Xbox

Intro

I'm Peter and this is the RoguePlanetoid Podcast where you will find insights about Microsoft or related platforms and technology, along with so much more whether you are beginner or an experienced professional or just interested in technology. Keep Current, Keep Coding!

Welcome

Welcome to episode forty-two of the RoguePlanetoid Podcast about Xbox. Almost twenty-five years ago, Xbox was launched in the United States, ushering in a new era for gaming from Microsoft. November 2001 would be when Xbox was first released in the United States but in the United Kingdom it would be four months later in March 2002, when for my twenty-first birthday I would get my hands on the original Xbox console along with the game, Halo Combat Evolved. Xbox still represents gaming to this day so to find out more about the current Xbox then visit xbox.com or check out the link in the show notes.

History

The original Xbox began in response to developments happening in the console space which potentially threatened the Windows PC gaming business at the time, the hardware was designed around standard PC components including a Pentium III CPU, nVidia GeForce 3-based GPU, 64 megabytes of RAM and 8 gigabytes of storage, a fraction of today's powerful consoles along with software delivered by a version of Windows 2000 and DirectX, referenced in the original codename of DirectX Box. The original Xbox also featured a green and black themed dashboard that enabled CD playback and films with the DVD addon.

When I first got the original Xbox for £299 a few months after launch in the United States and played Halo Combat Evolved it was a game changer, the large controller with two analogue sticks, known Duke was very different from the controllers I was familiar with, back then I played with inverted controls as found that easier but on later Xbox consoles I got used to playing non-inverted controls. The graphics on the original Xbox were a step up from what I had been used to before and found game play interesting and engaging and played for hours.

Within weeks of launch of the original Xbox in the United Kingdom, the price was dropped by £100 but Microsoft responded to those who had purchased a console before that by offering two free first-party games along with another Duke controller, so added Project Gotham Racing and Amped to my collection. I'd also got vouchers from the retailer that I got my Xbox from, so purchased another controller and the Xbox DVD Movie Playback Kit which came with a remote control and eventually had a full set of four Duke controllers.

Experience

Xbox was an amazing platform to play games on and as interest ramped up in the first few years I launched my own website about Xbox in 2004, this started with the upcoming launch of Halo 2 and went along to Gamestars Live in London, and wrote about the Halo 2 Demo I had played there, immediately my website was inundated with thousands of visitors, probably looking for a demo they could play, but was an article about my experience there instead, which involved queuing for a couple of hours to get a few minutes of game play which was a fantastic experience! Just a couple of months later Halo 2 arrived and was an amazing game and took advantage of Xbox Live for multiplayer which had launched the previous year in 2003.

Xbox was well covered on my website, starting with the console itself along with details of limited editions including a Green Limited-Edition Xbox, styled in the same way as the new Xbox Series X 25th Anniversary Edition Console, along with a Crystal Limited Edition Xbox which was a white translucent style. There was the Xbox Live Starter kit which included a headset for online chat along with a new controller design which was smaller called the Xbox Controller S, plus the Xbox Memory unit which plugged into the controllers allowing game saves to be easily transported. More games came to the platform such as Amped 2 and Project Gotham Racing 2 which were sequels to other games I owned for Xbox.

Xbox was my first non-programming topic I covered on my original website since it had started back in 1998, it was great to be able to share details of Xbox games and hardware to others, which proved a popular website for those wanting to find out more. I also enjoyed playing many of the games for the console, watching films and listening to music as well as appreciating the pro-consumer efforts after launch in the United Kingdom, that meant I had three games and two controllers within a short space of time. If you want to check out that Xbox website it is still available and archived at cespage.com/xbox or check out the link in the show notes.

Conclusion

Xbox when it first released in the United States in November 2001, around twenty-five years ago helped usher in a new era of gaming and as soon as I found out that Microsoft were releasing a console, I wanted to have it, although had I been in the United States I could have had it for Christmas in the United Kingdom I had to wait to have it for my birthday instead in March 2002. I ended up getting more games for the original Xbox than I ever could for previous consoles, as before then I had to get new games or consoles for Christmas or Birthdays, but from that point on I was able to afford to buy my own games I wanted, when I wanted.

Xbox only really had one issue with the original hardware, which was a recall for the power cable due to a defect in the cable, but was able to get a replacement with in-line protection, that along with the free games and controller due to the quick price cut meant any issues that did occur were resolved, this experience helped start my path on Xbox which continued with the Xbox 360, which is a story for another time, and continues today, with the latest Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X, and will continue in the future with Project Helix, but for me console gaming will always be an Xbox.

Outro

Thanks for listening to the RoguePlanetoid Podcast where each episode you will find insights about Microsoft or related platforms and technology, along with so much more wherever you listen to your podcasts or at rogueplanetoid.com/podcasts for the RoguePlanetoid Podcast whether you are a beginner or an experienced professional or just interested in technology. Keep Current, Keep Coding!