20 Years of Xbox
Celebrating 20 years of Microsofts little machine that could.
Celebrating the 20th anniversary of anything is truthfully impressive, but celebrating that milestone in an industry that's ever changing and one of the hardest things to break into is that much more impressive. Microsoft, the software company, broke down barriers and pushed its way into the world of video games.
The Xbox growing up to me was honestly seen as the "more mature" console available. I remember seeing it in numerous places with games like The Matrix, Timesplitters, and, of course, the golden child, Halo. Jumping onto the Xbox brand in the early 360 days honestly felt like a new breath of fresh air. Gone were the days of playing alone and reading about games every chance I got. In came the new world of online gaming and connectivity, along with still reading about games...ok I guess that part hasn't changed. When I first got my 360 it came in a TV bundle my mother had gotten, for a small additional fee little me was given his Xbox 360 Arcade Edition. I spent at least the first month playing nothing but the Viva Pinata demo (I stayed up the entire first night just on this) and Feeding Frenzy. Sure, these aren't the first games that come to mind when you think 360 but they were mine and they held me over until I was able to purchase The Darkness and Halo 3. Halo 3 is where it all changed for me. I played a little bit of Halo 2 at friends' houses prior, but diving into Halo 3 is something I'll forever hold dear. Single player shenanigans with school friends, grinding out team doubles with my best friend Lucas, and playing custom games like jenga are some of my favorite memories that I will never forget.
This is where I think the online structure of Xbox has really been their bread and butter. With the growth and expansion of Xbox Live as a service, the industry had changed focus. The rise of online shooters like Halo,Call of Duty, and Gears of War, changed the way developers approached making games and the way consumers wanted to play games. Sure, the single player adventures were still being released, but if you were on Xbox between 2007-2012 this is where it was at. Community favorites like 1 VS 100 which was Microsoft's attempt at a live interactive gameshow, something people are still asking for to this day. I've met two of my best friends of the past 12+ years thanks to Xbox Live and online gaming; they live states away, but we've been able to meet up and hang out, travel together for wrestling events, and generally have an impact on each other's lives. People who I never would've met if not for Xbox have had a life changing effect on who I am as a person. These unique experiences have kept gamers centered and supportive of Microsoft and the Xbox project.
By now, it's well known that the Xbox started on less than sturdy footing, with people within Microsoft trying to shut the project down. Most people within the gaming space couldn't imagine how this could succeed in a space that was primarily controlled by Japan and its many studios and publishers. For 20 years Xbox has been growing and changing how we play, view, and think about games, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down any time soon.
I'm excited to see what the next 20 years hold for Xbox as a brand and where they take us next on their journey. the countless nights of laughter and enjoyment, thank you. Thank you Phil Spencer and the countless teams across the globe for crafting the world's and experiences that millions get to enjoy and connect over.