It’s a bit hard to believe that ten years ago today on November 15th 2001 Microsoft released the now “original” Xbox system. It was Microsoft’s first foray into the home console gaming market, and damn was it a great start!
The Xbox was originally supposed to be name the “DirectX Box” based on it’s technology. Microsoft wisely decided to shorten the name soon after development only after some test marketing suggested that the customers prefer the name Xbox.
The Xbox was the first home console to have a built in hard disk drive, and in my opinion was the system that really popularized online home console playing with Xbox Live (interesting enough also released on November 15th, but in 2002).
I look back on the Xbox and wish that Microsoft didn’t kill the system so quickly after the release of the successor Xbox 360. It may have been the little brother to the dominate Playstation 2 console while it was out, but overall the Xbox boast some very impressive exclusives including but not limited to: The Halo series, Fable series, Project Gotham Racing, and my person favorites the two Knights of the Old Republic games.
I lift up my glass high and say “cheers to the original Xbox: May you live long in our retro gaming hearts for many years to come”.
