Did you know that on this day, November 15th, and ten years ago, the original Xbox from Microsoft was released in North America, with Bungie’s Halo: Combat Evolved for company?
The Xbox would go on to popularise the idea of an online console and set an embryonic standard for how we play multiplayer games, all while lighting the path forward for the evolution of Xbox LIVE into the form we know it today.
The original Xbox also cemented Microsoft’s place as a significant player in the world of videogames, and while the console didn’t sell quite as many units as its competitor, the PlayStation 2, and wasn’t quite as popular around the world as the GameCube, it was an important first step for the software giant and necessary to deliver the Xbox 360 only four years later.
As for Halo?
This action title from Bungie unquestionably popularised the idea of first-person shooters on a console and etched the template for how this genre of game should be handled in the future. It also wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that because of the advent of Halo (and the FPS games that followed), the popularity and focus of first-person shooters, traditionally a stronghold of the PC platform, dramatically shifted to console.
While not the first FPS on console to include multiplayer, Halo could once again be named as the game that popularised the idea of playing these kinds of games against friends, blazing a path for Halo 2 and the explosion of online gaming on console.
It’s difficult to chart the precise benefits and repercussions of the release of the original Xbox and Halo: Combat Evolved ten years ago, but one thing’s for sure: Combined, they forever changed the face of videogaming and helped build the foundations of the current gaming landscape, for which we’re very grateful.
Happy birthday Xbox and happy birthday Halo: Combat Evolved!
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Comments:
That huge console that huge boomerang controller, brings back memories of yesterday. Remember the day Bro october came back from England woke me up at home to show me the console and Halo. We played that game to death the only problem the cramps from holding that controller for hours played till 02:00 in the morning. The memories, time to switch on the 360 for another 10years.
Well said!
im loving this game, looks better then REACH
I've always been a big supporter of Xbox, and I'm glad to see where it is today. Here is for another 20years. Halo CEA is really good, I keep switching back to classic mode. The amount of detail they placed into the game is awesome. I really wish i owned an Original Xbox. Who wants to give me one????
I'm glad to see the original Xbox getting some love on its 10th anniversary. It was criticised quite a lot for its bulky form factor, and being associated with Microsoft didn't help when trying to break into the console industry, but it did well for itself in its relatively short life (for a console).
I bought one when I was seconded to the US for 6 months, the other guys I was over there with made fun of me, the very first time we went shopping they were all getting groceries and the first thing I got at the Wal-Mart we went to was an Xbox. I've got fond memories of playing Halo, Rallisport Challenge and Ninja Gaiden in hotel rooms during some out-of-town audits.
I brought it back with me after the six months over there, even continued to import some NTSC games for it. I still have it and it still works. It's still the best built console I've ever bought, it may not be the prettiest, but the build quality is far better than anything else, the disc tray still opens and closes without a hint of a shudder and the whole thing has this incredibly solid feel to it.
yes optimisaim, 10 years ago when i came home from the UK, lol i brought it with me, lol and woke you up, wow this was a bundle i bought there, XBOX and HALO CE. lol wow!!!!!!!!!! lots of memories, the Jonny memories hahahaha, @Graeme, i know man, when i bought the XBOX in UK, people there were like "thats crap" and laughing, hahaha look at me now
Thanks to the company I worked for back then for sending me over to Germany and allowing me to pick one up. I still remember the confused look at customs bringing in the huge seethrough box, as I managed to get the crystal one with two controllers.
And the first time I popped in Fable, and immediately called in sick the next day.
Thanks for the memories everybody! Keep 'em coming!
I was able to borrow an original Xbox from a friend who hailed from Austria, so my first memories of the huge box are of playing Halo 2 in German (with English subtitles) and Dead or Alive, using those gigantic controllers!
I had played the original Halo on PC, so I was excited to get to play through the whole of Halo 2 as my very first FPS on console (that I played all the way through) - great memories. ;)
I never tried one of the huge old controllers ("the Duke" as they call it now), when I bought the Xbox the smaller controller S had already become the standard. Kind of wish I had bought one of the big old ones as a collectors' item now.
I really wish i had the Original Xbox, makes me sad that i don't own one. I did manage to get an old NES console and a Sega Masterdrive - Still working. Anybody wanna sell me their Xbox???
Hmm ... I remember playing Halo 2 on the original whenever a friend from England came over. Oh, and trying to make my voice sound deeper than it was online xD good times