It’s 20 years since Microsoft launched the first Xbox
Today marks the 20th anniversary of the original Xbox console going on sale
It’s the 20th anniversary of the original Xbox console hitting the streets of the US and Canada alongside the original Halo: Combat Evolved.
To celebrate, there was an Anniversary Celebration stream – here it is if you want to recap.
You’re also able to download special 20th anniversary Xbox wallpapers for your console, too.
As the 20 years of Xbox blog post says, twenty years ago playing on Xbox “meant hooking up your console with three (or more!) cables to a standard definition CRT TV. You had to pre-order the hottest new games and stand in line at your favorite retail shop to pick them up.
“Games were played in 640×480 resolution, and you only had 8GB of storage and 64MB of memory to enjoy them with. And you either played alone or with a friend sitting next to you on the couch.”
Of course, the Xbox experience of today is massively different with online play, the nigh-on miracle of Xbox Game Pass and 4K HDR gaming. Microsoft also says that over 100 million players log in every month. And, of course, we’re soon to see the release of Halo Infinite, too.
Microsoft is also updating Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Live Gold membership badges on profile pages. A new badge will show how long you have been a member.
Microsoft has also created this video to mark 20 Years of Xbox.
Dan Grabham
Editor-in-Chief 
