamerscores gave rewards for using the console, while Apple and Sony now have similar systems.
For many Xbox 360 fans another big plus of the gaming console was Xbox Live. It let owners play games with their pals online, and made the experience even more interactive through voice chat. The game system also allowed people to enjoy movies, TV shows, and videos through Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube.
The Xbox 360 has sold over 84 million units globally (by 2014). Although Sony's PlayStation 2 easily outsold it at 155 million (by 2012). Microsoft's work-in-progress console series continues with the Xbox One. The third Xbox console is celebrating its second birthday as it goes head-to-head with PlayStation 4, according to PC Mag.
Xbox One owners can now enjoy playing about 100 classic Xbox 360 games. That is due to an update that provides "backwards compatibility" for the old titles.
The best-selling Xbox 360 game of all time is Kinect Adventures! at 24 million units. It was developed by Good Science Studio and released in November 2010.
