In 2001, a new game console hit the shelves that competed with the already established industry leaders PlayStation and Nintendo.
This was the Xbox which has been staking its claim as one of the best gaming platforms ever since.
Before the Xbox, Microsoft had, besides making computer software, already been successful in publishing games for PC such as Age of Empires and Microsoft Flight Simulator.
Meanwhile, Sony was growing in population with the PlayStation 1 and was already working on the PlayStation 2.
Because Sony became a threat to Microsoft in the age where video games were rapidly growing into a massive industry, Microsoft decided to venture into the console gaming market.
As far back as 1998, the original development team for the Xbox pitched an idea to Bill Gates for a console that could harness the power of a PC.
The initial concept was dubbed the DirectX Box and would operate using Windows 2000 which made it easy for developers since they were already familiar with the software.
The Xbox could have had a very different name MITH, VIP or MARZ but eventually, the name was shortened from DirectX Box to just Xbox.
What is the first Xbox?
In 2001, the Xbox was officially released it was called the Original Xbox. Microsoft managed to sell one million units in its first 3 weeks.
When it was officially released, Microsoft’s Xbox was competing with Sony’s PlayStation 2, Nintendo’s GameCube and Sega’s Dreamcast.
While the ps2 would ultimately prevail in terms of sales by a huge margin, the Xbox ended up outselling the GameCube and the others.