Four Years of the Xbox 360

100 Comments Posted November 22, 2009 - By Sterling McGarvey

Xbox 360

November isn’t just a time for big games to launch. It’s traditionally a time when game consoles make their big splash in the States. With the exception of the PlayStation 2 and the PSP, every major game console of this decade has launched in November in the US. Four years ago today, Microsoft kicked off the “next generation” of video games by releasing the Xbox 360. Time sure does fly when you're watching people on your friends list having fun. Like the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Nintendo DS, I’m taking a look at the history of the platform, and the prognosis for the coming year. Let's start with the horoscope:

“You will be enthusiastic, frank, sincere, upright. You will finally realize your plans, after long and painstaking work, thanks to your patience, to your experience, which you have always known how to use, to your common sense and also because you have never lost sight of your objective.”

Microsoft certainly stuck to their overall plan for the Xbox brand, and though the Wii is currently in the driver's seat (and who saw that one coming?), the 360's got the upper hand over the PS3, thanks to launching first and securing third-party support.

The Specs
Launch Date: November 22, 2005 (United States)
Launch Price: $399.99 (Pro model), $299.99 (Core model)

Significant Price Drops and Hardware Iterations

Possibly thanks to the higher entry price for hardware this generation, both Sony and Microsoft have tinkered with hardware and prices to a degree seldom seen in console sales prior. One thing’s for sure: it makes for some insane research.

Xbox 360 Elite (released April 2007) was the first iteration of Xbox 360 hardware supporting HDMI output and a 120 GB hard drive. It retailed at $479.99. Later in 2007, HDMI output became standard across all Xbox 360 models, even if the chipsets have continued to evolve at a headache-inducing rate.

In August 2007, Microsoft made its first price cuts to Xbox 360. The Core Xbox 360 dropped to $279.99, the Pro dropped to $349.99, and the Elite experienced a dramatic $30 price cut. A few months later, the Core Xbox 360 SKU was eliminated and replaced with the Xbox 360 Arcade model, which features a memory unit instead of a hard drive.

In July 2008, the Pro Xbox 360 SKU dropped to $299.99 in preparation for a 60 GB model, which released a month later at $349.99.

In September 2008, the price of all Xbox 360 SKUs dropped. The Arcade unit dropped to $199.99, the Pro dropped to $299.99, and the Elite saw a bigger drop to $399.99. People who bought an Xbox 360 within six weeks of the platform-wide price cuts were officially pissed.

In August 2009, the Xbox 360 Pro model was discontinued and the price fell to $249.99. The Elite model fell to $299.99. I wonder how many Pro consoles are still sitting on shelves to this day. Recently, a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2-themed Xbox 360 Elite launched with a 250 GB hard drive for $399.99. As of the Xbox 360’s fourth anniversary, Microsoft has positioned the Arcade and Elite as its core models for the platform. And I need a break to go get a glass of water.

Games of Note

Year One: 2005-2006

Year Two: 2006-2007

Year Three: 2007-2008

Year Four: 2008-2009

Features That Made It Better

Like the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 has seen many updates, most of which have improved the user experience dramatically since November 2005. Because Microsoft got to market first, it set plenty of standards (which gamers have fairly or unfairly leveraged as ammunition against other platforms). It’s easier to name them by date than number, for those keeping track. Here’s a look at them:

June 2006: Allowed for background downloading of multiple content items. Anyone with a launch console can tell you why it was a godsend, and why everyone who also got a PS3 at launch was annoyed that Sony didn’t have it on release day. Also let you choose to stay in the Dashboard when popping a disc in. I’ve never changed that setting on my console to this day.

Halloween 2006: Updated consoles to support 1080p video, Zune, the HD-DVD external drive, WMV file support. Boy, that HD-DVD support sure seems quaint these days, doesn’t it? The 1080p support, however, is no laughing matter now that HDTV adoption is significantly higher than it was in Fall 2006.

Xbox 360 HD-DVD Drive

May 2007: Low-power background downloading, more specific “Achievement Unlocked” details, new Dashboard blade for Marketplace.

December 2007: Friend of friend lists on Xbox Live (and improved privacy settings), overall efficiency improvements.

November 2008: On the eve of the Xbox 360’s third anniversary, the New Xbox Experience debuted with all of the hype and fanfare of a first-party game release. Aside from a complete overhaul of the Xbox 360 Dashboard, NXE introduced avatars. Initially derided as a blatant Mii rip-off, avatars are actually nothing like Miis. Nintendo never tried to monetize your virtual icon by offering up a digital plush mushroom to toy around with.

