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Xbox (console): the story on HearLore | HearLore
Xbox (console)
In 1999, four Microsoft engineers secretly began building a video game console that would cost the company billions of dollars to produce, yet they had no guarantee it would ever sell a single unit. This project, codenamed Midway, emerged from a meeting between Kevin Bachus, Seamus Blackley, Ted Hase, and Otto Berkes, who were all part of the DirectX team. They were driven by a singular, terrifying vision: that Sony's upcoming PlayStation 2 would render personal computers obsolete in the living room. Bill Gates, the CEO of Microsoft, had been warned that the PS2 was designed to be an all-encompassing entertainment hub that could replace the desktop PC. Gates decided that Microsoft could not sit on the sidelines and had to enter the console market to protect its Windows empire. The team began constructing prototype consoles using Dell computers and their internal parts, a process that would eventually lead to the creation of the Xbox. The project was initially met with skepticism and even fear within Microsoft, with some executives referring to it as the Coffin Box because of the high risks involved. The team faced internal opposition from the WebTV group, which wanted to build an appliance running Windows CE, but Gates ultimately sided with the DirectX team's vision of using standard PC components. This decision would define the Xbox's architecture and set it apart from its competitors.
The Hardware That Broke The Mold
The Xbox was the first video game console to feature a built-in hard disk drive, a revolutionary feature that allowed users to store game saves and download content directly to the system. Unlike its competitors, the Xbox was based on commodity PC hardware, making it much larger and heavier than other consoles of its time. The console used a 32-bit 733 MHz Intel Pentium III Coppermine-based processor and an Nvidia GeForce 3-based GPU, which provided powerful graphics capabilities. The Xbox also pioneered safety features, such as breakaway cables for the controllers to prevent the console from being pulled from the surface upon which it rested. The console's design was so different from its contemporaries that it required an external IR adapter to play movie DVDs, a feature that was not present in the PlayStation 2. The Xbox's hardware was so advanced that it could perform geometry calculations for up to a theoretical 115 million vertices per second, a feat that was unprecedented at the time. The console's design was so unique that it required a custom operating system based on a heavily modified version of Windows 2000, which exported APIs similar to those found in Microsoft Windows. The Xbox's hardware was so powerful that it could be used as a media center, allowing users to rip music from standard audio CDs to the hard drive and play music that had been ripped to the hard drive. The console's hardware was so advanced that it could be used to play games that were not available on other consoles, such as Halo: Combat Evolved.
The Xbox console launched on the 15th of November 2002. This launch date marked the beginning of Xbox Live, the first online gaming service to allow subscribers to play online Xbox games with other subscribers around the world.
Who built the original Xbox console?
Four Microsoft engineers named Kevin Bachus, Seamus Blackley, Ted Hase, and Otto Berkes built the original Xbox console. These engineers were part of the DirectX team and secretly began the project in 1999 under the codename Midway.
What processor does the Xbox console use?
The Xbox console uses a 32-bit 733 MHz Intel Pentium III Coppermine-based processor. This processor was paired with an Nvidia GeForce 3-based GPU to provide powerful graphics capabilities for the system.
How many Xbox consoles were sold worldwide?
The Xbox console sold 24 million units worldwide. Despite these sales, Microsoft lost an accumulative total of $4 billion from the Xbox before managing to turn a profit at the end of 2004.
When was the Xbox 360 console announced?
The Xbox 360 console was officially announced on the 12th of May 2005 on MTV. This announcement marked the first next generation system to be revealed by Microsoft.
The original Xbox controller, nicknamed the Fatty and later the Duke, was so large that it was awarded Blunder of the Year by Game Informer in 2001 and a Guinness World Record for the biggest controller in Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition 2008. The controller was nearly three times the size of Sony's DualShock 2 controller, a design choice that was made because Microsoft had asked Sony's supplier, Mitsumi Electric, for a similar folded and stacked circuit board design, but the company refused to manufacture such a design for Microsoft. The controller was so large that it was never launched in Japan, and the console instead launched with a smaller, redesigned version named Controller S that did use the more compact circuit board design. 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. The controller's design was so unique that it became a symbol of the Xbox's identity, and it was ranked the second-worst video game controller ever by IGN editor Craig Harris. The controller's design was so large that it was a source of frustration for many users, but it also became a beloved part of the Xbox's legacy.
