Xbox System

Microsoft's Xbox system was first released in North America at the end of 2001. It is considered a '6th generation' console video game system (the first generation being the Atari 2600 and its contemporaries released in the late 1970's), though it is the first one developed exclusively by Microsoft. Other 6th generation console game systems include Sony's Playstation 2, and Ninetendo's Gamecube.

The Xbox system itself is basically a computer designed solely for video games. It features a 733 megahertz Intel Pentium III processor, a modified version of Nvdia's 233 megahertz GeForce 3 video card, 64 megabytes of DDR SDRAM, and a 10 gigabyte hard drive. Although it is designed for video games, the games come in DVD format, and therefore the Xbox console is capable of playing movies in DVD format as well.

Many of the early games available for Microsoft's Xbox system did not meet a lot of success. Some critics claimed that they did not take advantage of the Xbox's impressive hardware enough, and were somewhat lackluster in design and feel. Then in 2002 and 2003 several stand out titles were released for the Xbox console that helped it develop a better reputation. Among these titles were Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, MechAssault, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Halo: Combat Evolved, a game that is now widely considered the Xbox systems most popular game, was released in 2002 as well. When Halo 2 came out in 2004, it set the record at the time for being the highest grossing release in entertainment history.

Also in 2002, Microsoft introduced Xbox Live, and online gaming system to work in conjunction with Xbox systems to allow players to compete or play cooperatively online together. With the right broadband connection, people could play with friends or strangers around the world. Within the first two months, Xbox Live had over a quarter million subscribers. Halfway into 2004, this number reached over a million.

Although the Xbox system has certainly had its share of success, it has never come close to dominating the market share like Sony's Playstation 2. Japan, one of the world's larger markets for video games, didn't take to the Xbox as well as North America, preferring their domestically produced Playstation 2.

The rivalry between Sony, Microsoft, and all the other competitors on the market is certainly not over yet. Microsoft has recently release its second gaming console, the Xbox 360, beginning a 7th generation of game systems. Sony is close behind with its design for a Playstation 3, and only time will tell who dominates the market of the future.