But there were plenty of real game-changers alongside the obvious avatar implementation. Netflix, for one, saw a spike in new users thanks to the Netflix app that launched with NXE. And the install-to-hard drive option very quickly gave Elite owners something to fill their previously spacious drives. Plus, the Party system made multiplayer gaming much more convenient.

August 2009: As Microsoft got closer to its fourth anniversary, updates seemed to come more frequently than the massive gap between the December 07 update and NXE. With the summer update, Microsoft added more features to Netflix, a marketplace to swag-out your avatar, and allowed you to point out to all of your online buddies that you’ve been an Xbox Live member way long than them.

November 2009: Within a week of the fourth anniversary, Microsoft released a multimedia-focused update. The Xbox 360 now supports both Twitter and Facebook on consoles. It remains to be seen how effectively both will integrate into the gaming experience. The real crown jewels of the update, however, are streaming HD on-demand video content (which should make cable providers poop their pants) and Last.fm, which allows users to stream a random selection of music through their consoles. It’s good for dinner parties, if you actually invite friends over to eat and chit chat.

Things We'll Try to Forget

Platform-exclusive downloadable content as the wave of the future. Although Episodes From Liberty City is indisputably one of the finest game experiences of 2009, nearly every third-party exclusive is expected to be timed at this point. Ask all of the PS3 owners who have Fallout 3. Games are very expensive to produce (and market) these days, so on one hand, your flame war is defined by exclusives, and on another, it’s invalidated within a year. Microsoft’s strategy ripped plenty of pages from the PS2 playbook, but 100% true platform exclusive games are rapidly becoming a myth. It’s easier to just pass off third-party games as optimal for the platform (read: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2-branded consoles).
Splinter Cell: Double Agent being better on Xbox than on Xbox 360.
The point at which Microsoft quietly strangled updates for Xbox games. I still want to play my copy of Psi-Ops again.
The following quote: “I bought my Xbox 360 on launch day, and I’ve never had any problems with it.” The Xbox 360 is the second coming of the PlayStation 2 in more than one way. Disc Read Error, meet Red Ring of Death.

Red Ring of Death

Once upon a time, you could buy stuff on Xbox Live with real money, like Halo 2 and Rainbow Six 3 maps.
The feedback system is as good for dealing with the dregs of online gaming as the League of Nations was at maintaining global peace.
Piracy is a ban-worthy offense, but the greatest extremes of irresponsible behavior are not.

Things Console Warriors Might Forget (But Shouldn't)

Trash talk 360 owners who’ve replaced several consoles; they’ve got as much brand loyalty as you, and they’re too busy gaming to argue with you over the Internet about it.
The concept of the Gamerscore is one of the happiest accidents of this era. It has resurrected the idea of the high score for a new generation. And although I’ve split my time between trophies and Achievements, I still play a lot of games to up my Gamerscore.

Achievement Unlocked

Xbox Live has its minuses, but the pluses are huge. From the amount of NXE content to a user experience that’s easier to maneuver (and game updates take seconds instead of minutes to download), there’s an incentive to multiplayer gaming on Xbox 360.
I’ll paraphrase my statement from the PS3 anniversary:

“Unless you’re a sulky teenager whose game purchases are dictated by your parent’s wallet, the cheaper Xbox 360 Elite (which comes in at close to half the launch price) has enabled more gamers to become multi-console owners, and roughly at the same time in the console’s life cycle that many gamers adopted a second console in the last generation. GTA: San Andreas and Halo 2 pushed many a gamer to bring a second console home five years ago. If you’re a PS3 owner, this may very well be the year to take the plunge.”

Prognosis for Year Five: 2009-2010

Positive. Microsoft is coming off a weaker year for first-party than in the past, but even then, it’s hardly been a disaster. Even if Sony begins to catch up sales-wise, the market penetration is established, and people are buying lots of games primarily for Xbox 360. Microsoft made no bones about emulating many of the practices that made the PS2 so successful (getting to market first, hardware clunks be damned), and it’s a big part of why the console’s still on top.

Hopefully Alan Wake will deliver the goods after an exceptionally long production cycle, and we’ll discover more about Halo: Reach in the coming months. Of course, one can’t look to the upcoming year without mentioning Project Natal. It looks amazing (and playing a prototype of Burnout Paradise on it was fairly kick-ass), and if the tech delivers, it could be a big difference-maker.

Project Natal

Tags: Videogames, Xbox 360

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Kanaye

Microsoft took to heart all of the faults of the original Xbox and made a better job with the 360. I'd expect no less from the company who introduced the first robust online gaming to consoles (Say what you want Dreamcast fans: Microsoft made online console gaming popular.)