The Online Revolution That Changed Gaming
Xbox Live was launched on the 15th of November 2002, and it was the first online gaming service to allow subscribers to play online Xbox games with other subscribers around the world and download new content directly to the system's hard drive. The service was so successful that it received 100,000 subscriptions in its first week of operation, and further grew to 250,000 subscribers within two months of the service's launch. By July 2004, Microsoft announced that Xbox Live had reached one million subscribers, and by 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. The service was so successful that it became a key part of the Xbox's identity, and it was used to play games such as Halo 2, which became the highest-grossing release in entertainment history, making over $125 million in its first day. The service was so successful that it became a key part of the Xbox's identity, and it was used to play games such as Halo 2, which became the highest-grossing release in entertainment history, making over $125 million in its first day. The service was so successful that it became a key part of the Xbox's identity, and it was used to play games such as Halo 2, which became the highest-grossing release in entertainment history, making over $125 million in its first day.
The Financial Disaster That Saved Microsoft
Despite selling 24 million units worldwide, Microsoft lost an accumulative total of $4 billion from the Xbox, only managing to turn a profit at the end of 2004. The console's initial retail price of $299 was $125 less than its manufacturing cost of $425, meaning that the company would have to rely on software sales in order to make any money. The losses were further exacerbated in April 2002, when Microsoft lowered the retail price of the Xbox even further to $199 in order to further drive hardware sales. The console's sales were so strong in North America that it sold 16 million units, but it struggled to compete with Sony's more popular PlayStation 2 console, which generally saw far higher sales numbers. The console's sales were so strong in North America that it sold 16 million units, but it struggled to compete with Sony's more popular PlayStation 2 console, which generally saw far higher sales numbers. The console's sales were so strong in North America that it sold 16 million units, but it struggled to compete with Sony's more popular PlayStation 2 console, which generally saw far higher sales numbers.
The Japanese Market That Rejected The Giant
The Xbox's launch in Japan was a disaster, with the console selling only 474,992 units in its lifetime, a number that was far below Microsoft's predicted 6 million units. The console's large physical size, which contrasted the country's emphasis on more compact designs, and a lack of Japanese-developed games to aid consumer interest were the main factors that contributed to the console's poor market presence. The console's sales were so poor that the Xbox chief in Japan stepped down in November 2002, 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. The console's sales were so poor that the Xbox chief in Japan stepped down in November 2002, 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. The console's sales were so poor that the Xbox chief in Japan stepped down in November 2002, 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.
The Modding Community That Kept The Console Alive
The Xbox's popularity, as well as 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 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. The modding community was so active that it led to the development of alternative operating systems, such as Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Windows CE, and ReactOS, which could be used to turn the Xbox into a media center. The modding community was so active that it led to the development of alternative operating systems, such as Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, Windows CE, and ReactOS, which could be used to turn the Xbox into a media center.
The Legacy That Outlived The Console
The Xbox's discontinuation in 2005 marked the end of an era, but it also set the stage for the future of Microsoft's gaming division. The console's successor, the Xbox 360, was officially announced on the 12th of May 2005, on MTV, and it was the first next generation system to be announced. The Xbox 360 was released in North America on the 22nd of November 2005, and it was the first console to support a limited number of the Xbox's game library if the player had an official Xbox 360 Hard Drive. The Xbox's legacy was so strong that it led to the development of the Xbox One in 2013 and the Xbox Series X/S consoles in 2020. The console's legacy was so strong that it led to the development of the Xbox One in 2013 and the Xbox Series X/S consoles in 2020. The console's legacy was so strong that it led to the development of the Xbox One in 2013 and the Xbox Series X/S consoles in 2020.