Microsoft the name of this computer industry giant needs no further introduction. Every personal computer user knows about Bill Gates‘ company, as well as about its founder. However, having behind it significant achievements in software development, the company could not achieve such resounding success in an industry ruled by long-recognized mastodons. Yes, we are talking about one of the most developed and popular technology industries of recent decades – the home gaming entertainment industry.
Since the late 70s, Microsoft has understood the potential of the gaming industry, acting as a publisher and later as a developer. The company successfully created the image of the personal computer as a machine for both work and play. However, the growing popularity of game consoles frightened the company – it saw them as an immediate threat to its business.
The situation was aggravated by statements in which people increasingly called consoles competitors of the personal computer. As a result, at the beginning of the 21st century, Microsoft bosses decided to take a risky step – to get involved in a “console war” with such market sharks as Sony and Nintendo. Despite all the strength of the company, the idea seemed crazy, but the developers from Microsoft had a few aces up their sleeves.
But what prompted Microsoft to create its own console? The answer is a little unexpected: collaboration with Sega to create an operating system for the legendary Sega Dreamcast console. This experience was the first for the company in a new industry.
Subsequently, Bill Gates even offered Sony to work together on the operating system for the announced PlayStation 2 but was refused. It was probably the response from the Japanese company that became the necessary impetus for Microsoft to start working on its own console.
What is Xbox?
Xbox is the first home gaming console developed and released by Microsoft. There are currently four generations of gaming consoles in the Xbox family, and the developer company itself has been in the industry for more than 20 years.
The current consoles from Microsoft at the moment are the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, released in 2020. According to official statistics, more than 170 million Xbox consoles have been sold worldwide.
Early versions of Xbox
March 2000 became the main year in the history of Xbox: it was then that the first console from Microsoft was announced, which entered the North American markets in November 2001, and later in the rest of the world. Xbox became one of the representatives of the sixth generation of game consoles, and its competitors were GameCube from Nintendo and PlayStation 2 from Sony. As the years passed, it became clear that the first console for Microsoft was more of an attempt by the company to catch on to a new market for it, and not immediately become a full-fledged participant in the fierce “battle of the consoles.”
The device’s architecture was built around a conventional personal computer, as well as variations of the Windows operating system and the DirectX graphics service. However, the Xbox hardware itself stood out significantly from its competitors: a custom Intel Pentium III processor and a video card based on Nvidia GeForce 3 made the console more powerful than its competitors. This factor became a strong marketing weapon in the hands of Microsoft: cross-platform games on the Xbox had greater detail, which was a shame not to be mentioned by gaming journalists of that time.
But the console wasn’t famous for its graphics alone. It was in the original Xbox that a hard drive was first used, and the presence of an Ethernet port and the subsequent Xbox Live service for online games set the direction of development not only for the console itself but also for the industry as a whole.
As for games, the real hits with the launch of the console were the fighting game Dead or Alive 3, the racing game Project Gotham Racing, and, of course, the shooter Halo: Combat Evolved. The latter gained such enormous popularity that it eventually became closely associated with this particular console: where there is Xbox, there is Halo, and where there is Halo, there is Xbox.
Despite selling 24 million consoles worldwide, Xbox cannot be called a success for Microsoft from a financial point of view. 4 billion dollars – is the price the company paid to enter a new market for itself since it was forced to sell the console for less than it spent on its assembly.
Xbox 360 success
Is it any wonder that a company like Microsoft took into account all its own mistakes and introduced the next-generation console in a short time? Just 4 years after the launch of the original Xbox, a successor was released – the Xbox 360. Moreover, this time the company had, if not the main, then one of the most important advantages – time, releasing its own seventh-generation console a year earlier than its main competitor, Sony.
Microsoft continued to develop the idea that their console was not so much for games, but for multimedia entertainment of all kinds. Thus, console owners had access to improved Xbox Live online services, the ability to download games and demos, listen to music, and watch movies and TV series, as well as third-party services with various content. It can be said that the developer company has made its console the centerpiece of the living room in homes around the world.
Remember the power of the original Xbox? Microsoft tried to maintain this feature of its console in this generation: journalists each time noted the graphical superiority of the Xbox 360 over its competitors, noting more detailed textures or the amount of detail. It is noteworthy that the “filling” of the PlayStation 3 was more powerful, but Microsoft managed to create a simpler architecture, which game developers have repeatedly said.
