View source for Engineering:Xbox (console)

{{Short description|Video game console by Microsoft}}
{{Infobox information appliance
| name = Xbox
| logo = XBox Logo copy.svg
| logo_upright = 1.13
| image = Xbox-Console-wDuke-L.jpg
| image_upright = 1.15
| caption = Xbox console with the "Xbox Controller"
| developer = [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]
| manufacturer = Flextronics<ref name=Wired2011>{{cite magazine |last=O'Brien |first=Jeffrey M. |title=The Making of the Xbox |url=https://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.11/flex.html |magazine=Wired |publisher=Condé Nast |access-date=April 17, 2013 |date=November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104200321/http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/9.11/flex.html |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>, [[Company:Wistron|Wistron]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Becker |first1=David |title=Microsoft names Acer Xbox maker |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-names-acer-xbox-maker/ |website=ZDNET |language=en |date=September 3, 2002}}</ref>
| family = [[Engineering:Xbox|Xbox]]
| type = [[Engineering:Home video game console|Home video game console]]
| os = [[Software:Windows NT|Windows NT]]-based [[Software:Xbox system software#Original Xbox system software|Xbox system software]]
| generation = Sixth
| releasedate = {{Video game release|NA|November 15, 2001<ref name="microsoft2001">{{cite web |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2001/nov01/11-14midnightmadnesspr.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612000737/http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/press/2001/nov01/11-14midnightmadnesspr.aspx |archive-date=2013-06-12 |title=Xbox Arrives in New York Tonight at Toys "R" Us Times Square |website=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] |date=2013-06-12 |access-date=2018-11-20}}</ref>|JP|February 22, 2002|AU|March 14, 2002|EU|March 14, 2002}}
| price = {{USD|299|2002}}<br>{{GBP|299|2002}}<ref>{{Cite web
|title=Xbox goes on sale in the UK
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2002/mar/14/microsoftxbox.microsoft
|date=March 14, 2002
|access-date=July 25, 2022
|website={{wipe|The Guardian}}
|archive-date=July 25, 2022
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725180805/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2002/mar/14/microsoftxbox.microsoft
|url-status=live
}}</ref><br>{{Euro|479|2002}}<ref>{{Cite web
|title=Saving the (cheaper) Xbox
|url=https://money.cnn.com/2002/04/16/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm
|last1=Morris
|first1=Chris
|date=April 18, 2002
|access-date=July 25, 2022
|website=CNNMoney
|archive-date=January 10, 2023
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230110151507/https://money.cnn.com/2002/04/16/commentary/game_over/column_gaming/index.htm
|url-status=live
}}</ref>
| lifespan = 2001–2006
| discontinued = {{Video game release|JP|2005|WW|2006<ref name="Story of Xbox - VG247">{{cite web |url=http://www.vg247.com/2011/08/02/the-xbox-story-part-1-the-birth-of-a-console/ |title=The Xbox Story, Part 1: The Birth of a Console |last=Garratt |first=Patrick |date=August 5, 2011 |publisher=vg247.com |access-date=June 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611092113/http://www.vg247.com/2011/08/02/the-xbox-story-part-1-the-birth-of-a-console/ |archive-date=June 11, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=nvidiaxbox>{{cite news |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/08fce29a-c334-11d9-abf1-00000e2511c8.html |newspaper=[[Social:Financial Times|Financial Times]] |title=Nvidia ends shipments of chips for Xbox |access-date=August 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330002614/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/08fce29a-c334-11d9-abf1-00000e2511c8.html |archive-date=March 30, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| GPU = Nvidia GeForce 3-based NV2A GPU @ 233 MHz, 20 GFLOPS<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_30419 |title=Microsoft clarify NV2A |website=Eurogamer.net |date=March 28, 2001 |access-date=July 22, 2021 |archive-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320214850/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_30419 |url-status=live }}</ref>
| media = [[Engineering:DVD|DVD]], [[Engineering:CD|CD]], [[Digital distribution|digital distribution]]
| storage = 8 or 10&nbsp;GB internal hard drive (formatted to 8&nbsp;GB with allotted system reserve and MS Dash), 8&nbsp;MB [[Memory card|memory card]]
| controllers = 4 × Xbox controller ports (proprietary [[Engineering:USB|USB]] interface; wireless controllers not supported directly—third-party wireless controllers require a wired base unit)
| connectivity = [[Fast Ethernet|100&nbsp;Mbit Ethernet]]
| online service = Xbox Live
| CPU = Custom 733&nbsp;MHz [[Company:Intel|Intel]] [[Engineering:Pentium III|Pentium III]] "Coppermine-based" processor
| RAM = 64&nbsp;MB of DDR SDRAM @ 200&nbsp;MHz
| units sold = 24 million+ <small>(as of May 10, 2006)</small><ref name="gamers_catch">{{cite web |url=http://www.xbox.com/zh-SG/community/news/2006/20060510.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621155352/http://www.xbox.com/zh-SG/community/news/2006/20060510.htm |archive-date=June 21, 2008 |title=Gamers Catch Their Breath as Xbox 360 and Xbox Live Reinvent Next-Generation Gaming |access-date=March 30, 2009 |date=May 10, 2006 |publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]]}}</ref>
| units shipped = 
| top game = ''[[Software:Halo 2|Halo 2]]'', 8.46 million <small>(as of November 2008)</small><ref>{{cite web |url=https://money.cnn.com/2006/05/09/technology/e3_microsoft/index.htm |publisher=CNN |access-date=July 16, 2008 |first=Chris |last=Morris |title=Grand Theft Auto, Halo 3 headed to Xbox 360 |date=May 9, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119190603/http://money.cnn.com/2006/05/09/technology/e3_microsoft/index.htm |archive-date=January 19, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="halo2sales"/>
| successor = [[Engineering:Xbox 360|Xbox 360]]
}}
The '''Xbox''' is a [[Engineering:Home video game console|home video game console]] manufactured by [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] that is the first installment in the [[Engineering:Xbox#Consoles|Xbox series of video game consoles]]. It was released as Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console market on November 15, 2001, in North America, followed by Australia, Europe and Japan in 2002.<ref name="microsoft2001"/> It is classified as a sixth-generation console, competing with [[Company:Sony Interactive Entertainment|Sony]]'s [[Engineering:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]] and [[Company:Nintendo|Nintendo]]'s [[Engineering:GameCube|GameCube]]. It was also the first major console produced by an American company since the release of the [[Engineering:Atari Jaguar|Atari Jaguar]] in 1993.

The console was announced in March 2000.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.xbox.com/intro.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000407064456/http://www.xbox.com/intro.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2000-04-07 |title=Microsoft announces X-BOX |date=2000-04-07 |access-date=2020-04-25}}</ref> With the release of the PlayStation 2, which featured the ability to playback [[CD-ROM]]s and [[Engineering:DVD|DVD]]s in addition to playing games, Microsoft became concerned that game consoles would threaten the personal computer as an entertainment device for living rooms. Whereas most games consoles to that point were built from custom hardware components, the Xbox was built around standard [[Engineering:Personal computer|personal computer]] components, using variations of [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Microsoft Windows]] and [[Software:DirectX|DirectX]] as its operating system to support games and media playback, and featuring a 733&nbsp;MHz [[Company:Intel|Intel]] [[Engineering:Pentium III|Pentium III]] CPU and a 233 MHz Nvidia GeForce 3-based NV2A GPU, the latter two making the Xbox technically more powerful compared to its rivals.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_30419 |title=Microsoft clarify NV2A |website=Eurogamer.net |date=March 28, 2001 |access-date=July 22, 2021 |archive-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320214850/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_30419 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Xbox was the first console to feature a built-in hard disk.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/08/technology/08GAME.html?pagewanted=all |title=GAME THEORY; Console Shootout: The Sequel |first=Charles |last=Herold |date=2001-11-08 |newspaper={{wipe|The New York Times}} |access-date=June 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205005742/http://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/08/technology/08GAME.html?pagewanted=all |archive-date=February 5, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/11/23/the-life-and-death-of-the-original-xbox |title=The Life and Death of the Original Xbox |first=Mitch |last=Dyer |date=November 23, 2011 |access-date=December 30, 2016 |archive-date=May 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515071836/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/11/23/the-life-and-death-of-the-original-xbox |url-status=live }}</ref> The console also was built with direct support for [[Engineering:Broadband|broadband]] connectivity to the [[Internet]] via an integrated [[Ethernet]] port,<ref name="nelson">{{cite web |url=http://majornelson.com/2010/02/05/xbox-live-being-discontinued-for-original-xbox-consoles-and-games/ |title=Xbox Live's Major Nelson » Xbox LIVE being discontinued for Original Xbox consoles and games |publisher=Majornelson.com |date=April 15, 2010 |access-date=April 22, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425023525/https://majornelson.com/2010/02/05/xbox-live-being-discontinued-for-original-xbox-consoles-and-games/ |archive-date=April 25, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> and with the release of Xbox Live, a fee-based [[Software:Online game|online gaming]] service, a year after the console's launch, Microsoft gained an early foothold in online gaming and made the Xbox a strong competitor in the sixth generation of consoles. The popularity of [[Killer application|killer app]] [[Engineering:Blockbuster (entertainment)|blockbuster titles]] such as Bungie's ''[[Software:Halo 2|Halo 2]]'' contributed to the popularity of online console gaming, and in particular [[Software:First-person shooter|first-person shooter]]s.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uk-microsites.ign.com/history-of-first-person-shooters/ |title=History Of First Person Shooters |access-date=December 30, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170824220536/http://uk-microsites.ign.com/history-of-first-person-shooters/ |archive-date=August 24, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The Xbox had a record-breaking launch in North America, selling 1.5 million units before the end of 2001, aided by the popularity of one of the system's launch titles, ''[[Software:Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo]]'', which sold a million units by April 2002. The system went on to sell a worldwide total of 24 million units, including 16 million in North America; however, Microsoft was unable to make a steady profit off the console, which had a manufacturing price far more expensive than its retail price, despite its popularity, losing over $4 billion during its market life.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Forbes: Xbox lost Microsoft $4 billion (and counting) |url=https://www.engadget.com/2005-09-26-forbes-xbox-lost-microsoft-4-billion-and-counting.html |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=Engadget |language=en-US |archive-date=June 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630130712/https://www.engadget.com/2005-09-26-forbes-xbox-lost-microsoft-4-billion-and-counting.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Terdiman |first=Daniel |title=Xbox division down $4 billion |url=https://www.cnet.com/culture/xbox-division-down-4-billion/ |access-date=2022-06-30 |website=CNET |language=en |archive-date=June 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630130712/https://www.cnet.com/culture/xbox-division-down-4-billion/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Takahashi |first=Dean |date=2015-09-27 |title=A decade later, the former chief Xbox officer revisits his critical decisions |url=https://venturebeat.com/business/a-decade-later-the-former-chief-xbox-officer-revisits-his-critical-decisions/ |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbert |first=Ben |title=Xbox consoles have never been profitable on their own, Microsoft admits in court |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/xbox-consoles-not-profitable-microsoft-says-2021-5 |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Microsoft Says Xbox Consoles Have Always Been Sold at a Loss |url=https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-says-xbox-consoles-have-always-been-sold-at-a-loss |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=PCMAG |language=en}}</ref> The system outsold the GameCube and the [[Company:Sega|Sega]] [[Engineering:Dreamcast|Dreamcast]], but was vastly outsold by the PlayStation 2, which had sold over 100 million units by the system's end of production.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Richtel |first=Matt |date=2003-02-16 |title=Business; Who's Blocking the Xbox? Sony and Its Games |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/16/business/business-who-s-blocking-the-xbox-sony-and-its-games.html |access-date=2022-06-30 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=June 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220630130712/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/16/business/business-who-s-blocking-the-xbox-sony-and-its-games.html |url-status=live }}</ref> It also underperformed outside of the Western market; particularly, it sold poorly in Japan due to its large console size and an overabundance of games marketed towards American audiences instead of Japanese-developed titles.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2002/BUSINESS/asia/02/21/tokyo.xbox.launch/index.html |title=CNN.com - Xbox plugs into Japan |date=2002-02-21 |publisher=CNN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819150753/http://www.cnn.com/2002/BUSINESS/asia/02/21/tokyo.xbox.launch/index.html |archive-date=August 19, 2019 |access-date=2019-08-19 |url-status=live}}</ref> Production of the system was discontinued starting in 2005.<ref name="Story of Xbox - VG247"/><ref name=nvidiaxbox/> The Xbox was the first in an ongoing brand of video game consoles developed by Microsoft, with a successor, the [[Engineering:Xbox 360|Xbox 360]], launching in November 2005, followed by the [[Engineering:Xbox One|Xbox One]] in 2013 and the [[Engineering:Xbox Series X and Series S|Xbox Series X and Series S]] consoles in 2020.

