It’s time for another Retro Ad Replay! This is the series where we take a trip back in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of the biggest moments in gaming. If you find yourself wanting more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this November 15 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re going back 18 years in time to when the original Xbox launched. November 15, 2001 was the day of destiny for those in North America. (Japan had to wait another week, while Europe and Australia to wait an additional four months!) Microsoft was aiming the Xbox to compete with the likes of Sony’s PlayStation 2, Nintendo’s GameCube, and the Sega Dreamcast.
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Launch titles for new consoles can sometimes fall a little flat. However, the original Xbox had some must-plays in the form of Halo: Combat Evolved, Project Gotham Racing, and Dead or Alive 3. Needless to say, it was Halo that stole the show in the launch day line-up, kickstarting a series that would continue to excite gamers for decades to come.
You can watch the original Xbox’s CES 2001 reveal, during which Bill Gates unveiled the system, using the embedded video below:
While GameRevolution didn’t review the original Xbox or Xbox 360, we did offer our thoughts on the Xbox One and Xbox One X. Of course, it was the success of the 2001 console release that made future releases popular. For 18 years now, Microsoft has stuck by the Xbox brand, reinvigorating it with new hardware upgrades and console-exclusive games.
As we await the reveal and launch of Project Scarlett, Microsoft’s next-gen console for 2020, it’s good to look back and see how far the Xbox hardware and software has come since 2001. Perhaps we’ll get an Xbox Mini to celebrate 20 years in 2021?!
