2013

LAUNCH

3040 GAMES

OFFICIALLY RELEASED

58 MILLION

UNITS SOLD WORLDWIDE

XBOX ONE

2013

The Xbox One is the successor to the Xbox 360. The console was officially unveiled in May 21, 2013 where it was introduced as an "all-in-one" entertainment center. The Xbox One would then be released in November 22, 2013 in 21 different markets and eventually in September 2014 for the European and Japanese markers. This was the first time that two versions of the Xbox would be available at launch with the Xbox One S being digital only and Xbox One X with a disc drive. The Kinetic was one of the major selling points for the Xbox One indirectly stating that the Kinetic was the future of gameplay on the Xbox One.

EXCLUSIVES

Unlike the Xbox 360 library that had a stellar lineup of console exclusives the Xbox One lacked that exact thing. While they did have exclusive franchises like Gears of War and Halo both of those franchises struggled to outperform the exclusives that were being released on the Nintendo and PlayStation ecosystems, making the Xbox One the least popular choice amongst gamers seeking exclusive experiences linked to a console.

EARLY CONTROVERSY

Before the Xbox One was even launched Microsoft was already plagued by a long list of PR wildfires. Prior to the launch of the Xbox one leaked design documents were found suggesting that Microsoft was seeking to eliminate the ability to play used games which outraged the entire gaming community and was even used by Sony as PR for the PlayStation 4 announcement in which they made the point to state clearly that the PlayStation 4 would play used games. Other rumors surrounded the Kinetic early on stating that Microsoft was planning on forcing users to keep it connected at all times, this too would eventually be scrapped by the release.

LEGACY

The Xbox One is the successor to the Xbox 360, arguably the best Xbox's of all time. While not reaching the heights of the 360 success the Xbox One did sell over 58 million consoles worldwide making it the second most successful Xbox of all time. The Xbox One was the first console to ever launch with two variants (digital and physical) and was the first Xbox to introduce the use of Blu-Ray. The Xbox One overall was a console beloved by many and all that it truly lacked was a larger library of exclusives to drive the same passion and cult following that the Xbox 360 had in it's peak days.