==History==
===Creation and development===
Before the Xbox, [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] had found success publishing video games for its [[Software:Windows|Windows]] PCs, releasing popular titles such as ''[[Software:Microsoft Flight Simulator|Microsoft Flight Simulator]]'' and the massively successful ''[[Software:Age of Empires|Age of Empires]]'' after the creation of [[Software:DirectX|DirectX]], the [[Application programming interface|application programming interface]] (API) that allowed for direct access of the computer hardware and bypassing Windows.<ref name="pcgamer directx history">{{cite web | url = https://www.pcgamer.com/history-direct-x-windows-microsoft/ | title = How DirectX defined PC gaming... with help from a shotgun-toting Bill Gates | first = Samual | last = Willetts | date = July 27, 2020 | access-date = December 7, 2020 | work = PC Gamer | archive-date = December 3, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201203223210/https://www.pcgamer.com/history-direct-x-windows-microsoft/ | url-status = live }}</ref> However, the company had not entered the home console market of video games, which was dominated at the time by [[Company:Sony|Sony]]'s [[Engineering:PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]]. Sony was working on its next video game console, the [[Engineering:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]] (PS2), announced officially to the public on March 2, 1999, and intended for the system to act as a gateway for all types of home entertainment. Sony presented a vision where the console would ultimately replace the desktop computer in the home.<ref name="bloomberg oral">{{cite web | url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-01-06/xbox-the-oral-history-of-an-american-video-game-empire | title = Xbox: The Oral History of an American Video Game Empire | first = Dina | last = Bass | date = January 6, 2021 | access-date = January 6, 2021 | work = {{wipe|Bloomberg News}} | archive-date = June 14, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210614013349/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-01-06/xbox-the-oral-history-of-an-american-video-game-empire | url-status = live }}</ref> Microsoft CEO [[Biography:Bill Gates|Bill Gates]] saw the upcoming PS2 as a threat to Microsoft's line of Windows PCs, worrying that the all-encompassing system could eliminate consumer interests in PCs and drive them out of the market. With video games rapidly growing into a massive industry, Gates decided that Microsoft needed to venture into the console gaming market to compete with Sony. Previously, [[Company:Sega|Sega]] had developed a version of [[Software:Windows CE|Windows CE]] for its [[Engineering:Dreamcast|Dreamcast]] console to be used by game developers. Additionally, Gates had directly approached Sony CEO Nobuyuki Idei before the public announcement of the PS2 regarding letting Microsoft develop programming software for the console. However, the offer was declined by Idei in favor of having Sony create proprietary software.<ref name="VentureBeat">{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2011/11/14/making-of-the-xbox-1/ |title=The making of the Xbox: How Microsoft unleashed a video game revolution (part 1) |date=November 14, 2011 |website=VentureBeat |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601215722/https://venturebeat.com/2011/11/14/making-of-the-xbox-1/ |archive-date=June 1, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> Microsoft had also attempted to meet with Hiroshi Yamauchi and Genyo Takeda of [[Company:Nintendo|Nintendo]] to potentially acquire the company, but Nintendo declined to go further.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-11-24-microsoft-reveals-letter-from-that-time-it-failed-to-buy-nintendo | title = Microsoft reveals letter from that time it failed to buy Nintendo | first = Tom | last = Phillips | date = November 24, 2021 | work = Eurogamer | access-date = November 24, 2021 | archive-date = November 24, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211124144544/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2021-11-24-microsoft-reveals-letter-from-that-time-it-failed-to-buy-nintendo | url-status = live }}</ref>

In 1998, four engineers from Microsoft's DirectX team—Kevin Bachus, Seamus Blackley, Ted Hase and DirectX team leader Otto Berkes<ref name=seattletimes_20110525>{{cite news |title=Last of Xbox Dream Team, Otto Berkes Is Moving On |first=Brier |last=Dudley |date=May 25, 2011 |newspaper=The Seattle Times |page=A12 |quote=Berkes and Hase were among a group of four who first pushed Microsoft to develop a Windows-based gaming system to compete with Sony's PlayStation 2, which was luring game companies from the Windows platform in the late 1990s. The other two were Seamus Blackley, who left in 2002, and Kevin Bachus, who left in 2001.}}</ref>—began discussing ideas for a new console which would run off Microsoft's DirectX technology.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2018/05/16/how-the-xbox-was-born-at-35000-feet-a-ign-unfiltered |title = How The Xbox Was Born At 35,000 Feet | first = Joseph |last=Knoop |date = May 16, 2018 |access-date=May 16, 2018 |work=IGN |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180516191331/http://www.ign.com/articles/2018/05/16/how-the-xbox-was-born-at-35000-feet-a-ign-unfiltered | archive-date = May 16, 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Nat Brown, the Windows Software Architect at Microsoft, would also become a regular contributor to the project after meeting Hase in November 1998. The project was codenamed "Midway," in reference to the Battle of Midway during [[Social:World War II|World War II]] in which Japan was decisively defeated by American forces, as a representation of Microsoft's desire to surpass Sony in the console market.<ref name="VentureBeat"/> The DirectX team held their first development meeting on March 30, 1999, in which they discussed issues such as getting a PC to boot at a quicker pace than usual.<ref name="VentureBeat"/> The console would run off [[Software:Windows 2000|Windows 2000]] using DirectX 8.1, which would allow PC developers to easily transition into making games for the console while also granting it a larger processing power than that of most other home consoles.<ref name="History">{{cite web |url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/the-history-of-the-xbox/ |title=The history of the Xbox |last=Gurwin |first=Gabe |website=Digitaltrends.com |access-date=May 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190606112355/https://www.digitaltrends.com/gaming/the-history-of-the-xbox/ |archive-date=June 6, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> According to Blackley, using PC technology as the foundation for a video game console would eliminate the technological barriers of most home consoles, allowing game creators to expand further on their own creativity without having to worry about hardware limitations.<ref name="VentureBeat"/><ref name="History"/><ref name="Life&Death">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/11/23/the-life-and-death-of-the-original-xbox |title=The Life and Death of the Original Xbox |website=IGN |last=Dyer |first=Mitch |date=November 23, 2011 |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515071836/https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/11/23/the-life-and-death-of-the-original-xbox |archive-date=May 15, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The 4 DirectX team members encountered disagreements with the Silicon Valley engineering team behind WebTV, which joined Microsoft after they purchased the rights to the device. Microsoft executive Craig Mundie wanted the project to be led by the WebTV team, who believed the console should be built from the ground-up as an appliance running off Windows CE; however, the DirectX team were adamant about the idea of repurposing PC hardware components, such as a [[Engineering:Hard disk drive|hard disk drive]], arguing that they were cheaply manufactured and could easily be updated every year. The 4 developers gained the support of Ed Fries, the head of Microsoft's gaming division, who believed the use of a hard drive, in particular, would give the console a technical edge among competitors despite its high manufacturing cost. The two opposing teams pitched their arguments to Gates on May 5, 1999, at a meeting attended by over twenty different people. WebTV's team, among whom were Nick Baker, Dave Riola, Steve Perlman, and Tim Bucher, and their sponsor, Craig Mundie, made the case that creating an appliance would be far cheaper, highlighting that most consoles were generally sold at around $300. They also wanted to use a custom-made graphics chip, which could be shared across several different home devices. Conversely, Fries, vouching for the DirectX team, argued that using a PC hard drive would set Microsoft's console apart from competitors by allowing for the direct implementation of online access, an argument which Gates sided with. When Gates questioned if PC games could be effectively ported to the new console, Blackley explained that the machine would utilize DirectX hardware, meaning that they could be converted easily. Gates heavily favored this proposition over WebTV's, whose concept relied on Windows CE, a heavily stripped-down Windows variant that was not compatible with DirectX. As such, Gates sided with the DirectX concept and gave Berkes' team permission to create a new video game console. Despite this, WebTV would still play a part in the Xbox's initial launch.<ref name="VentureBeat"/><ref name="bloomberg oral"/>

