The Xbox is a sixth generation video game console produced by Microsoft Corporation.
It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console market, and competed directly with Sony's
PlayStation 2 and the
Nintendo GameCube.
It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and
March 14, 2002 in Europe and Australia. It is the predecessor to Microsoft's
Xbox 360 console.
The Xbox was initially developed within Microsoft by a small team that included game developer
Seamus Blackley. Microsoft repeatedly delayed the console, which was revealed at the end of 1999
following interviews of Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. Gates stated that a gaming/multimedia device
was essential for multimedia convergence in the new times of digital entertainment.
On March 10, 2000 the "X-box Project" was officially confirmed by Microsoft with a press release.
According to the book Smartbomb, by Heather Chaplin and Aaron Ruby, the remarkable success
of the upstart Sony PlayStation worried Microsoft in late 1990s. The growing video game market
seemed to threaten the PC market which Microsoft had dominated and relied upon for most of its
revenues. Additionally, a venture into the gaming console market would diversify Microsoft's
product line, which up to that time had been heavily concentrated on software.
According to Dean Takahashi's book, Opening the Xbox, the Xbox was originally to be named
"DirectX-box", to show the extensive use of DirectX within the console's technology.
"Xbox" was the final name decided by marketing, but the console still retains some hints towards
DirectX, most notably the "X"-shaped logo, which DirectX is famous for, along with the "X"
shape on the top of the system.
As the console approached launch, Microsoft's J Allard was responsible for the hardware and system
software development, Ed Fries was responsible for game development on the platform, and Mitch Koch
was responsible for sales and marketing; all three reported to Robbie Bach. This team was also primarily
responsible for Microsoft's follow-up product, the
Xbox 360
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