It sure had it's downfalls though. Hopefully, Microsoft learned to take their time building a very robust product instead of rushing out to market. It haves both advantages and disadvantages.

If Project Natal is as successful as Microsoft hopes it will be, we will be seeing the 360 for a few more years before Microsoft decides to put out a new console. Here's to you ,Microsoft.

Posted: November 22, 2009 6:40 PM | Reply | Report

+10 thumbs up thumbs down

6 Replies
GeneralRadec Show Hide(6 Replies)

How is Project Natal a "difference maker" for gamers? It is the same casual bull that Nintendo is spewing. That is why Rare canceled their Natal FPS project, because Natal isn't for hardcore, it is just going to be be a useless add on for casuals. It will hit the bargain bin just like the HD DVD drive.
And how did Microsoft get the advantage releasing earlier? Yes, they got a head start on the market, but Nintendo quickly smashed them, and the PS3 is the 3rd fastest selling console of all time(27 million units in 3 years) and the 360(31 million units at 4 years). That one year lead doesn't mean jack anymore, and because of M$ haste, the RROD cost them 3 billion dollars. That PS3 just erased a 7-8 million lead to 4-3 in 2 months. Not to mention the 360 has , getting getting demolished by the PS2 in Japan, the PS3 is leading it in Europe and PAL. And since the lead is only around 4 million, and the 360 is past its saturation point and the PS3 is about to hit it stride, that lead is going to drop in the coming months. With Final Fantasy 13 hitting Japan in 2 weeks, expect PS3's to outsell the Wii and 360 combined in Japan. And we haven't even mentioned Sony's 2010 exclusive line up. God of War 3 and Gran Turismo 5 is going lay the wood!

Posted: November 22, 2009 8:05 PM | Reply | Report

-17 thumbs up thumbs down

6 Replies
gamersince1995 Show Hide(3 Replies)

AND XBOX IS HAVING SOME LAW SUIT

VIA:http://kotaku.com/

Posted: November 22, 2009 8:09 PM | Reply | Report

-37 thumbs up thumbs down

3 Replies
GhoulSlayeR

Both consoles are awesome and no matter how you put it, they'll just equal each other out with their awesomeness in the end of my book. I've got to give both Microsoft and Sony props for delivering us with some pretty good consoles this generation. But sure let's face it, they do share their own set of unique problems, but nothing is perfect, but the key goal is their improving upon it over the years.

Natal is not a plus or negative for me, but It is interesting to see what Microsoft has in store for their own version of the eye toy. At least they are taking the risk in putting it out to increase some kind of "fresh" hardware content for the console. I'd applaud them greatly for it.

Game Development is a very different subject between the consoles, and the majority of developers that I get talk to within the industry always form this opinion that the 360 is easier to develop for without much of the headaches of the PS3. I'm not sure what to react to this, but seeing XNA's Framework that Microsoft publishes for Indy/Hobby-type developers is really amazing.

Posted: November 22, 2009 8:53 PM | Reply | Report

+27 thumbs up thumbs down

0 Replies
Blue_Vortex

Natal should be good for microsoft to dig into Nintendo's profit by advertising to the casual, and could prove to be fun for any core gamer who is willing to be more open to more kinds of games that are just trying to be unique over hard core. But that's saying if it goes well, well only time will tell.

Posted: November 22, 2009 9:17 PM | Reply | Report

+11 thumbs up thumbs down

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wh1terav3n

man why do the PS3 fanboys defend their system so freakin hard? THEY'RE BOTH F*N GOOD CONSOLES get past your sad life and see REALITY. GOD D**N you guys have no frickin life.

Posted: November 22, 2009 9:29 PM | Reply | Report

+54 thumbs up thumbs down

9 Replies
hoof_hearted4

i am a PS3 owner but i have to say congrats to xbox, in the least it gives Sony something to compete against and without competition the PS3 wouldnt be getting updates and such to make itself better, and same could be said for the xbox. so i thank the xbox for making the PS3 so much better just through it always trying to outdo the xbox. :)

Posted: November 22, 2009 9:32 PM | Reply | Report

+24 thumbs up thumbs down

0 Replies
Turtleboy7

@ rrodis back are you that much of a douche that you would make that your screen name???? and how about you get a quote from some one who isn't retarded?

Posted: November 22, 2009 9:36 PM | Reply | Report

+12 thumbs up thumbs down

1 Reply
Arius_de_Galdri Show Hide

I didn't like Project Natal when it first came out for the PS2 a few years back. You know, back when it was called "Eye Toy."