Rick Thompson and Robert J. Bach were responsible for overseeing the Xbox's design. The DirectX team began constructing prototype consoles, purchasing several [[Company:Dell|Dell]] computers and using their internal parts.<ref name=seattletimes_20110524>{{cite news |title= Exclusive: Microsoft loses last Xbox founder, mobile PC visionary |first=Brier |last=Dudley |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2015137144_its_the_end_of_an.html |newspaper=The Seattle Times |date=May 24, 2011 |access-date=May 25, 2011 |quote=In 1998, Berkes and his team ordered a few Dell laptops, took them apart and built the first prototypes of a Windows gaming console. In order to appeal to young people, the name zBar (pronounced zed-BAH); later Ed Fries was leading Microsoft's games publishing business when the four Xbox founders pitched a "Direct X Box" based on the Windows DirectX graphics technology that was developed by Berkes' team. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526192623/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/technologybrierdudleysblog/2015137144_its_the_end_of_an.html |url-status= live |archive-date=May 26, 2011}}</ref> Initially, it envisioned that after designing the console, Microsoft would have worked with a third-party computer manufacturer to mass-produce the units. However, the early work showed that this would need to be something that Microsoft would have to produce themselves, making the prospect a far more costly operation; the name "Coffin Box" became associated with the project as there were fears the project would end careers at Microsoft.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/> Further, as a gaming console, they could not provide the direct Windows interface to users. While Thompson and Bach had warned Gates and Steve Ballmer about these large-scale changes from the initial proposal in late 1999, the matter came to a head at a February 14, 2000, meeting, informally referred to as the Valentine's Day Massacre, in which Gates furiously vented about the new cost proposal and massive changes in this console from what had been previously presented, since the Xbox appeared to marginalize Windows.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/> However, after being reminded that this was a product to compete against Sony, Gates and Ballmer gave the project the go-ahead along with the necessary marketing budget.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/> Another contentious point of design was the addition of [[Ethernet]] connectivity rather than simple support for [[Dial-up Internet access|dial-up networking]]. At this point, most consumer homes had access to Internet connectivity, but [[Social:Social network|social network]]s had yet to be established which would later demonstrate the viability of this decision. The Xbox leads argued that with the planned Xbox Live functionality, the Ethernet port would help friends be able to play after they have graduated from schools and colleges and moved across the country.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/>

Throughout the console's prototyping, Microsoft was working with [[Engineering:AMD|AMD]] for the CPU on the system. According to Blackley, just prior to the system's reveal in January 2001, the Microsoft engineers opted to switch to an [[Company:Intel|Intel]] CPU, a fact that had not yet been communicated to AMD prior to the reveal.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://kotaku.com/report-xboxs-last-second-intel-switcheroo-left-amd-eng-1847851074 | title = Report: Xbox's Last-Second Intel Switcheroo Left AMD Engineers Heartbroken | first = Luke | last = Plunkett | date = October 12, 2021 | accessdate = October 13, 2021 | work = Kotaku | archive-date = October 12, 2021 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211012232544/https://kotaku.com/report-xboxs-last-second-intel-switcheroo-left-amd-eng-1847851074 | url-status = live }}</ref>

Among the names considered for the new console were a number of acronyms, including "Windows Entertainment Project" (WEP), "Microsoft Total Gaming" (MTG), "Microsoft Interactive Network Device" (MIND), and "Microsoft Interactive Center" (MIC).<ref name="The Verge">{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2013/7/5/4495460/original-xbox-names-11-x-wep-directx-box |title=The Xbox could have been named 11-X, original WEP and DirectX Box codenames revealed |last=Warren |first=Tom |work=The Verge |date=July 5, 2013 |access-date=June 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605132523/https://www.theverge.com/2013/7/5/4495460/original-xbox-names-11-x-wep-directx-box |archive-date=June 5, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Evolution">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/the-evolution-of-xbox-consoles/2900-1322/ |title=The Evolution Of Xbox Consoles |work=Gamespot |last=Thang |first=Jimmy |date=June 26, 2017 |access-date=June 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605141017/https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/the-evolution-of-xbox-consoles/2900-1322/ |archive-date=June 5, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Also among the names considered was "DirectX Box", referring to the system's reliance on Direct X. At one point, Hase jokingly came up with the names "XXX-Box" and "DirectXXX-Box" as a nod to the system's higher volume of adult content compared to Sony or [[Company:Nintendo|Nintendo]]'s consoles.<ref name="Its Name">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/316480/How_Xbox_got_its_start__and_its_name.php |title=How Xbox got its start -- and its name |website=gamasutra.com |date=April 13, 2018 |access-date=June 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605132229/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/316480/How_Xbox_got_its_start__and_its_name.php |archive-date=June 5, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> "DirectX Box" was quickly shortened to "Xbox" through an e-mail conversation, and was ultimately favored by the development team, though a number of spelling variants were tossed around, such as xBox, XboX, and X-box.<ref name="The Verge"/><ref name="Its Name"/> Microsoft's marketing department did not like this name, suggesting "11-X" or "Eleven-X" as alternatives.<ref name="The Verge"/> During [[Focus group|focus testing]], the company put the name "Xbox" on the list of possible names simply to prove how unpopular the Xbox name would be with consumers. However, "Xbox" proved to be the more popular name on the list and was thus selected as the official name of the product.<ref name=gamasutra_2009-08-14>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24831 |title=Interview: Former Microsoft Exec Fries Talks Xbox's Genesis |first=Leigh |last=Alexander |date=August 14, 2009 |work=Gamasutra |publisher=UBM TechWeb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606120130/http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24831 |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=May 25, 2011 |quote=Direct X-Box, of course, was truncated to 'Xbox,' -- and "marketing hated the name," says Fries. "They went off and created this whole, long list of better names for the machine." In focus testing, the marketing team left the name 'Xbox' on that long list simply as a control, to demonstrate to everyone why it was a horrible name for a console. "Of course, 'Xbox' outscored, in focus testing, everything they came up with. They had to admit it was going to be the Xbox." |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

When the physical design of the controller began, circuit boards for the controller had already been manufactured. Microsoft had asked Sony's supplier, Mitsumi Electric, for a similar folded and stacked circuit board design used in Sony's [[Engineering:DualShock#DualShock 2|DualShock 2]] controller, but the company refused to manufacture such a design for Microsoft. This led to the controller being bulky and nearly three times the size of Sony's controller. This initial controller design was never launched in Japan. The console instead launched with a smaller, redesigned version named "Controller S" that did use the more compact circuit board design.<ref name="engadget-dukestory"/><ref name="cnbc-circuitboard"/>

As the development team began to tighten down the design of the Xbox, they got help from Flextronics not only in revising the design but in mass production, creating a factory in Guadalajara, Mexico, for this purpose. Early production units had a high failure rate of around 25%, which Flextronics repaired. Later iterations of the hardware design worked to eliminate these failures.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/>

===Initial announcement and content acquisitions===
Gates first publicly mentioned the Xbox in an interview in late 1999, stating that he wanted the system "to be the platform of choice for the best and most creative game developers in the world".<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://news.microsoft.com/2000/03/10/xbox-brings-future-generation-games-to-life/ |title=Xbox Brings "Future-Generation" Games to Life |publisher=Microsoft |date=March 10, 2000 |access-date=May 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201062207/http://news.microsoft.com/2000/03/10/xbox-brings-future-generation-games-to-life/ |archive-date=December 1, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was later announced officially by Gates in a keynote presentation at the [[Software:Game Developers Conference|Game Developers Conference]] in San Jose on March 10, 2000, showing off an early prototype build of the system and a series of demos showcasing its hardware.<ref name="VentureBeat"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/2000/03-10xbox.aspx |title=Xbox Brings "Future-Generation" Games to Life |publisher=[[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] |date=March 10, 2000 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313001634/http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/features/2000/03-10xbox.aspx |archive-date=March 13, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> The presentation and the new system were well-received, impressing developers with both the hard drive and the Ethernet port and appealing to them with the notion of easy-to-use development tools.<ref name="VentureBeat"/>

Microsoft began looking at a series of acquisitions and partnerships to secure content for the console at this time.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/> In early 2000, Sega's Dreamcast sales were diminishing, in part due to [[Company:Electronic Arts|Electronic Arts]]' decision to bypass the console, and Sony's PlayStation 2 was just going on sale in Japan.<ref name="xboxtimeline1">{{cite web|first=Steven L. |last=Kent |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/january04/Xboxtimeline/ |title=Xbox Timeline |publisher=GameSpy.com |date=February 16, 2004 |access-date=May 3, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425202720/http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/january04/Xboxtimeline/ |archive-date=April 25, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="bloomberg oral"/> Gates was in talks with Sega's late chairman Isao Okawa about the possibility of Xbox compatibility with Dreamcast games, but negotiations fell apart over whether the Dreamcast's SegaNet online service should be implemented.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kotaku.com/5447897/how-xbox-could-have-helped-the-dreamcast-survive|title=How Xbox Could Have Helped The Dreamcast Survive|first=Brian|last=Ashcraft|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170825063139/http://kotaku.com/5447897/how-xbox-could-have-helped-the-dreamcast-survive|archive-date=August 25, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> Microsoft also looked to acquire Electronic Arts, [[Company:Nintendo|Nintendo]], [[Company:Square Enix|Square Enix]], and [[Company:Midway Games|Midway]] without success.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/> The company did achieve success in convincing developers at [[Company:Bethesda Game Studios|Bethesda Game Studios]] and [[Company:Tecmo|Tecmo]] about the power of the Xbox over the PS2, lining up ''[[Software:The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind|The Elder Scrolls III]]'' and ''[[Software:Dead or Alive 3|Dead or Alive 3]]'' as Xbox console-exclusives.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/>

Around this same time, Microsoft announced it was rebranding its Games Group, which had been focused on developing games for Windows, to the [[Company:Xbox Game Studios|Microsoft Games division]] to make titles for both Windows and the Xbox.<ref>{{cite press release | url = https://news.microsoft.com/2000/03/10/xbox-brings-future-generation-games-to-life/ | title = Xbox Brings "Future-Generation" Games to Life | date = March 10, 2000 | access-date = February 6, 2019 | publisher = [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] | archive-date = November 11, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201111221141/https://news.microsoft.com/2000/03/10/xbox-brings-future-generation-games-to-life/ | url-status = live }}</ref> Microsoft began acquiring a number of studios to add to the division, notably [[Company:Bungie|Bungie]] in June 2000, shortly after their announcement of ''[[Software:Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo]]''. With Microsoft's acquisition, ''Halo'' switched from being a release for personal computers to being an Xbox exclusive release and as a launch time to help drive sales of the console.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/06/20/microsoftbungie-interview | title = Microsoft/Bungie Interview | date = June 19, 2000 | access-date = February 6, 2019 | work = IGN | archive-date = November 12, 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201112015611/https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/06/20/microsoftbungie-interview | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="xboxtimeline1"/>