Despite the fact that the company tried to move away from the very concept of a gaming console more towards a multimedia system, it would be unfair not to mention several titles that actually sold the console. Thus, the brutal shooter Gears of War attracted players from the first trailers with its toughness and, of course, its graphical component. It is not surprising that this particular game was the best-selling game for a long time until the third part of the shooter Halo 3 took the pedestal.
Also worth noting are such games as the fighting game Dead or Alive 4, the tactical shooter Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, the shooter on the then popular military theme of the Second World War Call of Duty 2, the action game Saints Row and the role-playing game The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Each of them sold more than a million copies.
However, there was a fly in the ointment. Early revisions of the console had a big problem, popularly called the “red ring of death” – this is what the indicator on the Xbox 360 itself looked like, indicating its malfunction. To Microsoft’s credit, it repaired its console even after the warranty expired. As a result, the Xbox 360 lasted 11 years on the market, had several different versions, and sold 84 million copies. Now we can say with confidence: that Microsoft is a full-fledged participant in the “console war.”
Microsoft Xbox One generation
The Xbox One, as the name suggests, was the system that Microsoft had been striving for all these years. “All in one” – the console became a multimedia center, where games were far from its main feature. Hardcore gamers didn’t particularly like this feature, but for the company, it was a way to interest new users who were more interested in watching a movie on one of the many services.
In terms of technical features, Microsoft’s eighth-generation console became more powerful, but still used the same architecture as the original Xbox. This factor made it possible to run games from the previous generation console, which more than once distinguished the Xbox One when compared with its competitors. The developers also took an important step towards introducing social functions: it became possible to record clips, integrate with social networks, and even stream to the Twitch and Mixer services.
It is noteworthy that it was the Xbox One that became an important moment for Microsoft in determining the main direction of development in this industry. The company has faced constant criticism for not having many exclusives since 2013, the year the console launched. The reason for this was precisely the above-mentioned positioning as a multimedia system.
A man who is well-known to all Xbox fans came to the company’s rescue. Phil Spencer became the head of the brand and began to take active steps. Thus, in 2017, the Xbox Game Pass subscription service was released, which provided access to a limited number of games. The players liked the idea, and the service itself gradually improved and increased the number of available titles: some games were available immediately from the moment they appeared on store shelves.
In addition, Microsoft took many developers under its wing by rebranding: Microsoft Studios was now called Xbox Game Studios. As a result, Phil Spencer revolutionized the gaming world, and he himself is revered by Xbox users at the level of Bill Gates. Or maybe higher.
The console has undergone several changes since its release: in addition to the original Xbox One, Xbox One S, Xbox One S without a disc drive, and Xbox One X with improved hardware are currently available for purchase.
Microsoft’s Kinect Technology
Graphics – there is so much in this world! It was believed that the winner of the “console war” would be the one whose console was able to show the best picture on the TV screen. However, Nintendo surprised everyone by not getting involved in the graphics race and demonstrating a completely new way to conduct a gaming session on its Nintendo Wii console.
The emphasis was placed on the console’s unusual gamepad, which, for example, could be either a fishing rod or a sword in the game. Players loved this innovation, and the success of its competitor forced Microsoft to think about creating its own analog of “active” control.
In 2010, the company released Kinect, a camera for the Xbox 360 that reads the user’s movements and also responds to his voice. In general, the product was highly rated by gaming publications, but the technology itself had a number of shortcomings. The controls themselves took some getting used to, and the movements were not always read correctly by the camera.
In addition, the games released specifically for the Kinect were family-friendly. These were casual and fairly simple projects that attracted a new audience but were of no interest to hardcore gamers. They were much more comfortable playing Call of Duty or Halo with a gamepad in their hands than jumping in front of the TV screen.
Microsoft provided support for its technology in Xbox until 2017: the latest current model is available for the Xbox One console. The Kinect itself eventually moved from a gaming accessory to a device for scientific or advertising purposes. The latest version, released in 2020, is called Azure Kinect.
Latest Series Technology: Xbox Series X/S
The latest consoles from Microsoft are the Xbox Series X/S, released in November 2020. The company decided to take a curious path by releasing two versions of its console at once. Xbox Series X is an advanced version that has the best hardware and allows you to play in 4K resolution. Xbox Series S is the younger brother of Series X with weaker hardware and without 4K support.
However, in other respects, it is a full-fledged next-gen. Both consoles support the latest graphics technology, fast loading times in games, and also have access to all the latest gaming titles.
