WhenMicrosoftjumped into the console gaming world with theirXboxback in the early 2000s, it changed gaming forever. Gaming got even more competitive and more mature. Players saw a jump in technology after the Xbox launched as consoles became closer to theirPCcounterparts, and with that, gaming got drew in more players than ever, creating the huge gaming world of today.
However, Microsoft’s console launch wouldn’t have been so successful without revealing th Xbox and showing it off to the world. As a company, they’ve had ups and downs in the gaming department. Not every reveal was bad for Microsoft, and consoles that had good reveals went on the become successful and iconic. It’s easy to see that the reveal events play a role in a given console’s success. With that, here are those reveal events, from the original Xbox to theXbox Series X.
7Original Xbox
When Microsoft first showed off the original Xbox at the CES event in the early 2000s, it was met with acclaim thanks to what it did for games. As the first console that had a hard disk drive, the Xbox meant that buying memory cards would be a thing of the past. This event also launched one of the Xbox’sconsoles defining games,Halo,which catapulted into the online gaming sphere and madeHaloreally impactfulfor the console. Although thePlaystation 2also featured online gaming, Xbox took it more seriously. Players didn’t need to buy a port to go online; the feature was built in.
The reveal of the Xbox wasn’t that special, but its legacy was. Players still feel the influence of that consoles in today’s world. What made the reveal important is that it showed what the console was capable of. This showed in games likeBlack,which may have flown undermany players' radars, but were as influential as the console itself.
6Xbox One
This was Microsoft’s 8th generation home console. It was met with lukewarm reception at first and kind of missed the mark for gamers. It required players to be online at all times to play, which rendered borrowing games useless. What’s more, thelack of exclusive titlesat launch deemed the console a loss at the start. TheXbox Onehad many issues and many considered it a loss for the last generation. However, with a new head now controlling Xbox, the console is in a different spot.
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What really hurt during the reveal event was Microsoft announcing the price. They also forced players to get the Kinect as it was bundled with Xbox One, which made players pass on it. Although this was later changed this and the Kinect sold separately, the damage was done.
After a few years, though, the console did turn around by introducing Gamepass. This feature became a fan favorite, offering a growing library of games for one low price, including some of thebest multiplayer gamesout there. The damage done by the reveal was left, but Xbox managed to save itself for the next release.
5Xbox One X
This variation of the Xbox One is more powerful than both the Sand theoriginal, and Microsoft even claimed it was the “strongest console ever.” The appeal of the Xbox One X’s reveal was that it was the first home console at the time to do to 4K, just likeSony’sPS4 Pro. It was also the first console generation to have a midlife upgrade, which attracted players who didn’t get the original Xbox One. The Xbox One X was a welcome surprise, because it allowed consoles players to play on a level similar to the PC.
The Xbox One X came with a hefty price tag. However, since this was due to how powerful it was, the price wasn’t an issue. Players could enjoy their favorite games optimized for the new console for free. Around this time, Microsoft was showcasing two consoles, which gave players the choice to either spend big or spend little and get almost the same experience. That’s why this console reveal was a welcoming one.
4Xbox One S
Both variations of the Xbox One were revealed at the same time. The low cost, smaller, slimmer Xbox One Swas met with critical acclaim, because it showed that players didn’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good experience. This helped put Microsoft on top again. The Xbox One S became a top seller due to what it offered: the same deal as Xbox One, but smaller and cheaper.
This allowed many players to enjoy next-gen games without spending a lot of money. Because of that price point and Gamepass, the Xbox One S fixed a lot of issues that the original Xbox One had. Microsoft cast out a wider net, and made next-gen gaming more accessible.
3Xbox Series X
Revealed during the Video Game Awards in 2019, the new Xbox console took the world by storm with all the memes that fun made of the console’s look. The reveal was very different from the Xbox One, and many players noticed that it focused on games rather than it being an entertainment device. This was because the Xbox Series X had a massive catalog of games lined up even before it came out, thanks to itsbackwards compatibility programthat keeps getting updated with more games.
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On top of that, Microsoft customers wouldn’t even need an Xbox Series X. Microsoft is pushing an ecosystem that allows gamers to play on any device provided they have Gamepass. In this way, the company is making gaming even more accessible, hence why Xbox consoles are selling well. The best part about this reveal is how simple the console was, which was memed and even made into a fridge. Around this time, Microsoft was back in the gaming world as a serious player.
2Xbox Series S
Microsoft kept this mindset going into the next-gen console space, that was evident with theXbox Series S. Announced and revealed a year after the Xbox Series X, Microsoft made next-gen gaming affordable once again, helping their sales. Much like the Xbox One S, the Series S is smaller, lighter, and cheaper. This was the main point of the world premiere: that players were getting the same experience as the Xbox Series X, but for less.
However, unlike the Xbox One S, the Series S does not feature a disk drive, which may leave players opting for its more powerful counterpart. However, the Series S ensures that players don’t miss out on next-gen gaming because of the price, which made it one of the best-selling consoles of this generation.
1Xbox 360
First shown off during an MTV show with Elijah Wood announcing it, players saw one of the most iconic consoles for the first time during the event. TheXbox 360was met with acclaim because around this time, Microsoft was fully pushing its online service, and the Xbox 360 was ready for that. What’s more, its built-in hard drive made having many games at once much more realistic. Everything about the reveal of the Xbox 360 was well-received, from the look of the console itself to how comfortable and reliablethe controller was. The Xbox 360 made itself a powerful player in the gaming world, and for good reason.
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The Xbox 360 was the longest-lasting Microsoft console, as it had two variations that lasted well into the Xbox One’s life cycle. Much like the reveal, the console made the statement that it wasn’t just for gaming, but for everything entertainment. And unlike the Xbox One, which leaned heavily into the entertainment side, the Xbox 360 had a balance of everything. It offered a wide selection of games that still hold up to this day. Not only did the Xbox 360 change gaming, it showed how much more gaming can be, and that’s what players like the most about the console.
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