===Formal announcement and release===
The Xbox was officially unveiled to the public by Gates and guest professional wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson at [[Engineering:Consumer Electronics Show|CES]] 2001 in Las Vegas on January 3, 2001.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1040-250632.html |title=Microsoft got game: Xbox unveiled |publisher=CBS Interactive |work=CNET News |date=January 6, 2001 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |first=David |last=Becker |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224054534/http://news.cnet.com/2100-1040-250632.html |archive-date=December 24, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> Microsoft announced Xbox's release dates and prices at E3 2001 in May.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/news/e3-2001-microsoft-delivers-xbox-launch-details-2761182 |archive-url=https://archive.today/2013.06.28-041548/http://uk.gamespot.com/news/e3-2001-microsoft-delivers-xbox-launch-details-2761182 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |title=E3 2001: Microsoft delivers Xbox launch details |publisher=CBS Interactive |work=GameSpot.com |date=May 16, 2001 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |author=Lauren Fielder, Shane Satterfield }}</ref> Most Xbox launch titles were unveiled at E3, most notably ''Halo'' and ''[[Software:Dead or Alive 3|Dead or Alive 3]].''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tomshardware.co.uk/e3-2001,review-3623.html|title=E3 2001: The Game Industry Goes Gaga|date=2001-05-23|website=Tom's Hardware|language=en|access-date=2019-08-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824211750/https://www.tomshardware.co.uk/e3-2001,review-3623.html|archive-date=August 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

The unit's release in November 2001 was partially hampered by the impact of the [[Religion:September 11 attacks|September 11 attacks]] on travel, as Microsoft could not travel to the Guadalajara facility to help test units. They were able to arrange to ship the units locally instead of testing at Microsoft facilities to have them ready for launch.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/>

The system was officially launched at midnight on November 15, 2001, three days before the subsequent launch of the Nintendo [[Engineering:GameCube|GameCube]].<ref name="BizJournal"/> A special event was held on the prior night as part of the grand opening of the flagship store of Toys 'R' Us at Times Square in New York City, in which 1,000 systems were shipped to the store to kick off sales. Bill Gates was present at the event, personally selling the very first Xbox console and greeting people in line and playing games with them at the numerous display units present.<ref name="History"/><ref name="New York">{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2001/11/14/xbox-arrives-in-new-york-tonight-at-toys-r-us-times-square/ |title=Xbox Arrives in New York Tonight at Toys "R" Us Times Square |date=November 14, 2001 |website=microsoft.com |access-date=May 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515071854/https://news.microsoft.com/2001/11/14/xbox-arrives-in-new-york-tonight-at-toys-r-us-times-square/ |archive-date=May 15, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="bloomberg oral"/>

===Promotion===
In 2002, the Independent Television Commission (ITC) banned a television advertisement for the Xbox in the {{wipe|United Kingdom}} after complaints that it was "offensive, shocking and in bad taste." It depicted a mother giving birth to a baby boy, fired like a projectile through a window, aging rapidly as he flies through the air. The advertisement ends with an old man crash-landing into his own grave and the slogan, "Life is short. Play more."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2028725.stm |title='Shocking' Xbox advert banned |access-date=July 18, 2007 |date=June 6, 2002 |publisher=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080117020801/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2028725.stm |archive-date=January 17, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Discontinuation and successors===

The Xbox's successor, the Xbox 360, was officially announced on May 12, 2005 on MTV. It was the first next generation system to be announced. It was released in North America on November 22, 2005. [[Company:Nvidia|Nvidia]] ceased production of the Xbox's GPU in August 2005, which marked the end of brand-new Xbox production.<ref name=nvidiaxbox/> The last game for the Xbox in Japan was ''[[Software:The King of Fighters Neowave|The King of Fighters Neowave]]'' released in March 2006, the last Xbox game in Europe was ''[[Software:Xiaolin Showdown (video game)|Xiaolin Showdown]]'' released in June 2007, and the last game in North America was ''[[Software:Madden NFL 09|Madden NFL 09]]'' released in August 2008. Support for out-of-warranty Xbox consoles was discontinued on March 2, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2009/02/27/psa-microsoft-ends-original-xbox-support-on-march-2/|title=PSA: Microsoft ends original Xbox support on March 2|last=de Matos|first=Xav|date=February 27, 2009|access-date=December 10, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222113940/http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/27/psa-microsoft-ends-original-xbox-support-on-march-2/|archive-date=December 22, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> Support for Xbox Live on the console ended on April 15, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/news/xbox-live-cut-original-xbox|title=Xbox Live to Cut Off Original Xbox Support on April 15|last=Pereira|first=Chris|date=February 5, 2015|access-date=December 10, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222173251/http://www.1up.com/news/xbox-live-cut-original-xbox|archive-date=December 22, 2015|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The Xbox 360 supports a limited number of the Xbox's game library if the player has an official Xbox 360 Hard Drive. Xbox games were added up until November 2007. Xbox game saves cannot be transferred to Xbox 360, and the ability to play Xbox games through Xbox LIVE has been discontinued since April 15, 2010. It is still possible to play Xbox games with System Link functionality online via both the original console and the Xbox 360 with tunneling software such as XLink Kai. It was announced at E3 2017 that the [[Engineering:Xbox One|Xbox One]] would be gaining support for a [[Software:List of backward-compatible games for Xbox One|limited number of the Xbox's game library]].

==Hardware ==
{{Multiple image
| direction = vertical
| image1 = Xbox-Console-Open-Drives.jpg
| alt1 =
| caption1 = The use of standard desktop components such as a DVD-ROM and hard drive contributed to much of the Xbox's weight and bulk.
| image2 = Xbox-Remote-wReceiver.jpg
| alt2 =
| caption2 = A remote was required for DVD movie playback on the Xbox, which was sold separately.
}}

The Xbox was the first video game console to feature a built-in [[Engineering:Hard disk drive|hard disk drive]], used primarily for storing game saves and content downloaded from Xbox Live. This eliminated the need for separate [[Memory card|memory card]]s (although some older consoles, such as the [[Engineering:Amiga CD32|Amiga CD32]], used internal flash memory, and others, such as the TurboGrafx-CD, [[Engineering:Sega CD|Sega CD]], and [[Engineering:Sega Saturn|Sega Saturn]], had featured built-in battery backup memory prior to 2001). An Xbox user could [[Engineering:Ripping|rip]] music from [[Company:Compact Disc Digital Audio|standard audio CDs]] to the hard drive, and these songs were used for the custom soundtracks in some games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909942 |title=Xbox: Description of custom soundtracks |access-date=January 13, 2008 |date=April 25, 2007 |publisher=Microsoft Knowledge Base |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080102180345/http://support.microsoft.com/kb/909942 |archive-date=January 2, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Unlike the PlayStation 2, which could play movie DVDs without the need for a remote control (although an optional remote was available), the Xbox required an external IR adapter to be plugged into a controller port in order to play movie DVDs. If DVD playback is attempted without the IR sensor plugged in, an error screen will pop up informing the user of the need for the Xbox DVD Playback Kit. The said kit included the IR sensor and a remote control (unlike the PS2, the Xbox controller could not control DVD playback). Said remote was manufactured by Thomson (which also manufactured optical drives for the console) and went on sale in late 2002, which meant a modified version of the remote design used by the [[Company:RCA|RCA]], GE and ProScan consumer electronics of the era was used for the Xbox remote, and therefore users wishing to use a universal remote were instructed to utilize RCA DVD remote codes.

The Xbox was the first gaming product to feature Dolby Interactive Content-Encoding Technology, which allows real-time Dolby Digital encoding in game consoles. Previous game consoles could only use Dolby Digital 5.1 during non-interactive "cut scene" playback.<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.dolby.com/assets/pdf/press_releases/841_co.pr.0104.xbox.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060219162524/http://www.dolby.com/assets/pdf/press_releases/841_co.pr.0104.xbox.pdf |archive-date=February 19, 2006 |title=The Xbox Video Game System from Microsoft to Feature Groundbreaking Dolby Interactive Content-Encoding Technology |date=April 18, 2001 |publisher=[[Organization:Dolby Laboratories|Dolby Laboratories]] |access-date=July 3, 2008 }}</ref>

The Xbox is based on commodity PC hardware and is much larger and heavier than its contemporaries. This is largely due to a bulky tray-loading DVD-ROM drive and the standard-size 3.5-inch hard drive. The Xbox has also pioneered safety features, such as breakaway cables for the controllers to prevent the console from being pulled from the surface upon which it rests.

Several internal hardware revisions have been made in an ongoing battle to discourage [[Engineering:Modding|modding]] (hackers continually updated [[Engineering:Modchip|modchip]] designs in an attempt to defeat them), to cut manufacturing costs, and to make the DVD-ROM drive more reliable (some of the early units' drives gave disc-reading errors due to the unreliable Thomson DVD-ROM drives used). Later-generation units that used the Thomson TGM-600 DVD-ROM drives and the Philips VAD6011 DVD-ROM drives were still vulnerable to failure that, respectively, either rendered the consoles unable to read newer discs or caused them to halt the console with an error code usually indicating a PIO/[[Direct memory access|DMA]] identification failure. These units were not covered under the extended warranty.

In 2002, Microsoft and [[Company:Nvidia|Nvidia]] entered arbitration over a dispute on the pricing of Nvidia's chips for the Xbox.<ref name="eetimes-chip-dispute">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4094562/Microsoft-takes-Nvidia-to-arbitration-over-pricing-of-Xbox-processors |title=Microsoft takes Nvidia to arbitration over pricing of Xbox processors |access-date=June 29, 2006 |date=April 29, 2002 |magazine=EE Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120523080029/http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4094562/Microsoft-takes-Nvidia-to-arbitration-over-pricing-of-Xbox-processors |archive-date=May 23, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> Nvidia's filing with the SEC indicated that Microsoft was seeking a $13 million discount on shipments for NVIDIA's fiscal year 2002. Microsoft alleged violations of the agreement the two companies entered, sought reduced chipset pricing, and sought to ensure that Nvidia fulfill Microsoft's chipset orders without limits on quantity. The matter was privately settled on February 6, 2003.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4090108/Microsoft-and-Nvidia-settle-Xbox-chip-pricing-dispute |title=Microsoft and Nvidia settle Xbox chip pricing dispute |access-date=June 29, 2006 |date=February 6, 2003 |magazine=EE Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809030317/http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4090108/Microsoft-and-Nvidia-settle-Xbox-chip-pricing-dispute |archive-date=August 9, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Xbox includes a standard AV cable which provides [[Composite video|composite video]] and [[Physics:Monaural|monaural]] or stereo audio to TVs equipped with [[Engineering:RCA connector|RCA]] inputs. European Xboxes also included an RCA jack to [[Engineering:SCART|SCART]] converter block and the standard AV cable.{{clear}}

An 8&nbsp;MB removable [[Solid-state drive|solid-state]] [[Memory card|memory card]] can be plugged into the controllers, onto which game saves can either be copied from the hard drive when in the Xbox dashboard's memory manager or saved during a game. Most Xbox game saves can be copied to the memory unit and moved to another console, but some Xbox saves are digitally signed. It is also possible to save an Xbox Live account on a memory unit, to simplify its use on more than one Xbox. The ports at the top of the controllers could also be used for other accessories, primarily headsets for voice chat via Xbox Live.