However, there are still small differences in the consoles: for some players, they can become a significant factor in terms of purchasing one of the versions of the console. Thus, the Xbox Series X has a BluRay drive and a large storage capacity (1 TB). But for this, this version of the console paid for its weight: it is twice as large as the Xbox Series S in size and weight – 4.5 kg versus 2 kg.
Both consoles support previous-generation games and also have access to Game Pass. To sum it up, choosing the latest Xbox console is all about access to a 4K TV. If so, then the Xbox Series X is your choice. Otherwise, check out the Xbox Series S for just as much fun!
How to choose your Xbox console
Choosing a console is an incredibly important task. Each gamer has his own list of criteria. Here are the main ones:
Console power
If ten years ago it was easy to see the difference in graphics between console generations, now it is somewhat blurred. Developers prefer to pay attention to small details and frame rates, but for many gamers, the technical component of the console still remains a very important criterion when choosing.
4K resolution
Image quality plays an important role. However, it must be remembered that not every gamer has a TV with 4K resolution. Of course, you can buy a console for the future, but if we talk about buying it right now, then this factor is worth taking into account.
Disc editions
Some people consider discs an outdated concept, while others dote on them. It is to resolve such a dispute that consoles of the Xbox family exist both with and without a drive.
Budget
Few would argue that price is not the last argument when buying a console. You should always consider the cost of the Xbox you like.
Limited editions
Don’t forget about the aesthetic component of choosing a console. A limited-edition design inspired by your favorite game is sure to resonate more with you than the standard set.
The best Microsoft consoles
We bring to your attention the best consoles from Microsoft, available for purchase in the Online store.
Microsoft Xbox Series X
Do you love disc editions, have a 4K TV, and have plenty of free space on the shelf nearby? Then Xbox Series X is for you!
The relatively large dimensions (4.5 kg) are due to the highest power and the presence of a BluRay drive, but this particular console will be able to unleash the maximum potential of your TV. You’ll enjoy the best performance and visuals of any Microsoft console to date.
The kit includes:
Game console Microsoft Xbox Series X; Gamepad; Charging cable for gamepad; High-Speed HDMI; AA batteries;
Power cable.
Microsoft Xbox Series S
There is no way to buy a 4K TV, but at the same time, you are eager to touch the next-gen? Then turn your attention to the Xbox Series S!
The compact console has all the other advantages of its older brother, and the lack of a disc drive is solved by a Game Pass subscription. In addition, this console allows you to significantly reduce the cost of your budget because it costs almost half as much as the Xbox Series X.
The kit includes:
Game console Microsoft Xbox Series S; Gamepad; Charging cable for gamepad; High-Speed HDMI; Power cable; AA batteries.
Microsoft Xbox One X
Xbox One X is the ultimate version of the previous generation console. It has more powerful “filling” and, accordingly, graphic capabilities.
Xbox One X is suitable for owners of 4K TVs and those who want a little more detail in games.
The set includes a game console XBOX One X; a Gamepad; a Network cable; and HDMI.
Microsoft Xbox One S
If you want to get the previous generation of consoles, then you should take a look at the Xbox One S. This is an improved version of the first version of the console with more powerful hardware, but not capable of displaying images in 4K resolution.
The console is compact in size, but still boasts the same impressive graphics as its older brother.
The kit includes:
Game console XBOX One S; Gamepad; Network cable; HDMI.
Microsoft Xbox One
Xbox One is the original version of the console, released in 2013. A good gaming system that can display decent graphics.
Suitable for gamers who are not chasing the latest graphics updates, but still want to play all the games currently available.
The set includes an Xbox One game console; a Gamepad; a Power unit; a Headset; and HDMI.
Microsoft Kinect Sensor 2.0 OEM
Microsoft Kinect Sensor 2.0 is an innovative motion sensor. It allows the user to interact with their own game console without the aid of a gamepad through audio commands, body movement, or displayed objects.
This device is suitable for family entertainment, which is facilitated by a wide range of games created specifically for Kinect technology. In addition, the motion sensor can replace tedious workouts in the gym: Kinect is available in many sports games and encourages physical activity.
Microsoft Kinect Sensor 2.0 connects without additional accessories to Xbox One but requires an additional adapter to connect to Xbox One S, Xbox One X, or Windows PC.
Buying a modern console from Microsoft not only gives you access to a huge list of games of various genres but also brings a lot of multimedia entertainment to your life. Watch movies and TV series, listen to music, watch your favorite streamers and, of course, play games. All this is available on consoles of the Xbox family!
All consoles presented in the selection are available for order in the IgroRai store at the best price and with delivery throughout Russia.
