Xbox 360
If Microsoft established itself as a home-console competitor with the original Xbox, it became a market front-runner with the Xbox 360. Introduced in late 2005, the Xbox 360 was the primary competitor to Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. With more than 84 million units sold worldwide, the 360 became one of the best-selling home consoles of all-time. While early versions were plagued by a high failure rate, the 360 remained in production through 2016 and saw several upgraded versions, including the 360 Slim and 360 E. One of the consoles' biggest selling points was a robust online service known as Xbox Live that allowed for easy multiplayer matchmaking, a downloadable gaming library, video streaming services and more. A peripheral camera and motion-capture add-on, the Kinect, provided gamers with an immersive controller-free experience meant to rival Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PlayStation Move. With a large library of now-legendary games—including Fallout 3, Skyrim, Bioshock Infinite, Final Fantasy XIII, Halo 4, Mass Effect 2, and Grand Theft Auto IV—the Xbox 360 has earned a notable spot in modern gaming history.