===Technical specifications===
{{main|Engineering:Xbox technical specifications}}
The Xbox CPU is a [[32-bit|32-bit]] 733&nbsp;[[Hertz|MHz]], custom Intel [[Engineering:Pentium III|Pentium III]] Coppermine-based processor. It has a 133&nbsp;MHz 64-bit GTL+ [[Engineering:Front-side bus|front-side bus]] (FSB) with a 1.06 GB/s bandwidth. The system has 64&nbsp;[[Mebibyte|MB]] unified DDR SDRAM, with a 6.4 GB/s bandwidth, of which 1.06 GB/s is used by the CPU and 5.34 GB/s is shared by the rest of the system.<ref name="anandtech">{{cite web |url=http://www.anandtech.com/show/853/2 |title=Anandtech Microsoft's Xbox |publisher=Anandtech.com |access-date=November 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101104081735/http://www.anandtech.com/show/853/2 |archive-date=November 4, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Its GPU is [[Company:Nvidia|Nvidia]]'s 233&nbsp;MHz [[Engineering:List of Nvidia graphics processing units#Console GPUs|NV2A]]. It has a floating-point performance of 7.3 GFLOPS, capable of geometry calculations for up to a theoretical 115 million vertices/second. It has a peak fillrate of 932 [[Pixel|megapixel]]s/second, capable of rendering a theoretical 29 million 32-pixel triangles/second. With bandwidth limitations, it has a realistic fillrate of 250–700 megapixels/second, with [[Z-buffering]], [[Distance fog|fogging]], alpha blending, and [[Texture mapping|texture mapping]],<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010331050522/http://cube.ign.com/news/32458.html Graphics Processor Specifications], IGN, 2001</ref> giving it a real-world performance of 7.8–21 million 32-pixel triangles/second.

===Controllers===
{{main|Engineering:Xbox controller}}
{{Multiple image
| direction = 
| image1 = Xbox-Duke-Controller.jpg
| alt1 = 
| caption1 = Original Xbox controller
| image2 = Xbox-s-controller.jpg
| alt2 = 
| caption2 = The redesigned Xbox controller S
| total_width = 410
}}

The Xbox controller features two analog sticks, a pressure-sensitive directional pad, two analog triggers, a Back button, a Start button, two accessory slots and six 8-bit analog action buttons (A/Green, B/Red, X/Blue, Y/Yellow, and Black and White buttons).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://euc.jp/periphs/xbox-controller.en.html |title=Inside Xbox 360 Controller |access-date=April 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725152107/http://euc.jp/periphs/xbox-controller.en.html |archive-date= July 25, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> The standard Xbox controller (also nicknamed the "Fatty"<ref name="nickname">{{cite web |title=Xbox 360 Wireless Controller Tour |url=http://gear.ign.com/articles/613/613588p1.html |website=IGN |access-date=July 2, 2011 |date=May 13, 2005 |quote=the original "Fatty" Xbox controller didn't have a specific public name |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811222955/http://gear.ign.com/articles/613/613588p1.html |archive-date=August 11, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> and later, the "Duke"<ref name="nickname2">{{cite web |title=Xbox's original beast of a controller making a comeback? |url=http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20071383-1/xboxs-original-beast-of-a-controller-making-a-comeback/ |website=CNET |access-date=October 16, 2011 |date=June 15, 2005 |quote=Anyone who purchased the original Xbox during its launch window quickly came to know its behemoth of a controller, now nicknamed "Duke." |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206183137/http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20071383-1/xboxs-original-beast-of-a-controller-making-a-comeback/ |archive-date=February 6, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref>) was originally the controller bundled with Xbox systems for all territories except Japan. The controller has been criticized for being bulky compared to other video game controllers; it was awarded "Blunder of the Year" by ''Game Informer'' in 2001,<ref>Games of 2001. ''Game Informer'' (January 2002, pg. 48).</ref> a Guinness World Record for the biggest controller in Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008, and was ranked the second-worst video game controller ever (behind the Atari Jaguar controller) by IGN editor Craig Harris.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top 10 Tuesday: Worst Game Controllers |url= http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/690/690449p1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060303093919/http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/690/690449p1.html |archive-date=2006-03-03 |website=IGN |access-date=August 7, 2009 |date=February 21, 2006}}</ref>

The "Controller S" (codenamed "Akebono"), a smaller, lighter Xbox controller, was originally the standard Xbox controller only in Japan,<ref>Ninja Beach Party. ''Official Xbox Magazine'' (October 2002, issue 11, pg. 44).</ref> designed for users with smaller hands.<ref>{{cite web|author=Christopher Buecheler chrisb@gamespy.com |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/hardware/march02/xboxcontrollers/ |title=GameSpy.com - Hardware: Xbox Controller S |date=June 24, 2008 |access-date=November 11, 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080624085615/http://archive.gamespy.com/hardware/march02/xboxcontrollers/ |archive-date = June 24, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamer20.com/features/150/4 |title=Xbox Retrospective: All-Time Top Xbox News |publisher=Gamer 2.0 |access-date=November 11, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100503155438/http://www.gamer20.com/features/150/4 |archive-date=May 3, 2010 }}</ref> The "Controller S" was later released in other territories by popular demand and by 2002 replaced the standard controller in the Xbox's retail package, with the larger original controller remaining available as an accessory.

==Software==
===Operating system===
{{main|Software:Xbox system software}}
The Xbox runs a custom [[Operating system|operating system]] which is based on a heavily modified version of [[Software:Windows 2000|Windows 2000]].<ref name="leaked source">{{cite web |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/21/21265995/xbox-source-code-leak-original-console-windows-3-5 |title=Xbox and Windows NT 3.5 source code leaks online |first=Tom |last=Warren |date=May 21, 2020 |access-date=May 21, 2020 |archive-date=June 4, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604083358/https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/21/21265995/xbox-source-code-leak-original-console-windows-3-5 |url-status=live }}</ref> It exports [[API]]s similar to those found in [[Software:Microsoft Windows|Microsoft Windows]], such as [[Software:Direct3D|Direct3D]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Trinder |first1=Garry |title=The Xbox Operating System |url=https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/xboxteam/2006/02/17/the-xbox-operating-system/ |website=Xbox Engineering |publisher=MSDN |access-date=31 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181102200600/https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/xboxteam/2006/02/17/the-xbox-operating-system/ |archive-date=November 2, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Its source code was leaked in 2020.<ref name="leaked source"/>

The [[User interface|user interface]] for the Xbox is called the Xbox Dashboard. It features a media player that can be used to play music CDs, rip CDs to the Xbox's built-in hard drive and play music that has been ripped to the hard drive; it also lets users manage game saves, music, and downloaded content from Xbox Live, and lets Xbox Live users sign in, customize, and manage their account. The dashboard is only available when the user is not watching a movie or playing a game. It uses many shades of green and black for the user interface to be consistent with the physical Xbox color scheme. When the Xbox was released in 2001, the Live service was not online, so the dashboard's Live sections and the network settings sub-menu were not present yet.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://money.cnn.com/2001/11/15/technology/xbox/ |title=Microsoft launches Xbox |date=2001-11-15 |publisher=CNN |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521211233/https://money.cnn.com/2001/11/15/technology/xbox/|archive-date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=2019-08-18 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2002-08-13|title=Xbox Live to Launch on One-Year Anniversary of Console Launch|url=https://news.microsoft.com/2002/08/13/xbox-live-to-launch-on-one-year-anniversary-of-console-launch/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818215623/https://news.microsoft.com/2002/08/13/xbox-live-to-launch-on-one-year-anniversary-of-console-launch/|archive-date=2019-08-18|access-date=2019-08-18|website=Stories}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2002-08-13|title=Microsoft to launch Xbox Live on 15 November|url=https://www.itweb.co.za/content/8OKdWqDE1G8vbznQ|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815151518/https://www.itweb.co.za/content/8OKdWqDE1G8vbznQ|url-status=live|archive-date=2020-08-15|access-date=2020-08-15|website=ITWeb}}</ref>

Xbox Live was released in November 2002, but in order to access it, users had to buy the Xbox Live starter kit containing a [[Engineering:Headset (audio)|headset]] and a subscription.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2002/11/15/xbox-live-arrives-in-stores-sparking-the-next-revolution-in-video-games/ |title=Xbox Live Arrives in Stores, Sparking the Next Revolution in Video Games |date=2002-11-15 |website=Stories |access-date=2019-08-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819080328/https://news.microsoft.com/2002/11/15/xbox-live-arrives-in-stores-sparking-the-next-revolution-in-video-games/ |archive-date=August 19, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2002/11/22/xbox-live-starter-kits-virtually-sell-out-in-first-week-of-sales/ |title=Xbox Live Starter Kits Virtually Sell Out in First Week of Sales |date=2002-11-22 |website=Stories |access-date=2019-08-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190819080326/https://news.microsoft.com/2002/11/22/xbox-live-starter-kits-virtually-sell-out-in-first-week-of-sales/ |archive-date=August 19, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> While the Xbox was still being supported by Microsoft, the Xbox Dashboard was updated via Live several times to reduce cheating and add features.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.onmsft.com/news/remember-the-original-xbox-dashboard-major-nelson-looks-back |title=Remember the original Xbox dashboard? Major Nelson looks back |date=2016-11-15 |website=OnMSFT.com |access-date=2019-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190818215621/https://www.onmsft.com/news/remember-the-original-xbox-dashboard-major-nelson-looks-back |archive-date=August 18, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Games===