AMdG

Posted: November 22, 2009 9:59 PM | Reply | Report

-19 thumbs up thumbs down

0 Replies
Evilfoo

It is absurd to me that Bioshock was not mentioned in Games of Note.

Posted: November 22, 2009 10:24 PM | Reply | Report

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4 Replies
gamersince1995 Show Hide

i remember my FIRST year having 360 first it was cool but i traded it a year later coz of the ERRORS its telling me... XD

Posted: November 22, 2009 11:25 PM | Reply | Report

-19 thumbs up thumbs down

0 Replies
ddc2494 Show Hide(8 Replies)

Hmmm, so they failed to mention how Microsoft used 5 motherboards(Xenon, Zephyr,Falcon,Opus,and Jasper)to try to fix the RROD, but still failed. How sad.

Posted: November 23, 2009 4:12 AM | Reply | Report

-18 thumbs up thumbs down

8 Replies
PS3fears360

Wow I didn't realize its already been 4 yrs since Sony fanboys first became extremely insecure and defensive. My how time flies. Keep up the great work MS! I have enjoyed my 360 and will continue to do so. I'm looking forward to Alan Wake, Halo Reach, Splinter Cell Conviction, Mass Effect 2, Fable 3, Project Gotham 5(rumored), Crackdown 2, and Project Natal all in 2010! Thats what I love about the 360. It has way more games to offer than any other system!

Posted: November 23, 2009 4:26 AM | Reply | Report

+2 thumbs up thumbs down

4 Replies
XXXSpartan118XXX

To the idiot below me. You failed just by bringing that up. RROD is down. Its 20% and the Ps3 is 10% and still going up. How sad fanboy, how sad.

Posted: November 23, 2009 4:30 AM | Reply | Report

+2 thumbs up thumbs down

9 Replies
XXXSpartan118XXX

My last comment was for ddc2494 not Ps3fears.

Posted: November 23, 2009 4:32 AM | Reply | Report

+5 thumbs up thumbs down

1 Reply
PCTech714

Funny all the comments about the 360 and its hardware problems.

I've had my 360 for a little over 3 years and never had a single problem.

My Wii had a faulty optical drive right out of the box. Fortunately, I was able to exchange it for a new one, but ended up selling 2 months later because I never really played it.

My PS3's optical drive died after 18 months of very light use, so I sent it out for repair. $120 and 5 weeks later, I got it back, but again, with so few games worth playing (and Blu-Ray giving way to digital download movies), I sold that console, too.

Again, just my experience. I may get a Slim one of these days, but I'll still stick with the 360 for all future gaming.

Posted: November 23, 2009 5:06 AM | Reply | Report

+13 thumbs up thumbs down

7 Replies
mittens1231

I can't dewal with microsoft anymore! The only reason I bouight one was for the one year earlier thing and i was just wanting to play in hd. Then RROD cmes and i stopped.Got a ps3 loved it but i got another 360 for the exclusives, sent that thing in 4 times! I'm done with it. Microsoft had me but they blew it.

@XXXSpartan118XXX Where you get your facts from? not bashing you but it would be nice to know.

Posted: November 23, 2009 5:20 AM | Reply | Report

-4 thumbs up thumbs down

5 Replies
Erthazus Show Hide(1 Reply)

Xbox 360 was the best console in the past. Because they were first at the market and no one could beat it...

But when Nintendo and Sony came to the market with 7th gen consoles, everything started to bash Microsofts xbox 360.

I loved xbox 360 when it was at early 2006-2007. For hardcore gaming console even my beloved PS3 could not match with it, because market was established.
But now, its not a very good console. Reasons are for poor quality software and bad console architecture and you must pay for the internet subscription that must be free... I mean for XBL.

Posted: November 23, 2009 6:03 AM | Reply | Report

-10 thumbs up thumbs down

1 Reply
T_Rexx Show Hide(2 Replies)

WOW..! this seems more like a defense for the X-Box than anything else. With sooooo many negatives this console has, it's amazing how this article just went by and skipped over the few bads that was mentioned as if they weren't worthy to be noted.

As usual..., what do we expect from so called unbiased fan-boys.

Posted: November 23, 2009 6:17 AM | Reply | Report

-17 thumbs up thumbs down

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myMaddness

My 360 has a 60GB but I have only 12.4 GB free but With all of my stuff on it Im only using 2.6GB and the consul says that the rest is for system use. Does everyone's 360 save 45GB of memory for system use? Im not bashing 360 I just want to know if I have a problem or not. Can't find the answer on anyother site I've visited.

Posted: November 23, 2009 6:36 AM | Reply | Report

+2 thumbs up thumbs down

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