It seems like only yesterday that Bill Gates' Microsoft stunned the world by announcing the Xbox. Sure, Windows was great for PC gaming, but console gaming was an entirely different animal. Give us a little time to mourn the Sega Dreamcast before reigniting the console wars.
But once Xbox arrived on Nov. 15, 2001, things would never be the same. For the past 20 years, Microsoft has stood proud as the only American, first-party game platform. During these past two decades, the Xbox changed the industry.
From playing the first Halo with chunky Duke controllers and experiencing innovative online multiplayer through Xbox Live, to turning our entire bodies into controllers with Kinect and subscribing to numerous, amazing games on-demand with Xbox Game Pass, Xbox’s achievements loom large. And we’re not just talking about the Achievements you unlock while playing. Pioneering backwards compatibility initiatives mean you can enjoy nearly the entire Xbox family catalog on your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S.
In this episode of The Pop-Off, Danny Peña of Gamertag Radio and the new G4TV returns to help us celebrate the Xbox’s 20th anniversary. We talk about its NYC launch, its most famous franchises (Forza, Gears of War), and share our fondest Halo memories and hopes for Halo Infinite. Check it out in the video above.
When you’re done reliving Xbox’s past, look forward to its future by reading our list of the best Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S games. And for more in-depth video game talk, visit PCMag's Pop-Off YouTube channel.