The Xbox launched in North America on November 15, 2001. Popular launch games included ''[[Software:Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo]]'', ''[[Software:Project Gotham Racing (video game)|Project Gotham Racing]]'', and ''[[Software:Dead or Alive 3|Dead or Alive 3]]''. All three of these games would go on to sell over a million copies in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-USPlatinum.shtml|title=The Magic Box - US Platinum Chart Games.|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716215431/http://www.the-magicbox.com/Chart-USPlatinum.shtml|archive-date=July 16, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although the console gained strong third-party support from its inception, many early Xbox games did not fully use its powerful hardware until a full year after its release. Xbox versions of cross-platform games sometimes came with a few additional features and/or graphical improvements to distinguish them from the PS2 and [[Engineering:GameCube|GameCube]] versions of the same game, thus negating one of the Xbox's main selling points. Sony countered the Xbox for a short time by temporarily securing PlayStation 2 exclusives for highly anticipated games such as the [[Software:Grand Theft Auto|''Grand Theft Auto'' series]] and the ''Metal Gear Solid'' series as well as Nintendo for the ''[[Software:Resident Evil|Resident Evil]]'' series. Notable third-party support came from [[Company:Sega|Sega]], who announced an 11-game exclusivity deal at Tokyo Game Show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.microsoft.com/2001/03/30/sega-and-microsoft-team-up-for-strategic-xbox-alliance/|title=Sega and Microsoft Team Up for Strategic Xbox Alliance - News Center|access-date=December 30, 2016|date=2001-03-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630125255/https://news.microsoft.com/2001/03/30/sega-and-microsoft-team-up-for-strategic-xbox-alliance/|archive-date=June 30, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Company:Sega|Sega]] released exclusives such as ''[[Software:Panzer Dragoon Orta|Panzer Dragoon Orta]]'' and ''[[Software:Jet Set Radio Future|Jet Set Radio Future]]'', which met with a strong reception among critics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/537421-panzer-dragoon-orta/index.html|title=Panzer Dragoon Orta for Xbox - GameRankings|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130211162257/http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/537421-panzer-dragoon-orta/index.html|archive-date=February 11, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/475263-jsrf-jet-set-radio-future/index.html|title=JSRF: Jet Set Radio Future for Xbox - GameRankings|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003045500/http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/475263-jsrf-jet-set-radio-future/index.html|archive-date=October 3, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2002 and 2003, several high-profile releases helped the Xbox gain momentum and distinguish itself from the PS2. [[Company:Microsoft|Microsoft]] purchased [[Company:Rare|Rare]], responsible for many [[Engineering:Nintendo 64|Nintendo 64]] hit games, to expand their first party portfolio.<ref name="ign.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/09/24/microsoft-buys-rare|title=Microsoft Buys Rare|first=Aaron|last=Bouldling|date=September 24, 2002|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702192931/http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/09/24/microsoft-buys-rare|archive-date=July 2, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The Xbox Live online service was launched in late 2002 alongside pilot titles ''MotoGP'', ''[[Software:MechAssault|MechAssault]]'' and ''[[Software:Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon|Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon]]''. Several best-selling and critically acclaimed titles for the Xbox soon followed, such as ''Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell'', and ''Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic''. [[Company:Take-Two Interactive|Take-Two Interactive]]'s exclusivity deal with [[Software:Sony Computer Entertainment|Sony]] was amended to allow ''[[Software:Grand Theft Auto III|Grand Theft Auto III]]'' and its [[Software:Grand Theft Auto|sequels]] to be published for the Xbox. Many other publishers got into the trend of releasing the Xbox version alongside the PS2 version, instead of delaying it for months.

2004 saw the release of highly rated exclusives [[Software:Fable (2004 video game)|''Fable'']]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/516688-fable/index.html|title=Fable for Xbox - GameRankings|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106094057/http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/516688-fable/index.html|archive-date=November 6, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Software:Ninja Gaiden (2004 video game)|''Ninja Gaiden'']]:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/561532-ninja-gaiden/index.html|title=Ninja Gaiden for Xbox - GameRankings|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161216194313/http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/561532-ninja-gaiden/index.html|archive-date=December 16, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> both games would become big hits for the Xbox.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/09/23/fable-sells-big|title=Fable Sells Big|first=David|last=Adams|date=September 23, 2004|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816194737/http://www.ign.com/articles/2004/09/23/fable-sells-big|archive-date=August 16, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that year, ''[[Software:Halo 2|Halo 2]]'' was released and became the highest-grossing release in entertainment history, making over $125 million in its first day<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.cnet.com/Halo-2-clears-record-125-million-in-first-day/2100-1043_3-5447379.html|title='Halo 2' clears record $125 million in first day|access-date=September 30, 2007|last=Becker|first=David|date=November 10, 2004|publisher=News.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008201327/http://news.cnet.com/Halo-2-clears-record-125-million-in-first-day/2100-1043_3-5447379.html|archive-date=October 8, 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> and became the best-selling Xbox game worldwide.<ref name="halo2sales">{{cite news | author=Asher Moses | date=August 30, 2007 | url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html | title=Prepare for all-out war | newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald | access-date=July 16, 2008 | quote=Combined, the first two Halo games have notched up sales of more than 14.5 million copies so far, about 8 million of which can be attributed to Halo 2, which is the best-selling first-generation Xbox game worldwide. | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106053430/http://www.smh.com.au/news/biztech/prepare-for-allout-war/2007/08/30/1188067256196.html | archive-date=November 6, 2012 | url-status=live }}</ref> ''[[Software:Halo 2|Halo 2]]'' became Xbox Live's third [[Killer application|killer app]] after ''[[Software:MechAssault|MechAssault]]'' & ''[[Software:Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Raven Shield#Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3|Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3]]''. That year Microsoft made a deal to put [[Company:Electronic Arts|Electronic Arts]]' popular titles on Xbox Live to boost the popularity of their service.

By 2005, despite notable first party releases in ''Conker: Live & Reloaded'' and [[Software:Forza Motorsport (2005 video game)|''Forza Motorsport'']], Microsoft began phasing out the Xbox in favor of their next console, the [[Engineering:Xbox 360|Xbox 360]]. Games such as ''Kameo: Elements of Power'' and ''[[Software:Perfect Dark Zero|Perfect Dark Zero]]'', which were originally to be developed for the Xbox,<ref name="ign.com"/> became Xbox 360 launch titles instead. The last game released on the Xbox was ''[[Software:Madden NFL 09|Madden NFL 09]]'', on August 12, 2008.

===Exhibition discs===
{{anchor|Xbox Exhibition disks}}
[[File:xboxexhibitionvol5.jpg|thumb|upright|Cover art for the ''Xbox Exhibition Vol. 5'' [[Software:Game demo|demo disc]].]]

The Xbox Exhibition disc collection was a [[Software:Game demo|game demo]] compilation series from [[Software:Microsoft Game Studios|Microsoft Game Studios]] used to advertise and preview upcoming Xbox games, featuring several playable game demos, game trailers, video content from G4 TV, music videos, and music from indie artists that were downloadable to the Xbox's hard drive. These discs were distributed at retail over seven volumes from 2002 to 2005. The discs are credited as an early iteration of the [[Software:Downloadable content|downloadable content]] model, with content including additional levels, roster updates for sports games and expanded game types.<ref>{{cite web|website=Kotaku|last=Latimore|first=Ben|title=The Wild History Of Demo Discs, Shareware And Covertapes|date=5 September 2021|url=https://www.kotaku.com.au/2021/09/a-history-of-shareware-demos-and-covertapes/}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070624183002/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/e/exhibition07/ Exhibition Volume 07]</ref>

;Discs
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope=col| Title
! scope=col| Date of release
! scope=col| Demos
! scope=col| Downloads
! scope=col| Music videos
|-
| Volume 1
| January 1, 2002
|''[[Software:Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo]]'', ''[[Software:Madden NFL 2003|Madden NFL 2003]]'', ''[[Software:NFL Fever 2003|NFL Fever 2003]]'', ''[[Software:Panzer Dragoon Orta|Panzer Dragoon Orta]]'', ''[[Software:Quantum Redshift|Quantum Redshift]]'', ''[[Software:Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (video game)|Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell]]'', ''[[Software:TimeSplitters 2|TimeSplitters 2]]'', ''ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth'', ''[[Software:Whacked!|Whacked!]]'' 
| ''[[Software:Dead or Alive 3|Dead or Alive 3]]'' booster pack costumes, two downloadable saves for ''[[Software:Project Gotham Racing (video game)|Project Gotham Racing]]'', and two save files for ''Rallisport Challenge''. 
| Death Cab for Cutie, John Vanderslice, Rilo Kiley, The Dismemberment Plan, and The Long Winters.
|-
| Volume 2
| March 5, 2003
| ''[[Software:All-Star Baseball 2004|All-Star Baseball 2004]]'', ''[[Software:Capcom vs. SNK 2#Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO|Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO]]'', ''[[Software:Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb|Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb]]'', ''[[Software:Kung Fu Chaos|Kung Fu Chaos]]'', ''[[Software:MechAssault|MechAssault]]'', ''[[Software:MX Superfly|MX Superfly]]'', ''[[Software:NBA Inside Drive#NBA Inside Drive 2003|NBA Inside Drive 2003]]'', ''[[Software:Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (2001 video game)|Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon]]'', ''[[Software:Vexx|Vexx]]''
| ''[[Software:NFL Fever 2003|NFL Fever 2003]]'' roster update, and new characters and environments for ''ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth'' and ''[[Software:MX Superfly|MX Superfly]]''
|
|-
| Volume 3
| July 17, 2003
| ''Apex'', ''ATV Quad Power Racing 2'', ''[[Software:Brute Force (video game)|Brute Force]]'', ''[[Software:Gladius (video game)|Gladius]]'', ''MLB Inside Pitch 2003'', ''[[Software:MotoGP: Ultimate Racing Technology 2|MotoGP 2]]'', ''[[Software:NBA Street Vol. 2|NBA Street Vol. 2]]'', ''Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War'', ''[[Software:Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus|Tao Feng]]''
| Levels and skins for ''[[Software:Run Like Hell (video game)|RLH: Run Like Hell]]'', and an extra mission for ''[[Software:Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (video game)|Splinter Cell]]''
| Depswa, Queens of the Stone Age, Rooney, ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Woven
|-
| Volume 4 
| November 26, 2003
| [[Software:ESPN NBA Basketball (video game)|ESPN NBA Basketball]]'', ''[[Software:Grabbed by the Ghoulies|Grabbed by the Ghoulies]]'', ''Magic the Gathering: Battlegrounds'', ''[[Software:Metal Arms: Glitch in the System|Metal Arms]]'', ''[[Software:Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time|Prince of Persia]]'', ''[[Software:Project Gotham Racing 2|Project Gotham Racing 2]]'', ''Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3'', ''[[Software:Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 video game)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]'', ''[[Software:Voodoo Vince|Voodoo Vince]]''
| Levels for ''[[Software:Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder|Ghost Recon: Island Thunder]]'', ''Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War'', and ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', and four new maps for ''[[Software:Unreal Championship|Unreal Championship]]''
|
|-
| Volume 5
| May 27, 2004
| ''NBA Ballers'', ''[[Software:Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy|Psi-Ops]]'', ''[[Software:Metal Slug 3|Metal Slug 3]]'', ''[[Software:Ninja Gaiden (2004 video game)|Ninja Gaiden]]'', ''[[Software:Shadow Ops: Red Mercury|Shadow Ops]]'', ''[[Software:RalliSport Challenge 2|RalliSport Challenge 2]]'', ''The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay''
| ''G4 - TV 4 Gamers Episodes'': G4's tips and tricks to master [[Software:Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic|Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic]]; Pulse Get New York Yankee Jason Giambi's insights on ESPN Major League Baseball
|-
| Volume 6 
| November 17, 2004
| ''[[Software:Full Spectrum Warrior|Full Spectrum Warrior]]'', ''Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six 3: Black Arrow'', ''[[Software:NCAA Football 2005|NCAA Football 2005]]'', ''[[Software:Men of Valor|Men of Valor]]'', ''[[Software:OutRun 2|OutRun 2]]'', ''[[Software:Second Sight (video game)|Second Sight]]'', ''[[Software:Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space|Blinx 2]]''
|
|
|-
| Volume 7
| December 2004
| ''[[Software:Burnout 3: Takedown|Burnout 3]]'', ''[[Software:Dead or Alive Ultimate|Dead or Alive Ultimate]]'', ''[[Software:ESPN NHL 2K5|ESPN NHL 2K5]]'', ''[[Software:Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders|Kingdom Under Fire]]'', ''Star Wars Republic Commando'', ''[[Software:The Incredibles (video game)|The Incredibles]]'', and ''The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie''
|
|
|-
| Volume 8
| July 6, 2005
| ''[[Software:Advent Rising|Advent Rising]]'', ''[[Software:Batman Begins (video game)|Batman Begins]]'', ''Conker: Live & Reloaded'', ''[[Software:Forza Motorsport (2005 video game)|Forza Motorsport]]'', ''[[Software:Destroy All Humans!|Destroy All Humans!]]'', ''[[Software:Digimon World 4|Digimon World 4]]'', ''[[Software:Juiced (video game)|Juiced]]'', ''[[Software:Madagascar (video game)|Madagascar]]'', ''[[Software:Medal of Honor: European Assault|Medal of Honor]]'', ''[[Software:Psychonauts|Psychonauts]]'' and ''Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith''
|
|
|-
| Volume 9
| December 2005
| ''[[Software:Burnout Revenge|Burnout Revenge]]'', ''[[Software:Chicken Little (video game)|Chicken Little]]'', ''[[Software:Ed, Edd n Eddy: The Mis-Edventures|Ed, Edd n Eddy]]'', ''Evil Dead Regeneration'', ''[[Software:Forza Motorsport (2005 video game)|Forza Motorsport]]'', ''[[Software:Frogger: Ancient Shadow|Frogger]]'', ''Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'', ''[[Software:Kingdom Under Fire: Heroes|Kingdom Under Fire]]'' and ''[[Software:Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005 video game)|Star Wars Battlefront II]]''
|
|
|}

==Services==
[[File:XboxLivelogo.png|thumb|right|Xbox Live logo used from 2002 to 2010|150px]]
On November 15, 2002, Microsoft launched its Xbox Live online gaming service, allowing subscribers to play online Xbox games with other subscribers around the world and download new content directly to the system's hard drive. The online service works only with a [[Engineering:Broadband|broadband]] Internet connection. In its first week of operation, Xbox Live received 100,000 subscriptions,<ref name="Life&Death"/> and further grew to 250,000 subscribers within two months of the service's launch.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://games.ign.com/articles/381/381618p1.html |title=Xbox Live Subscriptions Double Expectations |access-date=September 30, 2007 |author=Coleman, Stephen |date=January 7, 2003 |website=IGN |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070314203443/http://games.ign.com/articles/381/381618p1.html |archive-date=March 14, 2007}}</ref> In July 2004, Microsoft announced that Xbox Live had reached one million subscribers; in July 2005, membership reached two million, and by July 2007 there were more than three million subscribers. By May 2009, the number had ballooned to twenty million current subscribers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2009/05/28/microsoft-touts-30-million-xbox-360s-sold-20-million-xbox-live/ |title=Microsoft touts 30 million Xbox 360s sold, 20 million Xbox LIVE members |publisher=Engadget |access-date=November 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101013073529/http://www.engadget.com/2009/05/28/microsoft-touts-30-million-xbox-360s-sold-20-million-xbox-live/ |archive-date=October 13, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> On February 5, 2010, it was reported that Xbox Live support for the original Xbox games would be discontinued as of April 14, 2010.<ref name="nelson"/> Services were discontinued on schedule, but a group of users later known as the "Noble 14" continued to play for almost a month afterwards by simply leaving their consoles on connected to ''Halo 2''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/people-still-playing-halo-2-somehow|title=People still playing Halo 2 somehow|date=April 26, 2010|access-date=June 4, 2010|website=Eurogamer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530235226/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/people-still-playing-halo-2-somehow|archive-date=May 30, 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Sales==
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; margin:0 0 0.5em 1em;"
|-
! Region
! [[Engineering:List of best-selling game consoles|Units sold]]<br/><small>(as of May 10, 2006)</small>
! First available
|-
| North America
| 16 million
| November 15, 2001
|-
| Europe
| 6 million
| March 14, 2002
|-
| Asia & Pacific
| 2 million
| February 22, 2002
|-
| '''Worldwide'''
| '''24 million'''
| N/A
|}

Prior to launching, anticipation for the Xbox was high, with Toys 'R' Us and [[Company:Amazon|Amazon]] reporting that online [[Preorder|preorder]]s had sold out within just 30 minutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_31120 |title=Toys R Us sells out Xbox pre-orders in 30 mins • Eurogamer.net |website=Eurogamer |date=September 6, 2001 |access-date=May 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531152518/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/article_31120 |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Microsoft stated that it planned to ship 1–1.5 million units to retailers by the end of the year, followed by weekly shipments of 100,000 units.<ref name="BizJournal">{{cite web |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2001/11/12/daily27.html |title=Xbox hoopla begins with Gates at Times Square Toys R Us |work=Puget Sound Business Journal |date=November 14, 2001 |access-date=July 22, 2021 |archive-date=October 2, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211002021753/https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2001/11/12/daily27.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CNN Launch">{{cite web |url=https://money.cnn.com/2001/11/15/technology/xbox/ |title=Microsoft launches Xbox - Nov. 15, 2001 |access-date=May 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521211233/https://money.cnn.com/2001/11/15/technology/xbox/ |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> 
The launch was one of the most successful in video game history,<ref name="Launch Success">{{Cite web |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2002/01/08/xbox-launch-one-of-most-successful-in-video-game-history/ |title=Xbox Launch One of Most Successful in Video Game History - Stories |date=January 8, 2002 |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601212750/https://news.microsoft.com/2002/01/08/xbox-launch-one-of-most-successful-in-video-game-history/ |archive-date=June 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> with unit sales surpassing 1 million after just 3 weeks<ref name="History"/> and rising further to 1.5 million by the end of 2001.<ref name="Launch Success"/> The system also attained one of the highest-ever attachment rates at launch, with over 3 games selling per unit according to the NPD Group.<ref name="Launch Success"/> Strong sales were tied in large part to the highly anticipated launch title, ''[[Software:Halo: Combat Evolved|Halo]]'', which had surpassed sales of 1 million units by April 2002 and attained a 50% attach rate for the console.<ref name="Life&Death"/> In 2003, the console had knocked the GameCube down to third place in terms of market share.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-02-19 |title=Xbox Strengthens Grip on No. 2 Position and Widens Lead Over GameCube |url=https://news.microsoft.com/2003/02/19/xbox-strengthens-grip-on-no-2-position-and-widens-lead-over-gamecube/ |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=Stories |language=en-US}}</ref> By July 2004, the system had sold 15.5 million units worldwide—10.1 million in North America, 3.9 million in Europe, and 1.5 million in Asia-Pacific—and had a 33% market share in the US.<ref name="Q4">{{cite web |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/microsoft-reports-strong-q4-results-xbox-growth-lags-other-divisions |title=Microsoft reports strong Q4 results; Xbox growth lags other divisions &#124; GamesIndustry.biz |date=July 23, 2004 |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601230301/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/microsoft-reports-strong-q4-results-xbox-growth-lags-other-divisions |archive-date=June 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Despite strong sales in North America, Microsoft struggled to make a profit from the Xbox due to its high manufacturing cost. With its initial retail price of $299, Microsoft lost about $125 for every system sold, which cost $425 to manufacture, meaning that the company would have to rely on software sales in order to make any money.<ref name="VentureBeat"/> According to Robbie Bach, "Probably six months after we shipped, you could see the price curve and do the math and know that we were going to lose billions of dollars."<ref name="bloomberg oral"/> These losses were further exacerbated in April 2002, when Microsoft lowered the retail price of the Xbox even further to $199 in order to further driving hardware sales.<ref name="History"/><ref name="Life&Death"/><ref name="Price Drop">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1936791.stm |title=BBC News &#124; NEW MEDIA &#124; Microsoft drops Xbox price |date=April 18, 2002 |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601230657/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1936791.stm |archive-date=June 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Microsoft also struggled to compete with Sony's more popular [[Engineering:PlayStation 2|PlayStation 2]] console, which generally saw far higher sales numbers,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/13/science/playstation-2-shortage-frustrates-more-than-buyers.html |title=PlayStation 2 Shortage Frustrates More Than Buyers |first=Noah |last=Robischon |date=2004-12-13 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=June 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171015185050/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/13/science/playstation-2-shortage-frustrates-more-than-buyers.html |archive-date=October 15, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3981475.stm |title=Slimmer PlayStation triple sales |publisher=BBC News |access-date=December 30, 2016 |date=2004-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902092538/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3981475.stm |archive-date=September 2, 2007 |url-status=live}}</ref> although the Xbox outsold the PS2 in the U.S. in April 2004.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://uk.gamespot.com/news/xbox-officially-outsells-ps2-in-us-6099369 |archive-url=https://archive.today/2013.06.28-041554/http://uk.gamespot.com/news/xbox-officially-outsells-ps2-in-us-6099369 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |title=Xbox officially outsells PS2 in US |publisher=CBS Interactive |work=GameSpot.com |date=May 26, 2004 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |first=Tor |last=Thorsen }}</ref> By its manufacturing discontinuation in 2005, the Xbox had sold a total of 24 million units worldwide, 16 million of which had been sold in North America. These numbers fell short of Microsoft's predicted 50 million units, and failed to match the PlayStation 2's lifetime sales of 106 million units at the time, although it did surpass the GameCube and [[Engineering:Dreamcast|Dreamcast]]'s lifetime sales of 21 million and 10.6 units, respectively, though the GameCube turned out to be more profitable than the Xbox.<ref name="gamers_catch"/><ref name="History"/><ref name="Life&Death"/> Ultimately, Microsoft lost an accumulative total of $4 billion from the Xbox, only managing to turn a profit at the end of 2004.<ref name="Life&Death"/> While the Xbox represented an overall loss for Microsoft, Gates, Ballmer, and other executives still saw it as a positive result for the company as it brought them into the console marketplace against doubts raised by the industry, and led to Microsoft's further development of other consoles in the Xbox family.<ref name="bloomberg oral"/>

===Japan===
Prior to its Japanese launch in February 2002, many analysts estimated that the Xbox would have trouble competing with the PS2 and the GameCube, its local counterparts in the region, noting its comparatively high price tag, lack of exclusives, and larger size which would not fit as well in Japan's smaller living spaces.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worldbiz/archives/2002/02/21/0000124876 |title=Game-over for Xbox in Japan? |newspaper=Taipei Times |date=February 21, 2002 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211114856/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/worldbiz/archives/2002/02/21/0000124876 |archive-date=December 11, 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> Microsoft hoped to ship six million Japanese Xbox consoles by June 2002; however, the system had only sold a total of 190,000 units in the region by April of that year, two months after the system's launch in February.<ref name="Japan">{{cite web |url=http://www.cnn.com/2002/BUSINESS/asia/04/10/japan.xbox/index.html |title=CNN.com - Xbox off to sluggish start in Japan - April 10, 2002 |website=CNN |access-date=June 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190601212749/http://www.cnn.com/2002/BUSINESS/asia/04/10/japan.xbox/index.html |archive-date=June 1, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> For the week ending April 14, 2002, the Xbox sold only 1,800 units, considerably less than the PS2 and GameCube, and failed to see a single title reach the top 50 best-selling video games in Japan.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uk.ign.com/articles/2002/04/18/japan-gcn-sales |title=Japan GCN sales |publisher=IGN Entertainment |date=April 18, 2002 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |archive-date=December 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214213822/https://uk.ign.com/articles/2002/04/18/japan-gcn-sales |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2002, the Xbox chief in Japan stepped down, leading to further consultations about Xbox's future, which by that point had only sold 278,860 units in the country since its February launch.<ref>{{citation |date=December 2002 |title=Xbox dead in Japan? |magazine= GamesTM |issue=1 |publisher=Imagine Publishing |page=11 |issn=1478-5889 |url=https://archive.org/details/gamesTM001 |access-date=April 25, 2014 |quote="Xbox is failing in Japan, there's no denying it. Despite the country's fascination with America, it seems uneasy investing in a non-Japanese product; so far just 278,860 Xbox consoles have been sold, compared to almost 700,000 GameCubes during the same period. These embarrassing figures have resulted in Hirohisa Ohura, Director of Xbox Japan, being moved to a different department within Microsoft, hinting that a certain amount of re-structuring is about to take place." |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160409213046/https://archive.org/details/gamesTM001 |archive-date=April 9, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124138 |title=Japan Xbox chief steps down |publisher=PinoyExchange Forums |date=November 10, 2002 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140924042759/http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124138 |archive-date=September 24, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> For the week ending July 18, 2004, the Xbox sold just 272 units, even fewer than the PSOne had sold in the same week.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/news/37034.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040817075442/http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/news/37034.shtml |title=Xbox Outsold by PS one in Japan |publisher=IDG Entertainment |work=GamePro.com |date=July 23, 2004 |access-date=August 12, 2013 |archive-date=August 17, 2004 |author=Funky Zealot}}</ref> The Xbox did, however, outsell the GameCube for the week ending May 26, 2002.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://m.computerandvideogames.com/49940/xbox-overtakes-gamecube-in-japan |archive-url=https://archive.today/2013.04.13-071036/http://m.computerandvideogames.com/49940/xbox-overtakes-gamecube-in-japan |url-status=dead |title=Xbox overtakes GameCube in Japan |archive-date=April 13, 2013 |website=computerandvideogames.com}}</ref> Ultimately, the Xbox had only sold 474,992 units in its lifetime.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-03-03-xbox-has-sold-2-3-million-consoles-in-japan-over-20-years | title = Xbox has sold 2.3 million consoles in Japan over 20 years | first = Danielle | last = Partis | date = March 3, 2022 | access-date = March 2, 2022 | work = GamesIndustry.biz | archive-date = March 3, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220303122707/https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-03-03-xbox-has-sold-2-3-million-consoles-in-japan-over-20-years | url-status = live }}</ref> Factors believed to have contributed to the console's poor market presence included its large physical size, which contrasted the country's emphasis on more compact designs, and a lack of Japanese-developed games to aid consumer interest.<ref name="Life&Death"/>

==Modding==
'''Xbox modding''' is the practice of circumventing the built-in hardware and software security mechanisms of the [[Engineering:Xbox (console)|Xbox]] video game console.

=== History ===
The popularity of the Xbox, as well as (in the United States) its comparatively short 90-day warranty, inspired efforts to circumvent the built-in hardware and software security mechanisms, a practice known as "cracking". Within a few months of its release the initial layer of security on the Xbox BIOS (which relied heavily on obfuscation) was broken by MIT student Andrew Huang and the contents of the "hidden" boot ROM embedded on the MCPx chip were extracted using some custom built hardware. Once this information was available, the code was soon modified so that it would skip digital signature checks and media flags, allowing unsigned code, Xbox game backups, etc., to be run. Modding an Xbox in any manner will void its warranty, as it may require disassembly of the console. Having a modified Xbox may also disallow it from accessing Xbox Live, if detected by Microsoft, as it contravenes the Xbox Live Terms of Use, but most modchips can be disabled, allowing the Xbox to boot in a "stock" configuration.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 2006 |title=Xbox Live Terms of Use |url=http://www.xbox.com/en-US/Legal/LiveTOU |access-date=2007-07-18 |publisher=Xbox.com}}</ref>{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

=== Methods ===
[[File:Xboxinside01.jpg|left|thumb|Xbox motherboard, with installed modchip]]

* [[Engineering:Modchip|Modchip]]: installing a modchip inside the Xbox that bypasses the original BIOS, with a hacked BIOS to circumvent the security mechanisms.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}
* TSOP flashing: reflashing the onboard BIOS chip with a hacked BIOS to circumvent the security mechanisms. The Xbox BIOS is contained on a commodity [[EEPROM]] (the 'TSOP'), which can be made writable by the Xbox by bridging points on the motherboard.<ref>{{cite web |author=SLuSHIE |date=2004-03-30 |title=Flashing TSOP With ANY Version XBOX V1.0-V1.5 For Noobs |url=http://www.i-hacked.com/content/view/37/62/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070714064050/http://www.i-hacked.com/content/view/37/62/ |archive-date=2007-07-14 |access-date=2007-07-18 |publisher=I-Hacked.com}}</ref> Flashing is usually carried out by using a specially crafted gamesave (see 'Game save exploit', below) to flash the onboard TSOP, but the TSOP can also be de-soldered and re-written in a standard EEPROM programmer. This method only works on 1.0 to 1.5 Xboxes, as version 1.6 (the final hardware version produced) replaced the commodity TSOP with an LPC ROM contained within a proprietary chip.<ref>{{cite web |author=Steil, Michael |date=2007-02-07 |title=Xbox Hardware Overview – Xcalibur |url=http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xbox_Hardware_Overview#Xcalibur |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070720200355/http://www.xbox-linux.org/wiki/Xbox_Hardware_Overview |archive-date=July 20, 2007 |access-date=2007-07-18 |publisher=[[Software:Xbox Linux|Xbox Linux]]}}</ref>
* [[Engineering:Softmod|Softmods]]: installing additional software files to the Xbox hard drive, which exploit programming errors in the Dashboard to gain control of the system, and overwrite the in-memory copy of the BIOS.<ref>{{cite web |author=Phoenix |title=Phoenix Bios Loader |url=http://www.xbox-hq.com/html/modules.php?name=Xbox_Homebrew&op=view&gid=132 |access-date=2007-07-18 |publisher=Xbox-HQ.com}}</ref> Soft modification is known to be safe for Xbox Live if the user enables multibooting with the Microsoft dashboard and an original game disc is used.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
** Game save exploit: using select official game releases to load game saves that exploit buffer overflows in the save game handling.<ref>{{cite web |author=Becker, David |date=2003-03-31 |title=Hacker cracks Xbox challenge |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1043-994794.html |access-date=2007-07-18 |publisher=News.com}}</ref> When these special game saves are loaded, they access an interface with scripts for installing the necessary softmod files. Disassembly of the Xbox is not required when installing most game save exploits.
* [[Hot swapping]]: using a computer to change the data on the hard drive. This requires having the Xbox unlock the hard drive when it is turned on, then swapping the powered hard drive into a running computer. By using a Linux-based Live CD, data on the hard drive can be read, altered, and deleted. In most cases, an automated script will automatically install the softmod files directly to the Xbox hard drive. This technique has been used extensively to harbor cheating on many online games. Disassembly of the console is required to perform a hot swap. It's the least recommended as it might shock the Xbox hardware or the user's PC components.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

=== Alternative operating systems ===
Beyond gaming, a modded Xbox can be used as a media center with [[Software:XBMC4Xbox|XBMC4Xbox]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Patrick Schmid and Achim Roos |date=2007-07-18 |title=Modding The Xbox Into The Ultimate Multimedia Center |url=http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/modding-xbox-ultimate-multimedia-center,807.html |access-date=2004-05-11 |publisher=Tom's Hardware}}</ref> There are also distributions of Linux developed specifically for the Xbox, including those based on [[Software:Gentoo Linux|Gentoo]],<ref>{{cite web |date=2008-09-28 |title=Gentoox |url=http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=gentoox |access-date=2010-12-25 |publisher=distrowatch.com}}</ref> [[Software:Debian|Debian]], [[Software:Damn Small Linux|Damn Small Linux]] and [[Software:Dyne:bolic|Dyne]].{{Citation needed|date=November 2010}}

Some operating systems ported to Xbox include [[Software:Linux|Linux]] in the form of [[Software:Xbox Linux|Xbox Linux]], [[Software:FreeBSD|FreeBSD]], [[Software:NetBSD|NetBSD]], Windows CE, and [[Software:ReactOS|ReactOS]].

== See also ==
* Xbox Live Marketplace

==References==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="engadget-dukestory">{{cite web |last1=Seppala |first1=Timothy |title=The story of the Duke, the Xbox pad that existed because it had to |url=https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/23/xbox-controller-retrospective-hyperkin-duke-gamepad/ |website=Engadget |access-date=7 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180504150611/https://www.engadget.com/2018/03/23/xbox-controller-retrospective-hyperkin-duke-gamepad/ |archive-date=4 May 2018 |date=23 March 2018}}</ref>

<ref name="cnbc-circuitboard">{{cite web |title=Why Xbox Failed In Japan |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSi6pwtvIWI&t=6m40s  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/kSi6pwtvIWI | archive-date=2021-10-01 |website=YouTube |publisher=CNBC |access-date=7 November 2019 |date=8 October 2019}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
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* at xbox.com
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* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050223100548/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/ |date=February 23, 2005 |title=Xbox }}

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